FAQ: Daily Calorie Requirement

What is my resting calorie requirement?

The resting daily calorie requirement calculator estimates your calorie needs in two stages; the first is based on your weight and age, and this is scaled according to how active you are.

First, calculate your basic calorie need:

Example: I weigh 74kg, and I am a 37 year old male, so my resting
metabolic requirement is: (15.3 x 74) + 679 = 1811 calories per day.

Then you multiply this according to how active you are during the day.

Example: I am moderately active, because I have a sedentary job as a
civil servant, but I exercise every day, including cycling to work and
running. So I multiply by 1.7: 1.7 x 1811 = 3078 calories per day.

Source: Anita Bean The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition.

How much do I add for the exercise I do?

The following table assumes a person of 65kg. Energy consumption would be higher for a heavier person, and lower for a lighter person.

How many calories should I eat if I want to lose weight?

You should not eat less than 85% of your daily calorie needs, and you should not try to lose more than 500g per week, because

• you risk illness
• your metabolism (and hence rate of weight loss) will slow down.

The minimum calorie intake calculator calculates the minimum amount of calories you should consume, and the maximum rate of weight loss.

See also

• Calorie intake for weight loss
• References
• FAQ index
• Discussion forums