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Your body uses the food you eat for its energy needs. If you consume fewer calories than you use, stored calories will be used. If you eat many more calories than your body needs, excess energy will be converted to glycogen or to fat for longer storage. So, how much energy does your body use every day?
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Women
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Men
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Body
Status
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Percentage
of body fat:
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10 to 12
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2 to 4
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Essential
fat
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14 to 20
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6 to 13
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Athletes
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21 to 24
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14 to 17
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Fitness
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25 to 31
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18 to 25
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Acceptable
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32% or
more
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26% or
more
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Obese
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Basal metabolic rate (BMR) accounts for the calories needed to perform all the vital functions of being alive, such as breathing, heartbeat, and maintaining body temperature. Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) includes this and the calories needed for daily activities beyond those included in the BMR. Typically, the BMR accounts for about 2/3 of the TDEE for individuals. Physical activity accounts for a major portion of the remaining calories, and the process of digestion uses about 10% of the TDEE.
The daily calorie need is calculated with the help of Harris-Benedict principle. According to this the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is calculated. Now to determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:
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Your
Activity Level:
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Daily
Calorie Need
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Sedentary
(little or no exercise)
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BMR x 1.2
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Lightly
active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week)
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BMR x
1.375
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Moderately
active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week)
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BMR x
1.375
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Very
active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week)
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BMR x
1.725
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Extra
active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training)
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BMR x 1.9
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