Calorie and Exercise Calculator

Understanding Your Calorie and Exercise Needs

This calculator helps you estimate your daily calorie needs and the impact of exercise on your energy expenditure. Understanding these metrics is crucial for managing your weight, improving fitness, and making informed dietary choices.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to perform basic life-sustaining functions at rest. This includes breathing, circulation, cell production, and hormone regulation. Factors like age, gender, weight, and height influence your BMR. We use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, which is widely considered one of the most accurate:

• For Men: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5
• For Women: BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161

Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) is the total number of calories you burn in a day, including your BMR plus the calories burned through physical activity and the thermic effect of food. To estimate TDEE, your BMR is multiplied by an activity factor:

• Sedentary: BMR × 1.2
• Lightly Active: BMR × 1.375
• Moderately Active: BMR × 1.55
• Very Active: BMR × 1.725
• Extra Active: BMR × 1.9

Calories Burned During Exercise

The number of calories burned during exercise depends on the type of activity, its intensity (measured in METs), your body weight, and the duration of the activity. The formula used here is:

Calories Burned = 0.0175 × METs × Weight (kg) × (Duration in minutes)

METs (Metabolic Equivalents) represent the ratio of the energy expended during an activity compared to the energy expended at rest. Higher MET values indicate more intense activities.

Estimating Time to Burn 1kg of Fat

One kilogram of body fat is roughly equivalent to 7,700 calories. This calculator provides an estimate of how long it would take to burn 1kg of fat based on your calculated TDEE and the calories burned during your specified exercise session. The calculation is:

Time to Burn 1kg Fat (hours) = 7700 / (Calories Burned Per Hour)

Where Calories Burned Per Hour = (TDEE + Calories Burned During Exercise) / 24 (if calculating overall deficit) or simply considering the exercise burn rate for a more focused calculation on exercise's impact.

Note: This is a simplified estimation. Actual fat loss is influenced by many factors, including metabolism, diet, hormonal changes, and exercise consistency.

Use Cases:

• Weight Management: Determine appropriate calorie intake for weight loss, gain, or maintenance.
• Fitness Planning: Understand how different exercises contribute to calorie expenditure.
• Health Monitoring: Track energy balance for overall well-being.
• Personalized Goals: Set realistic targets for fitness and body composition.