How to calculate calorie intake, Mifflin San Geor formula

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You can select products according to the required number of calories (as well as proteins, fats, carbohydrates and bread units) in our bread unit calculator. You can check whether you are overweight or obese using the Body Mass Index calculator.

Excess weight is a serious cause for concern. This problem worries many people today. The topic of losing weight is discussed with particular interest among women. People who are overweight, as a rule, suffer from complexes, do not know how to value themselves and fully accept their own achievements. They are constantly on a diet, limit themselves to flour and sweets, and endlessly calculate the calorie content of foods. They set their own daily calorie intake standards and try not to go beyond it. Frames are sometimes so rigid that it is impossible to stick to them for a long time. Fans of various diets often reach a critical point, which can cause irreparable harm to health. Some especially impressionable people are afraid to allow themselves an extra piece of their favorite dish and refuse even the required amount of food.

Many people set themselves the goal of losing excess weight, but not everyone achieves their desired goal. To achieve results, it is important to first correctly calculate your calorie intake per day, and then systematically maintain your diet. Using a special calorie calculator, you can calculate your daily requirement online. Calculating is not at all difficult: you just need to enter the appropriate numbers in the specified fields and wait for a promising weight loss plan to appear.

Mifflin St. George formula - daily calorie intake

The Mifflin–San Geor formula was introduced in 2005. Developed by nutritionists from the USA. It got its name from the names of the group leaders.

It is recognized as the most accurate for calculating calorie intake. According to the American Dietetic Association, the error is no more than 10%.

The algorithm counts the number of calories, taking into account individual characteristics: weight, height, age, gender.

The formula has two options: basic calculation and additional.

Mifflin San Geor's Basic Formula

The basic formula calculates the daily calorie intake to maintain life in a state of complete rest.

The calculation is based on your basal metabolic rate. In other words: basic (basal) metabolic rate - Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

Male BMR = (weight in kg ×10) + (height in cm × 6.25) - (age × 5) + 5. Female BMR = (weight in kg ×10) + (height in cm × 6.25) - (age × 5) – 161

Additional calorie calculation

A person does not sit in one place. Any movement entails additional calorie consumption. Therefore, coefficient “A” was added to the Mifflin-san Geor formula - the activity coefficient.

Harris-Benedict formula

The daily calorie intake for maintaining a normal weight and a healthy lifestyle is calculated as the product of basal metabolic rate (BMR) and active metabolic rate (AMR):

NORMAL = AMR * BMR

Active Metabolism ( AMR ) is a coefficient and is set depending on lifestyle and physical activity:

• sedentary lifestyle (without physical activity) - 1,2;
• moderate activity (light physical activity or exercise 1-2 times a week) - 1,375;
• average activity (physical activity 3-5 times a week) - 1,55;
• high activity (daily physical activity) - 1,725;
• extra activity (physical labor + daily physical activity, professional athletes) - 1,9.

The Harris-Benedict basal metabolic rate formula for men is as follows:

BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 × weight in kg) + (4.799 × height in cm) - (5.677 × age in years)

For women, the formula looks like this:

BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 × weight in kg) + (3.098 × height in cm) - (4.330 × age in years)

In 1919, James Arthur Harris and Francis Gano Benedict were among the first to develop a formula for calculating daily calorie intake, taking into account a person’s weight, height and age.

Later the formula was adjusted and had a more accurate calculation result, and in this form it is used to this day.

How to calculate daily calorie intake

Let's look at an example. Let's take the basic Mifflin-san Geor formula to calculate calorie intake per day.

Let's imagine a man and a woman with the same parameters: weight 70 kg, height 170 cm, age 30 years.

To maintain life in a state of complete rest, a man needs 1617.5 kcal, a woman – 1451.5.

The difference is explained by the fact that women have a slower metabolism.

How to calculate calorie intake based on physical activity

In the Mifflin-san Geor formula, coefficient “A” has five values.

1.2 – minimal physical activity. Sedentary work.

1.375 – low level of physical activity. Do exercises two to three times a week for 20 minutes.

1.55 – normal level of physical activity. Daily exercises and walks.

1.7 – intense work or physical activity. Heavy physical work or full training at least five times a week.

1.9 – level of a professional athlete.

How to calculate calorie intake for men

For men, the daily calorie intake, taking into account the activity coefficient, is as follows.

((weight ×10) + (height × 6.25) - (age × 5) + 5) × A.

That is, the basic caloric expenditure is multiplied by the activity coefficient. Let's return to the examples.

The man weighs 70 kg, height 170 cm, age 30 years. Leads a sedentary lifestyle. He parks the car in the yard. Always uses the elevator. Works while sitting at a computer.

We count: 1617.5 × 1.2 = 1941 kcal.

This is the norm for the day. Everything that is above the norm will go into adipose tissue.

Now, let's send our hero for an evening walk. Let's ask you to do some exercises. And so every day.

Let's check: 1617.5 × 1.55 = 2507 kcal. Snickers and potatoes with lard, our hero earned it.

