Whether you’re looking to lose a few kilos, gain muscle, or maintain your current weight, understanding your caloric needs is the very first step.
Calories fuel your body, and knowing how many you need can help you achieve your goals effectively. We’ll break down everything you need to know about calculating your caloric intake below!
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Understanding your caloric needs
To determine how many calories you should consume daily, you need to calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). This is the total number of calories your body burns in a day, including both resting functions (like breathing and digestion) and activity (like walking, exercising, and even fidgeting). TDEE is based on three main factors:
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): The calories your body burns at rest to keep essential functions going, such as your heart beating and your lungs breathing.
Activity level: The energy you expend during daily tasks and workouts.
Your goal: Whether you want to lose, gain, or maintain weight.
How to calculate your TDEE
Use the Harris-Benedict equation to estimate your BMR based on age, gender, weight, and height.
Multiply your BMR by your activity level. For example:
- Sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR × 1.2
- Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1–3 days per week): BMR × 1.375
- Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3–5 days per week): BMR × 1.55
- Very active (hard exercise/sports 6–7 days per week): BMR × 1.725
- Super active (very hard exercise, physical job, or training twice a day): BMR × 1.9
How to work out your caloric intake for weight loss
If your goal is to lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your TDEE, creating a caloric deficit. The size of this deficit will depend on how quickly you want to lose weight:
Generally, a calorie deficit of about 15–20% or 500–750 calories per day is a good starting point. This approach helps you lose weight steadily while preserving muscle.
For example, iIf your TDEE is 2,000 calories, reducing your intake by 500 calories would mean consuming 1,500 calories daily.
How to work out your caloric intake for muscle gain
For those looking to gain muscle, a caloric surplus is necessary—eating more calories than your TDEE. The goal is to gain muscle, not excess fat, so the surplus should be moderate:
Some ‘bulkers’ aim for about 10–20% increase in TDEE or 250–500 additional calories per day.
How to work out your caloric intake for maintaining your current weight
If you’re happy with your current weight, maintaining it means matching your caloric intake to your TDEE. If your TDEE is 2,500 calories, aim to consume approximately that amount daily. Adjust your intake if your activity level changes or as you age.
Online tools that calculate your caloric intake for you
If manually crunching the numbers feels overwhelming, these online calorie calculators can do the hard work for you:
TDEE Calculator (tdeecalculator.net)
A user-friendly tool that provides a detailed breakdown of your caloric needs based on your goals and activity level.
MyFitnessPal (myfitnesspal.com)
A popular app that calculates your calories and offers an easy way to track your meals and exercise.
Calculator.net (calculator.net)
A straightforward calorie calculator with customisable options for weight loss, gain, or maintenance.
Disclaimer: Always consult with your doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or starting a new diet structure.
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