Calculation of the daily calorie intake. Daily calorie intake for weight loss

Hello my dear readers! A real man should take care of his health. To do this, you need to know what and in what quantities you can eat. First of all, you need to determine what is the norm of calories per day for men.

The composition of the food is also important. It is worth eating a balanced diet. Each person should receive a certain amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. We need vitamins and microelements contained in foods. But, if you decide to seriously take care of your health, first calculate your daily calorie intake. This is a top priority.

Every person needs food. After all, we get energy from it. Many of us remember that the measure of its measurement is the kilojoule. Indeed, the energy value on many products is also indicated in kilojoules. But for an ordinary person who is not keen on physics, this is inconvenient. Therefore, it was decided to equate 1 kilojoule to 4.186 calories.

The number of calories differs depending on the composition of the products. There are 9 calories in 1 gram of fat. And in 1 gram of carbohydrates and carbohydrates 4 kcal. But not only the quantitative composition is important. All elements are digested differently. Carbohydrates are simple and complex. The latter are digested more slowly, and more energy is spent on it. Therefore, they are more useful. But let's take a closer look at the quantitative indicators.

Do you know exactly how many calories you need per day? It all depends on the energy consumption. If you play sports, then your body spends more energy. Youth also has an impact. Young people need more energy.

Why do you need to know your limits?

If we start to consume more than we should, then our body reacts instantly. Extra centimeters begin to appear on the stomach and sides. Unspent calories are converted into fat. The figure loses its relief and begins to “float”. In addition, overeating has a negative impact on health. After all, obesity leads to many diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver and kidneys.

Hunger doesn't do us any good either. Starting to sharply reduce the number of calories, we make our body "panic". As a result, muscle mass is destroyed, not fat. We become lethargic and irritable. However, not getting the desired result.

To keep yourself in great shape, you need to monitor your diet and exercise. To always look "excellent", do not be afraid to ask for help. I really like Vladimir Molodov's fitness trainings. He has a good training for girls. And of course there is a great training " super relief" for men. He is the champion of Russia in bodybuilding and trains many celebrities. He will inspire anyone with his example!

Daily Value for Men

Approximate figures for the daily calorie intake are known. On average, each man needs from 2400 to 3000 kcal. However, this figure can increase or decrease depending on lifestyle. Plus, goals are important. If a person wants to lose weight, then the number of calories must be reduced.

For a young person from 19 to 30 years old, 2400 kcal is considered the norm. Provided that he leads a sedentary lifestyle. A man with the same data, but aged 31 to 50, needs 2200 kcal. And from 51 years old and even less - 2000 kcal per day. If a man goes in for sports, then energy consumption increases. Therefore, the daily calorie intake should increase. To be more precise, your daily calorie intake depends on 4 main factors:

  1. Your weight - the more it is, the more you need to consume so that the weight does not change.
  2. Your height - tall people need to eat more 🙂
  3. Your age - with age, the body consumes less and less energy
  4. Your physical activity - if you work out physically or go to workouts regularly, then you need more calories than an office worker who has never been to the gym.

Formulas for calculating the daily norm

The most common 2 formulas for calculating the norm of calories:

  • Harris-Benedict formula
  • Mifflin-Sant Geor formula

The first was proposed in 1919 (its modified version is now used). For a long time she was the only one. Now the Mifflin-San Jeor formula is becoming more popular. It was bred quite recently, and nutritionists prefer to use it, because. it is easier to calculate. On the jelly itself, the results of both formulas are very close.

Below I will give calculations for both formulas with examples. You can decide for yourself which of the formulas suits you best.

First, measure your height and weight. Also determine what kind of lifestyle you lead. This information is needed to select the coefficient of physical activity:

  • if you do not play sports and spend most of the day passively, then your coefficient is 1.2;
  • when playing sports 3 times a week - 1.375;
  • at 5 times a week - 1.4625;
  • when you are engaged in physical labor and train intensively - 1.55;
  • if your sports activities are everyday, then your coefficient is 1.6375;
  • your daily classes are intensive or take place not once a day - 1,725;
  • and, if you also work physically, then the coefficient is 1.9.

Harris–Benedict formula

The formula itself is:

(88.36 + 13.4 * weight in kg + 4.8 * height in cm - 5.7 * age) * physical activity coefficient

Let's count for an example. A 40-year-old man weighing 88 kg, height 184 cm goes in for sports 5 times a week:

(88,36 + 13,4 * 88 + 4,8 * 184 – 5,7 * 40) * 1,4625 = 2812 kcal

Mifflin Formula - San Jeora

(10 * weight in kg + 6.25 * height in cm - 5 * age + 5) * physical activity coefficient

And again an example with the same man:

(10 * 88 + 6,25 * 184 – 5 * 40 + 5) * 1,4625 = 2684 kcal

As you can see, the difference in calculations by different formulas is within 5%, i.e. essentially irrelevant. You can take the average value 🙂

If you want to simplify the task, you can use daily calorie calculator. It will easily calculate your rate.

