When planning your diet as an athlete, it is important to know how many calories you need to consume each day to meet your training demands, improve your performance and maintain good health. Taking in sufficient energy allows you to recover after training or competition, minimise levels of fatigue and prevent muscle loss. You can work out what your daily calorie intake should be by working out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and your level of physical activity. Your BMR is defined as the amount of energy you expend each day whilst you are at rest and is the amount of energy needed for vital functions of the body.
Measuring a person’s BMR involves using direct or indirect calorimetry, a complicated measure involving analysing the gases we breathe in and out. However, estimations of BMR can be done simply using calculations; you just need to know the person’s weight, height and age. There are a number of different equations that you can use, one such equation is the ‘Harris Benedict’ equation. Just input your personal information into the equation below to work out your BMR:
• BMR (men) = 66.5 + (13.75 x weight in kg) + (5.003 x height in cm) – (6.775 x age in years)
• BMR (women) = 655.1 + (9.563 x weight in kg) + (1.850 x height in cm) – (4.676 x age in years)
When you have calculated your BMR, you need to choose your level of activity from the following list and multiply your BMR by your activity level:
• If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) = BMR x 1.2
• If you are lightly active (light exercise/activity 1-3 days per week) = BMR x 1.375
• If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/activity 3-5 days per week) = BMR x 1.55
• If you are very active (hard exercise/activity 6-7 days per week) = BMR x 1.725
• If you are extra active (very hard exercise/activity & physical job or 2x training) = BMR x 1.9
The end figure gives an estimation of the number of calories you need to consume each day to maintain your weight. If you are trying to increase your weight then eat more calories than the calculated number or eat less to lose weight.
Please feel free to contact the G4 Manchester (Didsbury) Clinic to speak to a member of our diet & nutrition team for any questions that you may have or if you wish to arrange a consultation to discuss your diet, nutrition and lifestyle.