How to Evaluate Your Calorific Need
Most people don't know how many calories their body's need in an average day. As a consequence, many people consume far more calories than they need each day without even realising it. Weight management depends upon an energy balance equation; the amount of energy you put into your body (food calories) versus the amount of energy you expend (activity).
How to Accurately Calculate Your Body's Needs
Understanding your body's energy requirements can help you make healthy nutritional choices.There are three main components that make up your body's energy expenditure- basal metabolic rate, energy expended during physical activity, and the thermic effect of food. Adding these three components together is the most accurate way of determining how many calories your body requires each day.
- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR):
Most of the body's energy (about 60-70%), goes to supporting the ongoing metabolic function of all of your body's cells. This includes such activities as heart beat, respiration and maintaining body temperature.To determine your BMR (using Kilograms):
- Multiply your body weight by 20, and then add 5 times your body weight to the result.
- i.e., for a 70 kg male, 1,400 + (5 x 70) = 1,750 calories per day BMR
- i.e., for a 55 kg female, 1,100 + (5 x 55) = 1,375 calories per day BMR
To determine your BMR (using Pounds):
- Multiply your body weight by 10, and then add double your body weight to the result.
- i.e., for a 150 lb male, 1,500 + (2 x 150) =1,800 calories per day BMR
- i.e., for a 120 lb female, 1,200 + 120=1,320 calories per day BMR
- Energy Expended during Physical Activity:
The second component of the equation depends upon your level of physical activity. Physical activity has a profound effect on human energy expenditure and contributes 20-30% to the body's total energy output. One of the most reliable methods in calculating calories burned during physical activity is the Metabolic Energy (MET) Method (see table below). - Thermic Effect of Food:
The last component to calculate has to do with your body's management of food. The increase in energy required to digest food is referred to as the thermic effect of food (TEF) and it's simple to determine:TEF = total kcals consumed x 10%
[i.e., 2,000 kcals consumed/day x 0.10 = 200 kcals expended for TEF]
At the Gym
If you fancy a trip to the gym then the chart below shows how many calories you burn during 30 minutes of some common activities:Activity | Calories Burnt | Activity | Calories Burnt |
Aerobics: low impact | 240 | Aerobics: high impact | 336 |
Aerobics, Step: 6" - 8" step | 408 | Aerobics, Step: 10" - 12" step | 480 |
Aerobics: water | 192 | Bicycling, Stationery: moderate, 150 watts | 336 |
Rowing, Stationery: moderate, 100 watts | 336 | Rowing, Stationery: vigorous, 150 watts | 408 |
Ski Machine: general | 336 | Stair Step Machine: General, without supporting any bodyweight on hand rails | 432 |
Weight Lifting: Light, free weight, nautilus or universal-type | 144 | Weight Lifting: Vigorous, free weight, nautilus or universal-type | 288 |
Sports and Activities
If sport is your think then the chart below shows how many calories you burn during 30 minutes of some common activities:Below are the caloric values of energy expended during 30 minutes of various sports:
Activity | Calories Burnt | Activity | Calories Burnt |
Basketball: playing a game | 384 | Basketball | 216
|
Bowling | 144 | Bicycling: BMX or mountain | 408 |
Boxing: punching bag | 288 | Boxing: in the ring | 576 |
Dancing: disco, ballroom, square, line, Irish step, polka | 216 | Dancing: slow, waltz, foxtrot, tango, fox trot | 144 |