That's all I wanted to tell you. Do not forget to subscribe to my blog and share the article on social networks.

In what cases do people, diligently armed with tables and calculators, calculate the daily calorie intake? As a rule - in two. Not so often, but still considered for preventive purposes, in order to maintain good shape, mobility and vigor. Far-sighted and wise life position. But more often women are interested in a targeted question - how many calories do you need per day to lose weight? That is, when an excess of kilocalories has already acquired unattractive forms.

For reference: A calorie is a unit of heat energy. One kilocalorie (1 kcal) contains 1000 calories. To measure the energy value of products, a unit of measure is used - kilocalorie (kcal) and indicates how much potential energy we can get by consuming a particular product. Often the unit of measure is the calorie. It seems that manufacturers deliberately introduce confusion so as not to terrify the "accounters" of the energy capacity of products.

Speaking about the norm of calories per day for a woman, let's remember one of the fundamental laws of physics - the law of conservation and transformation of energy. It says that energy does not disappear and does not arise from nowhere, it flows from one state to another. This is science. In our particular case, this means the following: we get energy from the foods eaten at breakfast-lunch-dinner and snacks in between. We must redirect the received number of kilocalories to the performance of certain actions, i.e. - to use up, if it is not in our interests to increase our own fat reserves. Otherwise, we get extra pounds, problems with the quality of health, dissatisfaction with our appearance, etc. The algorithm is very simple. But there are many nuances ...

Daily calorie intake for women of normal build

Scientists have found that the life support of 1 kg of body weight for 1 hour requires 1 kilocalorie. You can make an approximate calculation of calorie intake per day. With a weight of 68 kg, you will use 68 kcal per hour, and per day - 68 kcal x 24 hours = 1638 kcal. We get the amount of energy necessary to maintain the body in working condition (without taking into account the costs of related life processes). To this should be added the energy costs for digesting food, playing sports, mental work, etc. In general, the average energy consumption for an average woman is 1800-2000 kcal per day. We repeat, this is a very average value, which is adjusted by a number of factors.

What to consider when calculating calories per day:

  • Age- young people need more energy (they spend more of it), older people need less. Every 10 years, the required amount of energy consumed is reduced by 2%.
  • Occupation- the cashier and the postman spend different amounts of energy in the course of their work, respectively, and replenish it in different doses.
  • Sports activities The more intense the workout, the more energy needs to be replenished.
  • During pregnancy and lactation a woman needs enhanced nutrition “for two”.
  • Climatic conditions- in cold regions, food should be more high-calorie than in hot ones.

Table of calories per day for women, taking into account age and occupation

Groups of women by energy expenditure Age (years) The required number of calories per day
Representatives of mental labor (there is no physical activity during the working day) 18-19 2000
30-39 1900
40-59 1800
Workers of light physical labor (pharmacies, service enterprises, preschool and school institutions, etc.) 18-19 2200
30-39 2150
40-59 2100
Medium-heavy workers - doctors, drivers, salesmen, shoemakers, etc. 18-19 2600
30-39 2550
40-59 2500
A group of hard physical labor - workers, builders, agricultural workers, machine operators, etc. 18-19 3050
30-39 2950
40-59 2850
Pregnant women +350 kcal
Nursing mothers (1-6 months) +500 kcal
Nursing mothers (from 7 months) +450 kcal
ladies aged 60-74 1950
old ladies over 75 1700

Of course, these are relative numbers. By monitoring well-being, control weighing and corrections, it is quite easy to determine your daily calorie intake.

But you can not waste time on observations, but use more or less accurate calculation formulas derived by nutritionists.

Daily Calorie Calculation - Mifflin Formula

This method of calculating the daily calorie intake is considered the most accurate today. The formula looks like this:


Or, in another way, you can write it like this:

(BODY WEIGHT (kg) x10 + HEIGHT (cm) x6.25 - AGE (years) x5 - 161) x ACTIVITY COEFFICIENT

Activity coefficient table:

Coefficient value Activity level
1,2 Lack of physical activity
1,375 3 workouts per week
1,4625 Training every day, on weekends - rest
1,55 High intensity daily workouts, except weekends
1,6375 Training takes place every day
1,725 High Intensity Daily/Twice a Day Workout
1,9 Hard physical work combined with high-intensity daily workouts

There are other formulas for calculating calories per day

  • Harris-Benedict Formula for 1918 and 1987 (with an error of 5 to 10%)
  • Ketch-McArdle technique- gives an accurate calculation for the athletic type of people. For obese and unsportsmanlike - the error is large. The formula does not take into account the energy consumption of the body to maintain body fat.
  • Formula of the World Health Organization (WHO)- takes into account a number of factors - gender, weight, age, metabolic rate, level of physical activity, energy consumption for digestion and assimilation of food, thermoregulation. Pretty accurate calculations are obtained, but cumbersome.
  • The formula for determining daily energy consumption by body area- is based on the law of the directly proportional dependence of energy consumption at rest on the surface area of ​​the body.

