How to: Determined Daily Caloric Intake

“How many calories is this?” is the main question most Americans ask when trying something new.  Maybe it’s because all the extra calories your body intakes turns into fat, but calories also have some of the good stuff.  With the right amount you can get anything and everything that you want done...DONE!  You see calories are used as a type of energy source called energy currency.  Things that could affect your caloric intake are the amount of energy you partake in a day and how old you are.  The recommended caloric intake for teen girls are 1,800-2,400 and for teen boys it is 1,800-3,200.

Everybody has a different caloric intake in order for it to stay energy and not for it to turn into fat.  You can calculate that by using the a simple formula called the Harris-Benedict Principle.  You can use this to calculate your BMR.  Your BMR is the amount of energy your body needs to function.  

Women- 655 + (4.3 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

Men- 66 + (6.3 x weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

After that you have to incorporate your daily activity into your caloric needs.  If you have no activity or you are sedentary you have to multiply your BMR by 20 percent.  If you are lightly active then you multiply your BMR by 30 percent.  If you exercise most times a week than you take your BMR and multiply it by 40 percent.  If you are extremely active you multiply your BMR by 60 percent.

EX: Sedentary: BMR x 20 percent

Lightly Active: BMR x 30 percent

Mostly Active: BMR x 40 percent

Extremely Active: BMR x 60 percent

After you have done this you add the first number you got by the second number you got and that should be the amount of caloric intake you should have a day.  If you have more then this number it is going to turn into fat and you’re going to have to burn it off.  If you have a lot less than that number then you might get light headed during the day and possibly faint.  As you lose weight you can recalculate your caloric intake.  

Sources/ Links
http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/blcalintake.htm
livestrong.com