| Calculating Your Basal Metabolic
Rate |
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Understanding Your Caloric
Needs
It is essential that you work as hard on your
diet as you do with your training. It has been said before diet is
70% of the bodybuilding process, and with that in mind, being aware
of your caloric needs is very important.
Below illustrates a series of steps to be taken if you want to
calculate your BMR, or basal metabolic rate, which is the rate in
which your body expends calories assuming no physical activity
takes place (not likely if you are a bodybuilder, but a good base
nonetheless). Keep in mind, the formula can be manipulated to
determine how much energy you expend if taking part in a workout
program.
Step 1
For Men:
1 x body weight (kg) x 24 = _________
For Women:
.9 x body weight (kg) x 24 = _________
(1 kg = 2.22 lbs)
Step 2
In this step, multiply the result from step 1 by the coefficient
in the right column which corresponds to your body fat level.
Table 1
Percent Body
Fat
Fat Multiplier
Men 10 to 14%, Women 14 to 18%:
1.0
Men 14 to 20%, Women 18 to 28%:
0.95
Men 20 to 28%, Women 28 to 38%:
0.90
Men over 28%, Women over 38%:
0.85
Step 3
Now you've calculated your BMR, but remember, your BMR is the rate
at which your body expends energy assuming no physical activity
throughout the day, which is pretty unlikely if you are a
bodybuilder. Now it's time to factor in your activity level to
achieve a more accurate number of your calorie expenditure. The
next step involves finding out which category applies to you in the
list below, and multiply your daily BMR by the number on the left
of that category.
Daily Activity Levels:
Couch Potato range:
1.30 (130%) = Very Light: Sitting, studying, talking, little
walking or other activities through out the day 1.55 (155%) =
Light: Typing, teaching, lab/shop work, some walking throughout the
day
Average Fit Individual:
1.55 (155%) = Light: Light activities such as walking.
1.65 (165%) = Moderate: Walking, jogging, light cycling or
swimming.
The Average Athlete or Hard Daily Training Range:
1.80 (180%) = Heavy: Mountain climbing, or sports such as football
or hockey.
2.00 (200%) = Very Heavy: Moderate to heavy activity, including 2
hours or more of intense weight training per day.
Determining Proper Ratios of Macronutrients
Now we want to find out how much of each macronutrient to consume
daily: Carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Table 2
Calories per gram of the three macro nutrients:
Protein: 4 calories per gram
Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram
Fat: 9 calories per gram
Protein
We will begin with protein requirements. It is now fairly common
knowledge that active people need more protein than the RDA, but
just how much is needed? Take a look at the following chart to
determine how much protein is required for different categories of
people.
Table 3
Protein Requirements in Grams per Pound of Body Weight per
Day
Sedentary Adult: 0.40
Adult Recreational Exerciser: 0.75
Adult Heavy Athlete: 0.90
Adult "Bulking": 0.90
Adult "Cutting": 1.00
Teenage Athlete: 1.00
Fat
Generally speaking, the average bodybuilder should try to keep
calories directly from fat limited to 15 - 25 percent of the total
intake.
As always, contact
me if you need any assistance in calculating your BMR, or if
you have any other questions or comments.
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E-Mail: Webmaster@DietLive.com
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