If you wish, you can find these methods, but in our opinion, one proven Mifflin formula is enough, and even more than that - an approximate calculation of the number of kilocalories, taking into account age and load (according to the table below). Indeed, with an accuracy of one kilocalorie, you will never determine the energy intensity of the portion of food consumed and your energy costs during the day.

Calculating calories per day for weight loss


  • How to act if you already have extra pounds and there is a firm intention to get rid of them? It is important to understand that the cause of obesity can be a number of factors, both physiological and psychological. And it is necessary to solve the problem in a complex. Counting calories, of course, will not be superfluous.
  • But along the way, you need to undergo a medical examination. At least in order to identify or eliminate the physiological causes of excess weight, find out what diet you should follow, what foods may be contraindicated.
  • At the same time, it would be useful to observe - maybe you "jam" some emotions, or make up for the lack of some emotions with a sweet piece of cake, chocolate, chips, etc. Perhaps you will come to the idea of ​​​​the need to contact a psychologist.
  • In a set of measures for losing weight, it is imperative to introduce a revision of the food culture.

By itself, the question arises - is it only a matter of calories? Does quality calorie content matter?

Everyone has heard that nutrition should be balanced. But if you conduct a survey, few will indicate the percentage of the main components - fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

Balanced food contains:
Proteins - 20%
Fat - 30%
Carbohydrates - 50%

Breaking this balance in the direction of increasing fat, you are guaranteed to acquire additional grams, which then grow into kilograms. By eating more carbohydrates than necessary, we achieve the same result.
Moreover, in addition to excess weight with an unbalanced diet, we get weakness, drowsiness, fatigue, a bunch of diseases and general malaise as a bonus.

We invite you to talk about the quality of food in the relevant section of the site. Now we just focused your attention on this aspect. Under no circumstances should they be neglected.

How to calculate the number of calories for weight loss per day

Common sense dictates that you need to spend more energy than you receive. And then the body will be forced to turn to fat depots for additional energy. Physical activity and diet is a sure way to lose weight. But you have to count calories.

With a negative balance of 20% of the daily rate of kilocalories (defined by you as described above), the process of losing weight will be gentle and, according to doctors, optimal - minus 0.5 kg per week. The body is not exposed to stress, has time to rebuild, as a result, the skin does not sag and remains elastic.

Want to lose weight faster? Subtract 40% from your daily calorie intake. But if you will be haunted by a constant feeling of hunger, it is better to refuse to force events. And try to avoid common mistakes, heed the tips below.


  • Rebuilding the regimen and quality of nutrition, reducing the amount of calories consumed, changing your lifestyle to a more active one, you must understand that this is forever. If, after some time, having dropped 10-15 kg that are interfering with you, you open the refrigerator and go into all serious trouble, the body will react to this in its own way. Remembering that you, at one time, declared war on him and put him on a starvation ration, he will first of all replenish his fat pantries, and only then will he spend the received food on plastic needs. That is why after long, debilitating diets, people quickly gain weight.
  • You need to drink water - 2 liters per day, at least. Firstly, you are partially distracted from the desire to have a snack, and secondly, water removes toxins from the body. Tea, coffee are drinks, and they will not replace water.
  • Organize your own meals. Give up the habit of eating twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. Better - more often and in small portions.
  • Let your diet be more plant foods without heat treatment.
  • Apples, plums, grapes and other fruits and vegetables are also food and, accordingly, calories.
  • Be sure to include sports in your daily schedule - walking, swimming, cycling, breathing exercises. By the way, running with excess weight is not worth it if you do not want to have problems with the joints of the legs and spine.
  • Arrange fasting days once a week, keep a diary of observations of the process.
  • Believe in success, follow a positive attitude, be friendly and attentive to yourself and people.

The online calculator of daily calorie and BJU will help you understand what rate is needed to maintain shape, gain weight or lose weight. Specify your parameters, choose a lifestyle and a goal. The system will do the calculation automatically!

Your height (cm):

Your weight, kg:

Your lifestyle:

Don't know Sedentary, sedentary Light activity (exercise 1-3 times a week) Moderate activity (exercise 3-5 times a week) High activity (heavy loads every day) Extremely high activity

Your aim:

Daily calorie intake:
according to the average consumption per kilogram 2600 - 3000;
according to the Harris-Benedict formula 2923;
according to the formula Mifflin - St. Jeor 2410.
Landmarks for:
calorie range 2290 - 2531;
daily protein intake 143 - 221 grams;
daily fat intake 64 - 84 grams;
daily intake of carbohydrates 258 - 348 grams.

