Hi ladies,
So I have been searching the various forums on the topic and have found some good information on daily caloric needs/BMR, etc. but I had a few questions.
From what I understand, there are two main calculations that you can use to estimate your BMR and daily caloric needs - the Harris Benedict equation and the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation. When I calculated each of them, my BMR came out a little different (which would make sense if the second one is more conservative in estimation). Anyway, here is what I got for the basic calculations:
BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years ) = ~1459
-or-
BMR = 10 (wt. in kg) + 6.25 (ht. in cm) - 5 (age) -161 = ~1388 (using the Mifflin-St. Jeor)
Now, on top of this do I add more based on physical activity levels, or just factor in how many calories per day I actually burn through exercise if I want to maintain my current weight? I was confused - because some things I have read said to multiply by a number based on how many days per week I exercise/general activity level to get daily caloric needs. Is this because more active people have a higher metabolism? Or, instead of multiplying by a set factor, should I just adjust my caloric intake each day based on how many calories I actually burn through exercise?
If I were to do both, it seems like I would be eating a ton more calories than I am used to eating. I know it's all approximations, but was hoping someone could clarify...sorry if I'm being overbearing. I'm just trying to get a good handle on my eating this year and wanted to gather all the info possible.
So I have been searching the various forums on the topic and have found some good information on daily caloric needs/BMR, etc. but I had a few questions.
From what I understand, there are two main calculations that you can use to estimate your BMR and daily caloric needs - the Harris Benedict equation and the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation. When I calculated each of them, my BMR came out a little different (which would make sense if the second one is more conservative in estimation). Anyway, here is what I got for the basic calculations:
BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years ) = ~1459
-or-
BMR = 10 (wt. in kg) + 6.25 (ht. in cm) - 5 (age) -161 = ~1388 (using the Mifflin-St. Jeor)
Now, on top of this do I add more based on physical activity levels, or just factor in how many calories per day I actually burn through exercise if I want to maintain my current weight? I was confused - because some things I have read said to multiply by a number based on how many days per week I exercise/general activity level to get daily caloric needs. Is this because more active people have a higher metabolism? Or, instead of multiplying by a set factor, should I just adjust my caloric intake each day based on how many calories I actually burn through exercise?
If I were to do both, it seems like I would be eating a ton more calories than I am used to eating. I know it's all approximations, but was hoping someone could clarify...sorry if I'm being overbearing. I'm just trying to get a good handle on my eating this year and wanted to gather all the info possible.