The Often Asked
Question "How Many Calories Do I Burn A Day?" Is Finally Answered!
There are two primary numbers that determine whether you
will succeed at losing weight; calories consumed and calories burned. Calories
consumed can be monitored through food labels and a lot of diligence (counting
calories is hard work!). However, it can be extremely difficult to correctly
estimate how many calories we burn off per day...and without knowing that, we
won't know how many calories we should be trying to consume in order to lose
weight! This post will answer the question "How many calories do I burn a
day?" as well as provide some valuable weight loss tips such as 3 week diet system that will get you
pointed in the right direction to achieve the body you've always wanted!
But, before we get
started, I just wanted to let you know...
The key to any successful weight loss program is not only
KNOWING how many calories you burn but to TURBOCHARGE YOUR METABOLISM so that
you burn way more calories than you ever did before! Most diets actually cause
you to burn fewer calories because your metabolism slows down in response to
the dieting techniques. Warp Speed Fat Loss is the exception to the rule. This
rapid fat loss program is an A-Z guide to melting off pounds by putting your
metabolism into high gear.
How many calories do
I burn a day?
Calculating half of
the weight loss equation
Most people know that in order to lose weight, they need to
burn more calories than they consume. Consequently, one of the most common
questions I hear from people wanting to achieve their weight loss goals is
"How many calories to I burn a day?" This a logical question, because
in order to know how many calories they can consume, they need to know how many
they're burning off. Unfortunately, this is not the easiest thing to calculate
because there is such a wide difference between individuals in terms of
metabolism. Factors that contribute to these differences are gender, age,
weight, activity level, body type, etc.
Although it is difficult to pin it down to an exact figure,
we can definitely provide an estimate that will be quite accurate in most
cases.
To Answer Your Question...
...we need to calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
So how many calories
DO I burn a day?
The first thing we need to know is an estimate of an
individual's basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the number of calories a
person will burn per day when at rest. The most widely accepted formula for
calculating BMR is the Harris-Benedict Equation.
Calculating BMR using the Harris-Benedict Equation:
For Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x
height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)
For Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x
height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
The Harris-Benedict formula may seem complicated, but it's
the best way to get an accurate estimate of BMR without having advanced
electronic devices to measure metabolic rate. If a person is extremely
muscular, their BMR will be higher than indicated by the equation. By the same
token, if a person is very obese, their BMR will actually be lower than the
equation suggests.
OK, but how many
calories do I burn a day INCLUDING physical activity?
Excellent question...you're good!
Almost everyone who isn't in a coma burns significantly more
calories than their BMR. To find out how many calories we actually burn per day
(on average) will take some honesty in assessing our physical activity level.
We're going to define what we call an activity factor. This will be a number
that we multiply by our BMR to get an accurate estimate of the total calories
that we burn in a day.
Activity Factors for various activity levels:
Sedentary
Little or no physical activity = 1.2
Mildly Active
Light exercise 1-3 days per week = 1.375
Moderately Active
Moderate exercise 3-5 days per week = 1.55
Very Active
Moderate-to-hard exercise 6-7 days per week = 1.725
Extremely Active
Hard exercise 6-7 days per week = 1.9
So by this method, how many calories do I burn a day if I'm
a 31 year old woman who's 5'6", 150 pounds and moderately active?
This example will pull it all together...
Here's how the calculation works:
BMR = 655 + (4.35 x 150) + (4.7 x 67) - (4.7 x 31)
BMR = 655 + 652.5 + 314.9 - 145.7 = 1476.7 calories per day
burned at rest
Since you're moderately active, we use a factor of 1.55:
Total Calories Per Day = 1.55 x 1476.7 = 2289 total calories
burned per day
Now that you know the answer to the question "How many
calories do I burn a day?", you're well on your way to achieving the
weight loss goals you desire.
What about specific
exercises or activities?
How many calories do I
burn a day if I...?
Many people want to be more specific regarding how many
calories they burn performing various exercises for a given amount of time.
This makes sense, because many of us are busy adults and want to get the most
out of our workouts. The best resource I can refer you to is a free Activity
Calorie Calculator provided by The Fitness Jumpsite. Simply enter your weight
and duration of the activity and it will return the number of calories burned
by 222 different activites. This calculator is very comprehensive. It doesn't
include just exercises, but work, hobbies, and other forms of activity as well.
So how do I make sure
I'm burning more calories than I'm consuming?
Simple! You need a 3 Week Diet System
Rarely does anyone lose a significant amount of weight
without following a good weight loss plan. The 3 Week Diet System includes both
diet and exercise. We've covered how to estimate how many calories are burned
in a day based on your weight and activity level. Exercise is an extremely
important part of weight loss because it burns calories, increases metabolism, builds
muscle, and improves overall fitness. Despite this fact, a good portion of your
weight loss success will depend on your 3 Week diet. This includes what you
eat, how much you eat, and when you eat it.
What really separates those who succeed at weight loss and
those who fail is how well they understand the impact of the foods they eat and
the exercises they perform on their weight. It's not as simple as "a
calorie is a calorie" when you consider the effect that different foods
and different workouts have on the body in terms of metabolism, muscle
building, appetite, etc. If you follow 3 Week Diet system by Brian Flatt, you
are likely to achieve weight loss success in short period of time. Check out 3 Week Diet review here.