Proteins, fats, carbohydrates are the most important components of our food. When planning a diet for weight loss, it is necessary to accurately calculate the daily calorie intake to meet the needs of the body and the ratio of BJU. Properly selected nutrition will allow losing weight:

  • do not feel hungry, lethargic and weak;
  • provide yourself with enough nutrients;
  • effectively lose weight, keep weight at a certain level, which is especially important for women;
  • for men - choose a diet for gaining muscle mass or for weight loss, prepare the body for drying;
  • get the right ratio and balance of nutrients in the body.

Online calculator for calculating BJU and daily calorie intake

  • specify your parameters;
  • choose a lifestyle and purpose;
  • the system will do the calculation automatically.

Why do you need to know?

The counter will allow you to get answers to the questions:

  • How many calories do we need to lose weight?
  • Should I increase / decrease the nutritional value of food?
  • Are we eating enough BJU?

Daily calorie intake for weight loss

How many calories do you need per day to lose weight? How to correctly calculate calories and their consumption? An online calorie calculator will help you solve these problems.

Of course, every person who wants to lose weight has their own lifestyle: some more, some less active. Accordingly, one needs to calculate the number of calories per day for weight loss and strictly adhere to this plan, while the other just needs to decide how much he needs to keep himself in shape.

How to correctly calculate calorie consumption for weight loss

If you decide to lose weight, you need to know your allowable rate and the optimal number of calories per day. To calculate calorie consumption and understand what calories a particular dish has, use the online calculator.

To calculate your calorie intake per day, you need to determine how many of them you consume in one day.

There is a specially designed Mifflin-St Geor formula:

  • daily calorie intake for men: (10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (g) + 5) x A;
  • for women, the daily calorie intake is calculated using the same formula, the difference from the male formula in the last coefficient: +5 changed to -161.

After performing this simple computational operation, we obtain data to keep ourselves in shape. In order to calculate the calorie content for weight loss, multiply the result by the indicator of physical activity (A):

  • low (sedentary work in the office + occasional walks around the city) = 1.2;
  • small (the above + exercises in the gym + swimming several times a week) \u003d 1.4;
  • average (training 3-5 times a week) = 1.6;
  • high (daily physical activity) = 1.7.

Harris-Benedict Formula.

BMR (basal metabolism) * AMR (active metabolism).

BMR for women: 447.593 + (9.247 * weight in kg) + (3.098 * height in cm) - (4.330 * age in years).

BMR for men: odds 88.362; 13.397; 4.799; 5.677 respectively.

  • Sedentary lifestyle - 1.2;
  • Moderate activity - 1.375;
  • Average (classes 3-5 times a week) - 1.55;
  • Active people (intense loads) - 1,725;
  • Athletes (6-7 times a week) - 1.9.

For a set of muscle mass AMR=1.2; for losing weight women and men - 0.8.

Consumption per kilogram depends only on weight and lifestyle:

  • sedentary. 1 kg from x26 to x30;
  • light activity. 1 kg from x31 to x37;
  • average. 1 kg from x38 to x40;
  • high. 1 kg from x41 to x50;
  • extreme. 1 kg from x50 to x55.

Norm for men and women per day for weight loss

Nutritionists say that when losing weight, the daily calorie intake for a woman and a girl should be at least 1100-1300 kcal. Such an amount of consumption is able to provide the female body with everything necessary.

For weight loss, the daily calorie intake for a man is slightly higher - 1300-1600 kcal. It is extremely important to calculate the calorie content of the food you eat in such a way that it contains not only proteins, but also complex carbohydrates. In no case should you refuse entire groups of products. This can negatively affect your well-being.

How to calculate the daily calorie intake for weight loss?

The online daily calorie calculator will help you understand what calorie intake you need to keep fit, as well as make a calculation and help you understand how many calories per day you need to lose weight. In addition, you can calculate the rate yourself using tables and formulas for calorie intake.

For a person, the recommended daily calorie intake for weight loss is 20% less than the result that you received in the course of the above calculations (1200-1400 kcal). For a child (up to 10 years old), the average daily intake, when losing weight, fluctuates around 1800-2000 kcal, and for a teenager the recommended daily intake is 2300-2500 kcal.

The ratio of BJU in the diet

For a long time, doctors, nutritionists, scientists and physiologists have tried to derive a proportional ratio of BJU so that the human body can fully function, and also so that diseases associated with inadequate or malnutrition do not arise. As a result, they established the following relationship, which is important to remember:

  • 1 g B = 4 kcal;
  • 1 g F = 9;
  • 1 g Y \u003d 4.