How to calculate calorie intake for women

Calorie intake per day, taking into account the activity coefficient, for women:

((weight ×10) + (height × 6.25) - (age × 5) – 161) × A.

As you can see, the scheme is the same. BMR is multiplied by the activity factor.

Our example. The woman weighs 70 kg, height 170 cm, age 30 years. Leads a sedentary lifestyle.

We count: 1451.5 × 1.2 = 1742 kcal.

Daily calorie content

Calorie content is the energy value of all foods without exception, which is released in the body as a result of complete absorption of the food consumed. Accordingly, daily calorie content is the energy value of all the food that we ate during the day and which is completely absorbed by our body. If we eat well, we have plenty of energy, which means we look full of energy, alert, healthy and can work to the fullest. If the nutrition is insufficient, then less energy is released, which means a loss of strength occurs and we become overwhelmed. If we go over the calorie norm, then a certain part of the food is absorbed by the body and converted into energy, and the other part is deposited on our waist, stomach and hips

Therefore, it is very important to correctly calculate the amount of calories per day using a calculator or manually, so that you can then consume exactly as much as you need. Making this calculation is very simple - all you need is basic knowledge of algebra and a couple of minutes of free time.

Other calorie formulas for calculating calorie intake

All calorie formulas have an error. For example, the Mifflin-san Geor Formula does not take into account the volume of muscle mass.

Therefore, many calculators are configured to display an average figure. They take several formulas, calculate calorie standards and give one, generalized result.

Katch-McArdle formula

The Katch-McArdle formula takes into account the ratio of muscle mass to fat tissue. Calculates calorie intake for athletic people.

BMR = (21.6 × LBM) + 370.

LBM is body mass minus fat. LBM = (weight × (100 - % fat)) / 100.

Disadvantage of the formula: it does not take into account gender and age; not suitable for overweight people.

Harris–Benedict formula

In the last century, the Harris-Benedict formula was the only one of its kind. It was replaced by the Mifflin formula - San Zheor.

WHO formula

The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests three age groups for calculating calorie intake: from 18 to 30 years; from 31 to 60; over 60 years old.

Otherwise, WHO recommendations are based on the same data as the Mifflin-San Geor formula: gender, age, weight, physical activity.

Body mass index

Body mass index (BMI) is an indicator of obesity.

To calculate your body fat percentage, divide your weight by your height squared (in meters).

Example: weight – 80 kg, height – 180 cm (1.8 m).

We consider: 80 / (1.8 × 1.8) = 24.7% body fat.

Body mass index has four indicators : I. 18.5% fat - low weight; II. the percentage of fat is from 18.5 to 24, 9% is normal weight; III. 25 – 29.9% – overweight; IV. Fat percentage above 30% is obese.

Calculation of daily calories

Calorie content is the energy value of foods released in the body in the event of successful, complete absorption of the food consumed. The energy value of the product is measured in kilocalories (kcal) per 100 grams. product. What is energy value? Amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. In other words, activity and performance, health, and appearance depend on what and how much we eat. When there is an excess of calories, they are transported to fat “reserves”; when there is a shortage, they are “extracted” from there. That's the whole process of losing weight.

How to calculate calories by body weight

There are various formulas developed by scientific researchers to calculate the optimal calorie content of a person's diet. Some of them are more true, others less. You can calculate your calorie intake using a calculator, or using the formulas:

Mifflin–St. Jeort formula

The calculation method, which was called the “Mifflin-Saint-Geor Formula”, was discovered in 2005 and is considered the most optimal method for preparing a diet for an adult. However, the disadvantage of this method is the lack of consideration of the ratio of muscle tissue and fat in the body, because metabolism depends specifically on muscle mass.

The metabolic rate should be calculated according to the following principle:

• for men: 10 x weight (in kg) + 6.25 x height (in cm) – 5 x age (in years) + 5;
• for women: 10 x weight (in kg) + 6.25 x height (in cm) – 5 x age (in years) – 161.

To calculate the amount of calories in an adult’s diet to maintain a stable weight, you need to take into account the level and duration of physical activity. This or that type of activity is designated by the physical activity coefficient (PFA). The data obtained during the calculation of the metabolic norm must be multiplied by CFA. The result will be the required daily requirement of kilocalories.

Physical activity coefficients (K)

• Minimum loads - K=1.2;
• a little physical activity, light exercise 1-3 times a week - K=1.375;
• sports loads 4-5 times a week (or moderate work) - K = 1.4625;
• high-intensity training 4-5 times a week - K=1.550;
• daily training - K=1.6375;
• daily intensive training or training 2 times a day - K = 1.725;
• heavy physical work plus intense sports activities 2 times a day - K=1.9.

Example

A 45-year-old man weighs 74 kg. His height is 178 cm. He goes to the gym four times a week. The result is an amount that is equal to 2372 kcal.

