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Why you should know the amount of calories to have?
Having an idea of the total number of calories that should be consumed daily can help you to achieve a goal that you have set. The calorie calculator is perfect for this. You need to make sure that you hit your set target otherwise you can suffer from a loss of energy, muscle atrophy, reduction in performance, a slower rate of recovery and will increase the risk of injury and illness.
If you are very active day to day then you are going to need more to replace the ones lost through exercise and to help you recover. Sticking to your target can benefit you in a wide variety of ways; you will feel far better in yourself if you hit your goal consistently.
Why does the calorie calculator change the number of calories with a different goal?
Different goals will require a different amount of calories. If you are looking to lose weight then you will want to work to a calorie deficit. This means that you are burning more than you are putting in, leading to the loss of weight. If you are looking to build mass or increase your weight you will increase your calorific intake, working to a calorie surplus. This means that your calorific intake is greater than the calories burned during the day.
You want to make sure that when you alter your calories that you make sure that you are hitting your daily goals of your macronutrients. These are your carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The calorie calculator takes the guessing out of knowing how many calories to have daily.
How to use our daily calorie calculator
Using our daily calorie allowance calculator is simple and can give you a step up when trying to control your weight. Follow our guide below to help find what your daily calorie allowance actually is
- As with most of our calculators the calorie calculator allows you to enter the information in metric or imperial measurements. We much prefer the metric option.
- Firstly and you birth gender, this is limited to male or female at this time.
- Next up, enter your age. Honesty is important as your age can influence your daily calorie allowance.
- Enter your weight. If working in metric enter your weight in KG’s, should you be working in imperial measurements you enter your weight in Lbs. If you weight 10 stone you would enter 140lbs for imperial and 63.5kg for metric. If you need help converting your weight then use our weight calculator
- You then need to add your height. As before, if working in metric enter in cm’s and if in imperial enter your height in feet and inches. For example a person 5ft 10″ tall would enter 70 inches but if they are working in metric they would enter this height as 178cm.
- What is the goal? Are you looking to lose weight, maintain weight or add weight? You decide, as this has a major impact on your daily calorie intake.
- Finally, enter your activity level. Please include your journey to and from work if you walk or cycle. Significant activity at work should also be included in your calculations.
You now have your results and should use your daily target calorie intake as part of your new healthy program. Check with your health advisor before going on an extensive weight loss or weight gain program.
Why can my calorific needs be different to a similar person?
There are many different reasons why calories will differ from person to person. Activity level is the main one, the more active you are the greater number of calories you will need to help with the recovery and energy levels. Dependent on your age, weight and body composition the amount of calories you need to maintain your bodily functions such as; heartbeat, body temperature and breathing, will vary. Your daily calorific needs is calculated by finding the value for your BMR and multiplying this by your physical activity level. The above calorie calculator does this for you.
What are the hidden calories you probably don’t count?
When we choose to enter a weight loss or weight gain program, we normally, start counting our daily calorie intake. This is a good idea, as it gives us an insight into the amount of calories we actually taking each day. However, it is very common for most of us to overlook the hidden calories, which most of us ignore. If there isn’t a lable showing the calories of the product, then it must be calorie free, right? WRONG. Just because the product doesn’t give the calorie per 100ml or 100g, it doesn’ mean it doesn’t include calories.
One such area, where many people fail to count the calories, is alcohol. Do you know how many calories are in a glass or bottle of beer? What about a glass of wine or single measure of rum, vodka or gin? I thought not, so here is an estimated list of calories contained in alcohol
| Product and Measure | Estimated Calories |
| Bottle of regular strength beer (330ml) | 150 |
| Rum 80% proof (45ml) | 97 |
| Rum 80% proof (45ml) with diet coke (100ml) | 116 |
| Standard glass of white wine (145ml) Chardonnay | 128 |
| Standard glass of red wine (145ml) Merlot | 125 |
| Vodka and tonic 80% proof (200ml) | 185 |
| Gin and tonic 80% proof (200ml) | 185 |
| Pina Colada (200ml) | 370 |
| Pint Draught Beer (585ml) | 185 |
These are all estimated, as the actual calorie contained in each drink, depends on alcohol volume, measure served, brand and sugar content. Also, if you take a mixer with your spirit of choice, is it sugar free, low in sugar or a regular mixer. So, try to include these calories when calculating your daily usage, as they are just as important as the food calorie values. Don’t fool yourself.
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