On the day a person should consume food containing 40% protein and carbohydrates and 20% fat. The formulas for calculating are as follows:

  • B: (2000 kcal * 0.4) / 4;
  • W: (2000 * 0.2) / 9;
  • Y: (2000 * 0.4) / 4.

The results obtained are for you the necessary norm for each substance separately.

Table of proteins, fats, carbohydrates (BJU) products

The last task remains: to find food that matches these data.
It is important to take into account its usefulness for the body, the presence of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other useful elements that are directly involved in the growth and regeneration of cells and the proper functioning of all internal organs and systems.

The menu should be varied. If possible, include dairy and sour-milk products, meat, fish, cereals, fruits, vegetables, flour, nuts, sweets.

When compiling a balanced diet, this table will be an excellent helper:

Product Proteins, g Fats, g Carbohydrates, g Calories per 100g
boiled chicken egg 12,7 10,7 0,8 144
buckwheat 12,6 3,3 68,0 335
rice 7,0 1,0 77,3 330
boiled brown rice 2,7 0,8 24,7 116
semolina 10,3 1,0 73,3 328
oatmeal 11,0 6,1 65,4 303
durum wheat 13,0 2,5 66,6 301
wheat bran 15,1 3,8 33,5 191
Hercules 11,0 6,2 65,7 305
pearl barley 9,3 1,1 73,7 320
Dutch cheese 26,0 26,8 0,6 352
low-fat cottage cheese 18,0 0,6 1,8 88
raw cow's milk 3,2 3,6 4,8 64
Mozzarella 21,2 20,7 0,7 264
low-fat kefir 3 0,05 3,8 30
sour cream 10% 3,0 10,0 2,9 115
banana 1,5 0,1 21,8 89
watermelon 0,7 0,2 10,9 38
an Apple 0,4 0,4 11,8 45
sweet cherry 1,1 0,4 11,5 50
cherry 0,8 0,5 11,3 52
pear 0,4 0,3 10,9 42
melon 0,6 0 10,3 38
Strawberry 0,6 0,3 7,2 33
raspberry 0,8 0,3 14,1 42
peach 0,9 0,1 11,3 46
black currant 1,0 0,2 11,5 38
kiwi 1,3 1,0 9,8 52
White cabbage 1,8 0,1 6,8 27
cauliflower 2,5 0,3 2,4 30
corn 3,5 2,8 15,6 101
potato 2,0 0,4 18,1 80
salad 1,5 0,2 3,1 17
carrot 1,3 0,1 9,3 34
onion 1,4 0 10,4 41
Sweet pepper 1,3 0 7,2 27
garlic 6,5 0 6,0 46
tomato 1,1 0,2 5,0 23
beet 1,5 0,1 11,8 42
a tomato 1,1 0,2 5,0 23
cucumber 0,8 0,1 3,8 14
vegetable marrow 0,6 0,3 5,2 23
bell pepper 1,3 0,1 7,2 26
cod 17,1 1,1 0,6 81
pink salmon 20,8 6,8 0,5 147
squid 19,0 2,6 1,3 105
pollock 16,5 1,3 0,6 78
salmon 20,8 10,1 1,3 172
trout 20,3 7,9 0,4 152
tuna 22,5 2,6 0,3 115
chum salmon 21,3 6,1 1,1 140
beef 20,4 12,7 0,5 193
beef liver 18,8 4,2 3,4 125
mutton 16,9 17,4 1,2 219
pork 20,5 11,5 0,04 209
chicken 21,3 9,7 1,3 175
chicken breast 23,9 2,9 0,7 124
chicken liver 19,8 6,7 1,1 143
chicken thigh 19,4 11,5 2,0 187
minced chicken 17,7 9,9 0,6 164
turkey breast 20,5 3,2 0,1 111
turkey fillet 20,0 4,1 0,2 117
peanut 26,3 45,2 9,9 551
cashew nuts 22,6 49,0 17,5 606
dairy pasta 11,5 2,9 67,1 345
hard pasta 10,4 1,1 74,9 337
spaghetti 9,9 1,4 59,2 293
wheat grain bread 8,1 1,4 45,6 231
black bread Borodino 6,8 1,3 41,8 207
premium wheat flour 10,3 1,1 70,6 334
pita 9,1 1,1 56,2 277
green beans 1,2 0,1 3,1 16
beans 21,0 2,0 54,5 292
green peas 5,0 0,2 13,8 73
asparagus 3,8 2,0 4,4 46
chanterelles 1,6 1,1 2,2 20
raisin 1,8 0 72,2 262
dried apricots 3,0 0 68,5 227
dates 2,5 0 72,1 271
granulated sugar 0 0 99,8 379
natural honey 0,8 0 80,3 314
raspberry jam 0,6 0 72,6 275
water 0 0 0 0
black coffee 0,2 0 0,3 2
cocoa powder 24,2 17,5 33,4 380
crab sticks 6,0 1,0 10,0 73
cutlet 15,4 18,1 8,2 248
smoked sausage 17,0 40,3 2,1 431
sausages 11,2 23,9 2,3 256
boiled breast 25,4 3,2 0,4 130
mashed potatoes 2,5 3,3 14,4 96
fried zucchini 1,2 6,6 7,1 96
stewed cabbage 3,4 4,0 7,4 66
pancakes 6,1 8,4 27,9 206
pancakes 6,6 7,6 35,3 229
dumplings 11,5 14,0 25,8 265
pizza 9,3 13,4 24,7 260
pilaf 10,0 9,9 26,5 211
millet porridge 4,9 2,4 25,7 138
boiled rice 3,3 1,7 24,8 130
omelette 14,2 16,8 1,2 211
borsch 2,7 3,1 3,8 56
chicken bouillon 3,2 1,6 1,4 32
cheeseburger mcdonalds 13,9 11,9 28,6 281
french fries mcdonalds 3,2 12,7 31,3 252