Fencing | 288 | Football: competitive | 432 |
Golf: driving range, miniature | 144 | Golf: walking and pulling clubs | 206 |
Gymnastics: general | 192 | Hacky sack | 192 |
Handball: general | 576 | Handball: team | 384 |
Hang Gliding | 168 | Hiking: cross-country | 288 |
Hockey: field & ice | 384 | Horseback Riding: general | 192 |
Ice Skating: general | 336 | Kayaking | 240 |
Martial Arts: judo, karate, kick boxing, tae kwan do | 480 | Motor-Cross | 192 |
Orienteering | 432 | Polo | 480 |
Race Walking | 312 | Racquetball: competitive | 480 |
Racquetball: casual, general | 336 | Rock Climbing: ascending | 528 |
Rock Climbing: rappelling | 384 | Rollerblade / In-Line Skating | 600 |
Rope Jumping: general, moderate | 480 | Running: 5 mph (12 min/mile) | 384 |
Running: 5.2 mph (11.5 min/mile) | 432 | Running: 6 mph (10 min/mile) | 480 |
Running: 6.7 mph (9 min/mile) | 528 | Running: 7 mph (8.5 min/mile) | 552 |
Running: 8.6 mph (7 min/mile) | 672 | Running: 10 mph (6 min/mile) | 768 |
Running: training, pushing wheelchair, marathon wheeling | 384 | Running: cross-country | 432 |
Running: stairs, up | 720 | Running: on track, team practice | 480 |
Scuba or skin diving | 336 | Skateboarding | 240 |
Skiing: cross-country, light effort, general, 2.5 mph | 336 | Skiing: cross-country, vigorous, 5.0 - 7.9 mph | 432 |
Skiing: downhill, moderate effort | 288 | Skiing: downhill, vigorous effort, racing | 384 |
Soccer: general | 336 | Soccer: competitive play | 480 |
Softball: pitching | 288 | Squash | 576 |
Surfing: body or board | 144 | Swimming: general, leisurely, no laps | 288 |
Swimming: laps, vigorous | 480 | Tai Chi | 192 |
Table Tennis / Ping Pong | 192 | Tennis: general play | 336 |
Tennis: singles, competitive | 384 | Tennis: doubles, competitive | 240 |
Track & Field: high jump, long jump, triple jump, javelin, pole vault | 288 | Track & Field: steeplechase, hurdles | 480 |
Volleyball: non-competitive, general play, 6 - 9 member team | 144 | Volleyball: competitive, gymnasium play | 384 |
Volleyball: beach | 384 | Walk: 2 mph (30 min/mi) | 120 |
Walk: 3 mph (20 min/mi) | 158 | Walk: 3.5 mph (17 min/mi) | 182 |
Walk: 4 mph (15 min/mi) | 240 | Walk: 4.5 mph (13 min/mi) | 302 |
Walk: 5 mph (12 min/mi) | 384 | Water Skiing | 288 |
Home Maintenance and DIY
Finally if you're into DIY then you might be pleasantly surprised how many calories you can burn in 30 minutes. The chart below tells you exactly how many for some common (and not so common) jobs:Below are the caloric values of energy expended during 30 minutes of various sports:
Activity | Calories Burnt | Activity | Calories Burnt |
Carpentry, installing rain gutters, building fence | 288 | Carrying & stacking wood | 240 |
Chopping & splitting wood | 288 | Cleaning rain gutters | 240 |
Digging, spading dirt, composting | 240 | Gardening: general | 192 |
Gardening: weeding | 216 | Laying sod / crushed rock | 240 |
Mowing Lawn: push, hand | 288 | Mowing Lawn: push, power | 264 |
Operate Snow Blower: walking | 216 | Paint outside of home | 240 |
Planting seedlings, shrubs | 216 | Plant trees | 216 |
Raking Lawn | 206 | Roofing | 288 |
Sacking grass or leaves | 192 | Shovelling Snow: by hand | 288 |
Storm Windows: hanging | 240 | Sweeping: garage, sidewalks, outside of house | 192 |
Trimming shrubs/trees: manual cutter | 216 | Trimming: using edger, power cutter, etc. | 168 |
Watering plants, by hand | 120 | Workshop: general carpentry | 144 |
Yard: applying seed or fertilizer, walking | 120 | Yard: watering by hand, standing/walking | 72 |
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