I like to WOD, I like to cook and eat, and I like to talk all sorts of whatever.
If you're looking for run WODs, foodstuffs, sparse "sciency" info
(typically r/t exercise and physiology) and random soap-boxing....
read on, bitches:

29 March 2011

Calculating your BASAL METABOLIC RATE (BMR)

Good day to you, my brothas and sistas!
Are you curious of how to go about calculating your BMR. 
Would you like to get yo math 'on?
Well, you are in luck. For I, being the awesome cat that I am, have provided the easiest way to calculate your BMR with the least amount of frustration possible. So, go ahead... math it up.
However, before you get your adorable little panties in a wad, realize that this is a rather broad view into your (possible) BMR.

The BMR formula provided herein uses the variables of height, weight, age and gender to calculate your BMR. This is more accurate than just calculating calorie needs based on body weight alone. Also, it is more finite than the crap which Government agencies, who want me eating the carbohydrate equivalent to 7 slices of bread (not at all considering fruits and veggies) daily, manage to spew out at the ignorant masses. The only factor it omits is lean body mass and thus the ratio of muscle-to-fat a body has. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (aka swole) becuase it will underestimate calorie needs, and the very fat (aka tubby) because it will over-estimate calorie needs.


English BMR Formula (for you proper monkeys)


 
Chicks: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )

 
Dudes: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )

Metric BMR Formula (for you foreign monkeys)

 
Chicks: BMR = 655 + ( 9.6 x weight in kilos ) + ( 1.8 x height in cm ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )

 
Dudes: BMR = 66 + ( 13.7 x weight in kilos ) + ( 5 x height in cm ) - ( 6.8 x age in years )

OK. Do you have your BMR down now?
Good.
Wait, wait, wait. You aren't done yet. Now, you will utilize your newfound information/figures to calculate your total daily energy expenditure.
The Harris Benedict Equation is a formula that uses your BMR and then applies an activity factor to determine your total daily energy expenditure (calories). The only factor omitted by the Harris Benedict Equation is lean body mass. Remember, leaner bodies need more calories than less leaner ones. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate in all but the very muscular (will under-estimate calorie needs) and the very fat (will over-estimate calorie needs).


Harris Benedict Formula


 
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

 
If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2

 
  • If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
  • If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
  • If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
  • If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9 
 
Total Calorie Needs Example

 
If you are sedentary, multiply your BMR (1745) by 1.2 = 2094. This is the total number of calories you need in order to maintain your current weight.

 
Once you know the number of calories needed to maintain your weight, you can easily calculate the number of calories you need to eat in order to gain or lose weight.

What were your results? Please post them, so that I feel some type of reciprocity.
Also, feel free to begin your post with some sort of praise. I am OK with such things...

 

The Black Lion
- Lance Armstrong and I had a "Who has more nuts contest", I won by 5!

8 comments:

  1. Praise be Manni!

    I got a BMR of 1645.4

    I am guessing I'm "very active" and need 2838.315 calories

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  2. Manni is king! Seriously, though, this is awesome. I never knew this before. Thanks!

    I got 2374 calories for very active! That seems a bit high...but awesome if accurate!

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  3. Can't help but wonder why/how all those celebrity women talk about their eating habits in women's magazines and their daily caloric intake is usually from 1200-1400 calories per day...oh well!

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  4. looks like i'm at a BMR of 2108.

    i counted myself as "moderately active" since i sit at a desk or stand in a courtroom all day, so the calorie intake is 3267.

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  5. Thanks Manni! I have read different web sites on this and by far this is the most helpful I've seen.

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  6. Based on the science that the Le Black Lion dropped on us I worked through my BMR and Calorie Calculation and came up with a BMR of 2160 and Calorie Calculation of 3348 (I consider myself to be 'moderately active' considering I work out at least 4 days a week ( I attend xfit at least 2x's a week and workout on my own @ Gold's or track @ Washington & Lee). I also don't think I come close to 3348 calories a day.

    I will admit...I thought this whole Paleo thing was for the birds but I decided to give it a whirl (Slightly modified since 2/1 then moved to stricter Paleo on 3/5) and have indeed noticed an increase in my energy, lost a lot of my pony keg, and at least 3" off the waist size. The whole Paleo lifestyle is not as difficult as I thought it would be and I plan on trying to adhere to it beyond the 6 week challenge.

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  7. i'm in the same boat as felton. i'm eventually going to reintroduce cheese, bread and beer on occasion, but by and large i hope to keep eating like this. workouts have been good and i haven't been feeling lethargic during the day. thanks to manni, brandon and the other paleo proponents for getting us started.

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  8. Thanks so much Manni!! I think this is an awesome tool. While I don't want to be an obsessive calorie counter, I do think that being cognizant of what you're putting in your mouth all day is a good idea. Since weight loss is one of my goals, calories are relevant to me, but my daily calorie goal has been a guess until today. Prior to today, my goal was 1500 but I was realistically hitting between 1500-1800.

    My BMR calculates to 1395; when I adjust to "moderately active" I get 2162. So I think my daily calorie range has been ok. I probably eat more calories on Saturdays if I do the run and WOD.

    To be honest, I can't really tell whether my workouts have been better. They aren't worse than before; I just don't know if there's been any improvement that I solely attribute to Paleo. The past week I've been thinking a lot about what happens when the challenge is over, and I think I will stick to Paleo at about 80-90%, same as Brad.

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