To make the consumption of these components even more beneficial, it would be nice to additionally:

  • go in for sports (running, walking, squats, push-ups, press - these are the minimum physical activities that everyone needs);
  • spend more time outdoors.

There are many methods to lose weight, the daily calorie calculation method is one of them. It has its own advantages and disadvantages. Benefits include a balanced diet. Indeed, unlike mono-diets and separate nutrition methods, you yourself choose what you will eat during the day, the main thing is that the calorie content of the daily diet fits into your daily calorie intake. In addition, satiety and calorie content are different things, and you can end the feeling of hunger when dieting by eating the right, satisfying, but low-calorie foods.

In addition to the fact that this technique is used for weight loss, its application is more extensive: there is a downside to the coin, for example, people involved in intensive sports or working in physically hard work. For them, it is important not only to eat a balanced diet, but also to keep weight under control. For example, to gain weight before the competition or not to lose it by eating wrong and not enough.

Calorie Calculation Methods

How to calculate the daily calories you personally need? We suggest using the calculation method according to the Mifflin-Saint Geor formula. This is the latest method of counting, today is the most accurate formula for calculating the daily calorie intake. Metabolic rate calculation:

  • men: 10 * weight (in kg) + 6.25 * height (in cm) - 5 * age (in years) +5;
  • women: 10 * weight (in kg) + 6.25 * height (in cm) - 5 * age (in years) -161.

This is the rate of calorie intake at rest. Now we multiply the result by the coefficient of physical activity:

1.2 - sedentary lifestyle

1,375 - 1-3 times a week, light physical activity

1.55 - active lifestyle and training 3 times a week

If you want to lose weight, subtract 20% from the resulting amount. Although in order to lose 1/2 kg per day, it is enough to reduce the calorie content of the daily diet by 200 Kcal.

How to calculate daily calorie intake from food

In order to use calorie counting methods in your diet, you will need the following:

  • food calorie tables;
  • small scales for calculating the weight of food consumed during cooking;
  • a notebook for recording the calculation of the caloric content of the daily diet;
  • scales for weighing a person.

At the first stage, it is proposed not to change anything in food habits, but simply for several days (preferably on weekends) to fix the calorie content of all foods and dishes, weighing each (you will have to cook it yourself and weigh all the ingredients) and counting the calorie content of all foods and drinks consumed during the day . This way you can calculate your daily calorie intake.

Pure water can be ignored, it has 0 Kcal. If a dish like soup is being prepared from several products, its calorie content is calculated by the formula:

Total calorie content of the soup \u003d the sum of the calories of the ingredients up to * (the weight of the soup after cooking \ the weight of food other than water, before cooking).

Criticism of the Calorie Counting Method

This technique has been around for over a century and is one of the leading approaches in nutrition today. Criticism of this method now also actively exists. The main disadvantages of the method of counting daily calories are:

The inaccuracy in counting calories in finished products, and the inaccuracy in calculating the calorie content of “hypothetical products in a vacuum”, since even among one type of meat or sauce there are many side factors that affect the calorie content of a particular product on your table.

An inaccuracy in the calculation of the daily calorie requirement, based on the fact that the calorie consumption per day is again calculated approximately, because every day we can have a different physical activity (which is again given in the tables for approximately each type of activity).

