How to KNOW your Calories for Your Goals
So, you have probably heard a debate about calories and whether or not to track them…which you don’t need to hear today.
I’m going on the assumption you’re readying this ready to learn about calories and try this out.
Awesome. This is a mature stance to take as so many people are resistant to it. You will learn so much more about your nutrition and training and improve your odds of getting to your goal way more.
Let’s first make some body composition goals very easy and simple to appreciate why this is valuable.
This are literally the steps for different body composition goals:
To Gain Muscle
Strength training with high volume (10 set or more/muscle group/week)
Protein intake = bodyweight (pounds) in grams of protein
Calorie surplus 10-20% above maintenance calories
To Lose fat
Strength training with modest volume (6-8 sets/muscle group/week)
Protein intake = bodyweight (pounds) in grams of protein
Calorie deficit 10-20% below maintenance calories
To maintain
Do what you’ve been doing for the last 2-3 months
Protein intake = bodyweight (pounds) in grams of protein
Eating maintenance calories
This is really simple for a reason. So, you value the process being simple, because it’s already so hard to end up doing any of those consistently enough to get your results.
The important thing there you should notice…All nearly the same except volume of strength training and calorie intake changes.
And so, wouldn’t it be nice to know what that calorie maintenance is?
You should now value the concept of finding/predicting your calorie maintenance.
I still want you remember why this is hard, so you value the process of calorie tracking and the calorie output predictions.
Tracking issues
Nutritional facts can be off up to 20%
Human error of measuring can be off
We can ‘forget’ when we eat things - snacks
If you just ‘eye-ball’ and don’t use scales, you will likely be very off
And then there is metabolic calculation issues
You don’t know your calorie equation unless you’re trapped in a metabolic ward for 24 hours
Your activity level varies day to day
The calorie equations are predictions of averages, you could be below or above that average
But here’s the thing…it’s still your best bet AND we can trial and error to refine the answer.
Now here are two different equations I use with clients (Note: this only basal metabolic rate not the whole equation yet):
Harris-Benedict RMR Equation
Men - BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5
Women - BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) – 161
This one is simple because you only need height, weight, age, and sex. However, it can predict a lower than expect BMR if you have a lot of lean mass. It could also not be helpful if you have a lot of fat mass, because your lean mass contributes to most of the BMR so you would in turn be over predicting.
Muller RMR Equation
BMR= (13.587 X LBM) + (9.613 X FM) + (198 X SEX) – (3.351 X AGE) + 674
Under SEX - Men = 1 Women = 0
This one I like because it uses your lean mass, weight, age, and sex. Lean mass being correlated to fat mass is important to take into context. This is challenging if you don’t know your lean mass – I would recommend you google search “Wait-Neck-Height” ratio for a simple calculator.
Both are close to one another for results, but either way you will need to guess and check through practice.
Now here’s the trick part because you only have your Basal Metabolic Rate Prediction. Now you need to calculate what your activity level is likely. You would then multiply it by the Activity Level number
Funny thing is, I will have people that exercise routinely, and I have found using “lightly active” is too high. Often people will want to say, “I work out so clearly I’m active.” But actually your Non-exercise activity, e.g. your life and the rest of your day, have a much larger impact.
I exercise in some way every day, but I’m so sedentary now with my job, I use low activity to sedentary for myself.
So here’s my rough equation using Muller RMR
210lbs total, Lean mass 178lbs, Age 33, Male = 2000 cals
BMR X Activity = 2000 x 1.375 = 2750
Now I have an estimation. You then calculate what you want from your calories (20% more, less or just stay the same), Here are the next few steps:
Determine the meal plan that fits this consistently for 2-week straight minimum
Weight food each day to be accurate with the measures AND so you can train you ability to eye-ball food
Have your training and/or activity level consistent as you can each day – Step tracker is so helpful and cheap. I use my fitbit, but it is built into new phones or get a cheap one from amazon.
Take a photo at the start, then weight yourself each day for 2 weeks – watch the trend because weight can fluctuate.
Note the change. If there’s no change, adjust, but notice the following problems:
Be aware if this is new diet, you can lose water weight
Eating more or less carbs or salt will affect the water retention
If you’re new to strength you can be gaining muscle mass
If you’re female on a cycle you will hold more water
Track again for another 2 weeks, similar routine, with some optional time of eye-balling food ONLY when you’re feeling you’re guessing is much more accurate
I always recommend weighing out new food types to get use to them.
So that’s how you use it. Simple right?
But NOT EASY.
Before you do any of this you should know
Your protein types
Your energy sources
Your micronutrient choices
80-90% whole foods
At least 5-6 different meal types you can easily prepare
Consistent strength training with progressive overload.
If you don’t know this stuff, the calorie equation is waaaaaaaay harder than it needs to be.
Imagine you were making a budget but didn’t account for all the bills you actually pay monthly? What if you didn’t consider how much your food bill was?
But once you have that stuff down, it is making your calorie equation and training work for you with time.
I encourage you to try this practice out and let me know how it goes.
End of the day you are your own scientist – go do some experimentation.