How to Figure Out Your Calorie and Macronutrient Needs
Have you ever wondered how much food you should be eating to reach your health and fitness goals?
You may have heard of the concept of calories and macronutrients, but what do they really mean when it comes to your diet?
In this blog post, we'll discuss how to figure out your calorie and macronutrient needs so that you can make sure you're getting the right amount of food for optimal health.
Calories
Calories are units of energy in food. We need calories for our bodies to function properly and for us to have enough energy throughout the day. Depending on your activity level, age, gender, height, weight, etc., everyone has different calorie requirements. The first step to figuring out your personal needs is to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the minimum number of calories your body needs just to stay alive; it does not include any physical activity or additional daily tasks. Once you know your BMR, you can then calculate the number of calories that will help you reach your goals (weight loss/gain or maintenance).
Calculating your calorie BMR isn't difficult; all it takes is a few simple steps. First, whether you are male or female as there are different formulas for each gender. Then plug in your height, age, weight, and activity level into an online calculator like this one from the Mayo Clinic or use this formula:
Female = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years).
Male = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years).
Once you have the total number of calories that you need on a daily basis just to function properly at rest, then you can begin making more educated decisions about what kind of food choices will work best for reaching your goals while still keeping balanced nutrition habits at the forefront of their minds!
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are nutrients that provide our bodies with energy in the form of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. All three macronutrients should be included in a healthy diet in order for our bodies to function properly. Each one provides different benefits; carbohydrates give us energy; protein helps build muscle; and fat helps regulate hormones and keep us full between meals. To determine how much of each macronutrient you need per day, use the following formula: carbohydrates should make up 45-65% of total calories; fats should make up 20-35% of total calories; proteins should make up 10-35% of total calories.
The next step is to figure out how many grams of each macronutrient you need per day based on these percentages and your total calorie intake goal.
For example, if you’re aiming for a 2000 calorie/day diet plan, then 45-65% would equal 900-1300 calories from carbs, 20-35% would equal 400-700 calories from fat, and 10-35% would equal 200-700 calories from protein. To find out how many grams this equates to, divide the caloric values by 4 (carbs) 9 (fat) or 4 (protein). Therefore 900/4 = 225g carbs; 700/9 = 78g fat; 700/4 = 175g protein per day.
Conclusion
Figuring out your calorie and macronutrient needs can seem daunting at first but it doesn’t have to be! With a bit of research and math calculations using the steps outlined above, you can easily determine what’s best for your body type in order to reach any health or fitness goals. Knowing exactly what kind of fuel your body needs will help ensure that you feel energized throughout the day! With this knowledge under your belt now is an ideal time get started on creating a balanced meal plan tailored just for you!