An indication by dietitians that in fact there are differences between calories and calories: from the point of view of physics or chemistry, indeed, 1 Kcal in alcohol will be equal to 1 Kcal in an apple. But from the point of view of biochemistry, this is not so. Food in the body is digested and absorbed in different ways, for example, calories from carbohydrates are absorbed instantly and are either converted into energy or stored in fat stores. The existing system for calculating daily calories does not take into account the actual energy costs of digesting various foods. So, from this point of view, there really are “negative calorie foods”, the costs of digestion of which are greater than the calorie content of the products themselves. Losing weight with these will not work (the difference is too small), but they are. Well, in addition, the reaction of the bacterial environment of the stomach to various types of food is not taken into account, simply - to the speed and complexity for the body in digesting different products. Although methods for calculating daily calories, taking into account the needs for fats, proteins and carbohydrates, are trying to combat this shortcoming. How to calculate daily calories based on the nutritional composition of food? As a result of research by nutritionists, it has been established that a person should receive the following number of calories:

  • 45%-65% of daily calories come from carbohydrates;
  • 20%-35% of daily calories come from fat;
  • 10% -35% - from proteins.

At the stage of losing weight or with intensive sports, the ratio of daily calories is proposed as follows: 30% from proteins, 20% from fats, 50% from carbohydrates. When losing weight, you need to consume at least 0.75-1 gram of protein per 1 kg of your own weight, while building muscle - twice as much. 1 gram of fat releases 9.3 kcal, 1 gram of protein and carbohydrates - 4.1 kcal each. Therefore, based on the calculations of your daily calorie intake, you can adjust the calorie intake by the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. For example, make it a rule to use 2 gr. protein \ 4 gr. carbohydrates \ 1 gr. fat per 1 kg of body weight. Or calculate the optimal ratio for yourself.

The only correct and effective way to lose weight is sports and a balanced diet. The rate of weight loss depends on the physiological characteristics of each person, the level of physical activity (training), existing diseases, etc. If you want to lose weight, a woman needs to correctly calculate the daily calorie intake for more effective and faster weight loss and subcutaneous fat.

Why Calculate Calories?

A calorie is the energy weight of a food that is released by the body when food is digested. The balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates and the caloric content of the dish are associated with working capacity and activity, health status.

With insufficient intake of energy in the body, weakness, apathy, deterioration of the skin, teeth, and hair are observed.

With an excess of caloric intake, fat accumulation in the body and an increase in body weight occur.

For healthy and safe weight loss, it is important to gradually reduce the calorie intake to the desired level. To do this, it is necessary to calculate the rate of individual calorie intake by the body, keep a food diary, which reflects all the foods and dishes eaten per day.

How to calculate daily calorie intake

The World Health Organization has recognized universal calorie norm data: for women, calorie content per day is 2000 kcal, for men 2500 kcal. However, these data do not take into account a number of factors that directly affect the daily calorie intake, such as gender, age, lifestyle, level of physical activity, etc.

The daily calorie intake for a woman when losing weight is calculated using special formulas.

The calculation consists of several stages:

The result is the metabolic rate (metabolic rate).

Multiplying this figure by the coefficient of the corresponding level of activity, we get the required calorie intake per day to keep the weight at a stable level.

To lose weight, a woman needs to reduce the resulting figure by 500 kcal. That is, if in the calculations the required daily calorie content turned out to be 1800 kcal, then in order to reduce weight, it is necessary to limit yourself to 1300 kcal.

To speed up weight loss, you can increase the number of workouts.

Calculation of ideal weight and minimum calorie intake for weight loss

Then multiply the result by:


For example:

Woman 28 years old, height 170 cm, normosthenic build with moderate physical activity. Ideal weight: 170 * 360 = 61.200 kg.

The norm of calories to maintain weight at a normal level: 61 * 33 \u003d 2013, i.e. 2000 kcal.

Mifflin-Saint-Geora Method

This calculation is the most optimal way when compiling a diet.

The disadvantage of the method is the lack of consideration of the ratio of muscle and adipose tissue in the body, tk. the level of muscle mass affects the rate of metabolic processes.

For example:

Daily calorie intake for a woman 35 years old, 160 cm tall and weighing 78 kg with moderately intense CFA: 78 * 10 + (6.25 * height in cm) - 5 * age (full years) - 161 \u003d 1444 kcal

1444 * 1.550 = 2238 kcal - daily requirement.

To lose weight, a woman needs to receive energy in the amount of 2238 kcal with food, but gradually reduce the rate to 2000 kcal.

Harris-Benedict Method

This method was developed in 1919. At present, the method is somewhat incorrect and has a calculation error of +/- 5%.

The daily calorie intake for men and women according to this method is calculated as follows:

For example:

A 33-year-old woman, weighing 65 kg and 173 cm tall, will need to maintain her normal weight:

655.1 + (9.563 * 65) + (1.85 * 173) - (4.676 * 33) = 1442.43 kcal.

