Calories?

Calories - measure the amount of energy that is supplied by carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in food. The energy supplied by food is needed for vital body functions like growth, movement, and thought.
Weight gain results when the number of calories consumed is greater than the number of calories used.
When the number of calories consumed is less than the number of calories used, there is weight loss.
There is no weight change when calories consumed equals calories used.
Food labels help to identify the amount of calories and nutrients per serving. But how many calories do you need to fuel your daily activities?

Here is a "quickie" method to help you know your daily calorie needs. It is a simple and quick way to estimate your caloric needs. The drawback is that it doesn't take into account activity levels or body composition. Active individuals may require more calories than this formula indicates. Also, the more lean body mass you have, the higher the total daily energy expenditure, and therefore more calories in one day is required. In addition, body fat is not accounted for, and this formula may greatly overestimate the caloric needs if someone is extremely overweight. But, this is a great way to look at your caloric need and see if you are on target.

The "quickie" method (based on total bodyweight)
Use your total current body weight times a multiplier. (For example: 140 lbs x)
For Fat loss = 12 - 13 calories per lb. of bodyweight (140 x 12 = 1680 calories a day)
For Maintenance = 15 - 16 calories per lb. of bodyweight (140 x 15 = 2100 calories a day)
For Weight gain: = 18 - 19 calories per lb. of bodyweight (140 x 18 = 2520 calories a day)

Remember this is just a quick way and not as accurate as other methods. Just use this to estimate if you are consuming the correct amounts of calories in a day.

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