BMR
BMR
‘Basal metabolic rate’ is the number of calories your body needs to accomplish its most basic (basal) life-sustaining functions. You can think of this as the calories your body would need if you sat around doing nothing.
Using the Schofield equation to calculate your BMR is the best way to get a ballpark figure of the number of calories you should be consuming. Knowing this figure means effective adjustments are more easily made if required.
Schofield Equation
Male
Female
Scholfield
Equation
The see value (Standard error of estimation) means the calculated BMR could be inaccurate by that number, either too many or too little. For example, if you are very muscular and possess more lean weight than an average person of the same height and weight, then you must add the SEE value to the BMR calculation.
For example: Male 28 years old, 80kg weight, gymnast BMR = 15.1 x 80 + 692 = 1900 add SEE (156) = 2056.
In addition to the BMR calculation you must apply a factor to account for a person’s physical activity level (PAL).
Male
Female
PAL Physical
Activity Level
Inactive - A person who does not have a physically demanding job, mostly desk bound. Their lifestyle would not include any structured exercise.
Moderate – A person who has a more physically demanding job that would involve a lot of walking. They perform some structured, moderate intensity exercise about 3 times per week.
Very active – A person who performs intense, structured exercise for an hour per day and/or whose job is very physically demanding.
Therefore, taking the gymnast used in the example, and factoring in the physical activity level, he would require (2056 x 1.9 very active) 3,855 kcal to maintain his level of activity.
As you can see the NHS guideline for calorie intake is very much a suggestion and ensures at the minimum you will not be severely malnourished or overweight. However, an individual’s calorie requirement is dependent on various factors, and one could need more.
N.E.A.T
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise. It ranges from the energy expended walking to work, typing, performing gardening work, undertaking agricultural tasks and fidgeting.
There are various Scientific studies into the effects and impacts of ‘NEAT’ on a person’s health. However, in short, the amount of non-exercise related movement someone does throughout the day contributes to a healthy body.
In a 2000 study, researchers stated:
“The worldwide epidemic of obesity in past decades has contributed to serious health concerns. Apart from poor diet, reduced physical activity and sedentary behaviour contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and the expression of co-morbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus.”
Rather than extreme caloric deficits to lose weight, simply move about more. Go for a walk. If you sit at a desk for long periods of time, then periodically stand up and take a break to move.
"Energy and persistence conquer all things" (Benjamin Franklin)