Method of the World Health Organization (WHO)

According to this method, the calculation of the daily calorie intake is made taking into account CFA:


For example:

A 25-year-old girl weighing 55 kg with intensive CFA per day requires: (0.062 * 55 + 2.036) * 240 * 1.5 = 1960.56 kcal.

Ketch-McArdle Method

Calculations using this method allow taking into account the ratio of adipose and muscle tissue in the body. The disadvantage of the technique is the lack of consideration of gender, age and height in the calculations, which increases the likelihood of errors in the calculations.

According to the Ketch-McArdle method, daily requirement = 370 + (21.6 * weight in kg, excluding adipose tissue).

For example:

A woman weighing 60 kg per day needs: 370 + (21.6 * 56) = 1579.6 kcal.

By adhering to the rules of a healthy balanced diet, taking into account the required caloric content, a woman can keep her weight at a normal level. If a woman wants to lose weight, then 500 calories should be subtracted from the received calorie intake, but at the same time, the CFA level should be taken into account. A sharp decrease in the caloric intake for the fastest weight loss and an increase in physical activity contribute to the development of serious complications and diseases of the cardiovascular, endocrine, reproductive systems, slow metabolism, and reduce immunity.

Features of calculating the daily caloric intake

The daily intake of calories in the body for men and women is different. Men need more energy. For an accurate and most indicative result, the following individual features should be taken into account in the calculations:

  • age,
  • height,
  • body type,
  • lifestyle, level of physical activity,
  • type of employment (mental labor, hard physical labor).

When taking into account the level of physical activity, one should take into account the performance of household work (washing floors, dishes, washing, ironing clothes), walking up stairs or riding an elevator, the degree of movement in everyday life, the level of stress resistance.

So, a woman with hard physical work needs more calories to maintain strength than a woman with the same parameters, but working in the office.

Calorie intake during pregnancy

A woman during pregnancy is strictly forbidden to diet, lose weight. Overeating "for two" is also not recommended. Given the interesting situation, a woman needs to calculate the daily calorie intake to maintain the body's natural processes for the development of an unborn child.

Experts recommend gradually increasing the caloric intake with increasing gestational age from 2500 kcal in the first trimester to 3500 kcal in the third trimester. Gaining the required calories should be from plant foods, lean beef and chicken, fatty sea fish, nuts, fruits, whole grains and bread.

The Importance of Proteins, Fats, and Carbohydrates in Calorie Counting

When calculating calories, it is important to consider what calories are derived from. The state of the body, the process of losing weight or increasing body weight directly depends on the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in food.

So, for example, the 2000 kcal necessary for the body, obtained from “heavy” food, will not benefit the body. But the same 2000 kcal, obtained from fresh vegetables, whole grains, protein products, nuts, will help maintain balance in the body and, if necessary, lose weight.

Specialists use the universal ratio formula in the diet B (1): W (1): Y (4). However, when losing weight, you should increase the amount of protein and complex carbohydrates, and fats should be vegetable, polyunsaturated. It is also recommended to take foods high in potassium, magnesium, iron, iodine, calcium.

Carbohydrates are a source of energy and strength in the body. When losing weight, you need the intake of complex carbohydrates, which are digested longer by the body and give a feeling of fullness.

The intake of carbohydrates should be from the following sources:

  • oatmeal, pearl barley, wheat, corn grits, bulgur, couscous,
  • legumes: lentils, beans, peas, corn,
  • whole wheat bread.

When losing weight for a woman, it is important to take into account the amount of complex carbohydrates, protein foods and fats in the daily calorie intake.

Possible errors when calculating calories

The main errors in calculating daily caloric content:

  1. Physiological features.
  2. Hormonal changes and disorders. So, hypothyroidism contributes to a slowdown in metabolism, causes a violation of the water-salt balance in the body (which is reflected in the form of swelling).
  3. Fluid retention in the body. Due to the use of a large amount of salt, smoked meats, hot spices, water retention occurs, swelling of the body appears. When losing weight, weighing will be incorrect, because due to excess fluid in the body, body weight will be greater than it actually is.
  4. CFA in the calculations are approximate. It is impossible to determine the exact number of calories burned during sports.

To avoid possible errors in the calculations, it is recommended to keep a food diary, which will reflect all the foods eaten during the day. So, observing the diet for 3-4 weeks, you can identify excess and high-calorie foods that interfere with weight loss.

A qualified specialist (nutritionist, trainer) will help you correctly calculate the daily calorie intake. Taking into account individual characteristics, gender, age, height and CFA level, a specialist will be able to more accurately calculate how many calories the body needs to consume and perform physiological functions.

Calculating and applying the daily calorie intake is a useful practice that allows you to lead a normal lifestyle and at the same time noticeably lose weight. Knowing how many calories are in each particular product, you can calculate the rate of consumption of BJU.