Measure how many calories i burn

In this article, we take a look at how someone can work out how many calories they burn in a day. Most people think of calories as only having to do with food and weight loss. However, a calorie is a unit of heat energy. This measurement can be applied to lots of different energy releasing mechanisms outside of the human body. For the human body, calories are a measure of how much energy the body needs to function.

Food contains calories. Different food has different calorie counts, meaning that each food has a different amount of potential energy. There are three basic types of foods that make up all the food that humans eat: carbohydrates , proteins, and fats.

These three different types of food have varying amounts of potential energy per g. The calorie breakdowns per g for each food type are as follows:. Being able to work out how many calories are burned each day is essential to any person looking to maintain, lose, or gain weight. Knowing what factors contribute to calorie burning can help a person alter their diet or exercise program to accommodate the goal. An accepted method to calculate how many calories a person burns each day is the Harris-Benedict Formula.

Originally developed in the early 20th century, it was revamped in and again in to help improve its accuracy. The Harris-Benedict formula is a relatively simple process in which a person multiplies their basal metabolic rate BMR by their average daily activity level. BMR is the number of calories a person burns by simply existing. BMR varies based on age, sex, size, and genetics. To calculate BMR, a person uses inches for height, pounds for weight, and years for age in the following formulas:.

The results of the BMR calculation are then used to multiply against the average daily activity of the person. Points are awarded based on how active a person is. When the BMR is calculated and the activities points are determined, the two scores are multiplied. It is important to note that while calorie intake and exercise are an important part of weight loss, hormones and metabolism also play a major role.

The Harris-Benedict formula, or Harris-Benedict equation, lets you work out how many calories you need to eat per day. The formula is adjusted based on your sex, age, and weight to give a personalized answer.

This equation was first published in Researchers then revisited the calculation in and again in to improve its accuracy. Once you work out your BMR, you can multiply this figure by a measure of your daily activity level — ranging from sedentary to extra active — to find out the number of calories you need to consume each day to maintain your weight.

The next sections will tell you how to do these calculations. The original formulas for calculating this number are as follows, using pounds for weight, inches for height, and years for age. For example, a year-old, pound, 6-foot-tall man has a BMR of 1, For example, a year-old, pound, 5 foot 6-inch-tall woman has a BMR of 1, From there, you must figure out your activity level. The activity levels the equation uses are as follows :. For example, a postal worker who walks all day for their job would have an activity level of 1.

A desk worker who walks several times a week for exercise would have an activity level of 1. As you can see in the above examples, activity level has a lot to do with how many calories a person needs each day. How much you burn has to do with how much you weigh. For example, people will burn the following number of calories in 30 minutes of doing these tasks based on their weight:. To use it, simply input your activity, time spent doing it, and your weight.

Yes, males and females burn calories at different rates. This is why sex is included as a variable in the equation, along with age and weight, which also affect the number of calories a person burns. Males generally have less body fat than females. They also tend to have more muscle mass. More muscle means the body burns a higher number of calories while at rest.

So, generally speaking, males usually burn more calories than females overall. Between workouts, stay active. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to the store instead of taking the car and stay active at home to burn calories.

You'll boost your calorie-burning potential and you may be able to increase lean muscle mass on your body, which can boost your resting metabolic rate. Remember that all calorie counts are estimates. Even the calorie counts on food packages are estimates. So, if you're trying to lose weight, expect that you will need to take some time for trial and error before you find the numbers that are right for you.

Use several different methods to find out how many calories you burn each day. Then experiment with food intake to find the right balance to meet your goals. Looking to lose weight? Our nutrition guide can help you get on the right track. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free! Energy balance and obesity. Westerterp KR. Control of energy expenditure in humans. Eur J Clin Nutr. Wearable activity trackers, accuracy, adoption, acceptance and health impact: A systematic literature review.

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