Harris-Benedict formula

The formula was derived back in 1919, so now it is not correct enough and has an error of about 5%.

According to it, we can calculate the daily calorie intake according to this principle:

• for a man: 66.5 + 13.75 x weight (kg) + 5.003 x height (cm) – 6.775 x age (years);
• for a woman: 655.1 + 9.563 x weight (kg) + 1.85 x height (cm) - 4.676 x age (years).

Example

The woman is 32 years old, weight – 60 kg, height – 167 cm. According to calculations according to the formula, she needs 1666 kcal to remain at her weight.

WHO formula

This formula is also based on the CFA on the following scale:

1. 1 – low;
2. 1, 3 – average;
3. 1.5 – high.

Calculation of a person’s daily calorie needs is carried out as follows:

• for women 18-30 years old: (0.062 × weight in kg + 2.036) × 240 × CFA;
• 31-60 years: (0.034 × weight in kg + 3.538) × 240 × CFA;
• over 60 years old: (0.038 × weight in kg + 2.755) × 240 × CFA;
• for men 18-30 years old: (0.063 × body weight in kg + 2.896) × 240 × CFA;
• 31-60 years: (0.484 × body weight in kg + 3.653) × 240 × CFA;
• over 60 years old: (0.491 × body weight in kg + 2.459) × 240 × CFA.

Example

A 23-year-old girl weighs 53 kg and has an average activity level. She needs 1660 kcal per day.

Ketch–McArdle formula

The use of this technique involves taking into account the amount of fat in the body, but its disadvantage is the lack of consideration of a person’s age, gender and height. This also reduces the accuracy of caloric needs calculations.

According to the Ketch-McArdle formula, daily caloric intake is calculated as follows: basal metabolism = 370 + 21.6 × x (body weight minus fat).

Example

According to the Ketch-McArdle formula, a 22-year-old guy weighing 70 kg should consume 2000 kcal/day.

It is also important to remember that energy is also spent on consumption and metabolic processes. Due to the properties of some foods (celery, ginger, fresh cabbage) to “take away” more energy from the body than they provide, they are called foods with negative calorie content.

And the entire process of human energy expenditure for digesting food is called the specific dynamic action of food (abbreviated SDA). The average DDI is 10% of the basal metabolic rate.

Rules for individual calorie calculation

Deficiency of about 40% per day

How to calculate how many calories you need per day to lose weight? To do this, it is not necessary to resort to the popular Mifflin-San-Geor or Harris-Benedict formulas. You can resort to simpler calculations of the required number of kilocalories per day. To do this, check the tables and subtract from 10 to 25% from the result. Moreover, you need to start with a slight reduction in total calorie content - no more than 10-15%. If you don’t lose weight within two weeks of starting the diet, you can remove another 5-10%.

On a note. The daily calorie intake should be calculated taking into account the minimum threshold. That is, reducing the calorie content of food below the needs of the basal metabolic rate is highly not recommended, since this will be accompanied by the loss of not only fat, but also muscle tissue. There will also be general discomfort - weakness, malaise.

To lose weight very quickly, some create a deficit of about 40% per day. But the safe limit for women is about 1200 kcal, for men - 1800 kcal. If you eat only a small amount of low-calorie food per day, your body will show signs of exhaustion. It is believed that slow weight loss is safer and gives more stable results.

If you are not satisfied with the approximate indicators, you want to get more accurate figures, they resort to the Mifflin-San-Jeor formula. It was developed not by one person, but by a whole group of nutritionists. It is better to choose a simplified formula.

For men:

10 x weight + 6.5 x height - 5 x age + 5

For women:

10 x weight + 6.25 x height - 5 x age - 161

On a note. Weight is taken in kilograms, height in centimeters. These formulas are used to calculate how many calories you need to consume to properly lose weight without harm to your health.

There is an even simpler formula by Lyle MacDonald, based on metabolic rate. The basis is a fixed number of calories per 1 body weight of a person. So, for women with a slow metabolism, the fixed figure will be 31 kcal, for women with a fast metabolism - 33 kcal. For men the figures are slightly higher. If the metabolism is slow - 33 kcal, fast - 35 kcal. Now the formula itself:

K (fixed value) x weight = daily calorie intake

You can already remove the same 10-20% from the amount received in order to achieve a pronounced weight loss effect. How to determine your metabolic rate? This indicator is individual for each person. If you experience rapid weight loss from the start of the diet, it means your metabolism is also intense. If weight loss is difficult, your metabolism is slow. If your weight stays the same, it is better to consult an endocrinologist - perhaps excess body weight is associated with a disease.

Advice! To quickly learn how to count calories, use food calorie tables and pay attention to the energy value. It doesn’t hurt to purchase the most ordinary kitchen scales - this will help you calculate the required portion of food faster and more accurately.

At first, this activity will seem tedious, but since a person’s diet is quite monotonous, over time, all the caloric values ​​of the main fruits, vegetables, meat and other products will be firmly etched in memory. You will no longer need to constantly check the table.