Daily Caloric Requirements

Daily Caloric Requirements
A pound is equivalent to 3500 calories. To over simplify, if you want to lose one pound per week, reduce your caloric consumption by 3500 calories per week. Consuming less than 1500 calories per day on a regular basis reduces the basal metabolic rate. When the metabolic rate is reduced, fewer calories can be consumed. Excess calories will be stored as fat. This is why it's important to combine exercise with diet in order to affect weight loss.

Your basal metabolic rate is the basic minimum number of calories that are required to maintain your body weight based on average body composition. To calculate your basal metabolic rate:

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) = 24 * Weight (lb)/2.2

OR

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) = 24 * Weight (kg)

The BMR is then multiplied by a number representing the individuals activity level:

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Content Provided by International Fitness Association