How to Calculate Your Calorie Needs

The formula below will give you a ballpark figure for your daily caloric needs:

1. Figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
   Women: weight in pounds x 10 = BMR
   Men: weight in pounds x 11 = BMR
   (e.g., for a 130-pound woman: 130 x 10 = 1,300 BMR)
2. Calculate your lifestyle percentage (L%).
   Sedentary: 20 percent of BMR = L%
   Somewhat active: 30 percent of BMR = L%
   Moderately active: 40 percent of BMR = L%
   Very active: 50 percent of BMR = L%
   (e.g., for a somewhat active woman: 1,300 x 30% = 390)
3. Add the two together to work out your daily calorie needs.

Note: If a woman who needs 1,690 calories per day eats more or becomes less active, she’ll gain weight. If she eats less or becomes more active, she’ll lose weight. It will happen at the rate of 3,500 calories per pound.

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