Calorie Worksheet

Calories measure energy; both the energy the body needs and the energy in food. The following is a list of the amount of calories per gram for each of the primary sources of calories in the diet:

Protein……………………………..3.9

Carbohydrates…………………..3.9

Fat…………………………………..8.8

Alcohol…………………………….7.0

To lose weight, you must eat less calories than your body needs to perform its daily activities. This means that to lose weight you should choose among the following alternatives:

1) Reduce calories.

2) Increase physical activity.

3) Combine a reduction of calories with an increase in physical activity.

Reducing calories can be accomplished by eating less at meals, cutting out between meal snacks or by avoiding alcohol and fat dense foods. Alcohol has no nutritional value so eliminating it from your diet is sensible. Fat can be avoided by substituting low or no fat foods into your diet and by stir frying, broiling, grilling, poaching or microwaving meals rather than frying or baking them. Additionally, you may want to consider a dietary supplement designed to help you to burn excess fat. There are literally hundreds of them on the market; however very few have proven results. Do not be fooled by wonderful, sizzling sounding names; they are not a measure of effectiveness. One product that has proven it’s effects over a long period of time is GABA. GABA stimulates the body to naturally secrete increased amounts of the fat burning substance Human Growth Hormone. A second product that has been medically proven to reduce weight is Chromium Picolinate. One final product that you may want to consider is Citrimax (Garcinia Cambogia or HCA). This helps to reduce the appetite and to stimulate the metabolism.

To find the correct number of calories for you, you’ll need to estimate your basic metabolic rate.

Basic Metabolic Rate

Basic metabolic rate refers to the amount of energy, as measured in calories, your body “burns” in a resting state. There are two fairly robust scientific measures that are used in research protocals to obtain an individual’s metabolic rate:

• Direct colorimetry
• Indirect colorimetry

Direct colorimetry involves isolating the person in a sealed chamber and measuring heat as it is released. (Very difficult over the Internet)

Indirect colorimetry is less precise but easier to accomplish. It measures the total amount of oxygen a person uses and converts that measure into calories spent (also difficult over the Internet).

Assuming you do not have access to pressurized chambers or scientific oxygen measuring equipment there is a third rough measure that you can use. It can be done with a paper and pencil and will provide you with a rough but useful metabolic rate. Just follow the next few simple steps (soon you’ll be able to calculate on-line)

 

1. Use the number associated next to your level of activity as A
   • extremely active=1.9
   • active=1.7
   • average=1.5
   • fairly inactive=1.3
   • very seditary=1.2
2. Weight in pounds = B
3. Age in years = C

• 18-39=1
• 40-46=.95
• 47-50=.92
• 51-55=.90
• 56-60=.85
• 61+ =.80

The Formula

B x 10 x A x C = Your Basic Metabolic Rate

Keep in mind this is a rough estimate of the total number of calories you need to maintain your present weight.

A number of factors have been omitted that will increase the preciseness of the measurement (i.e. total lean tissue mass, level of hormone activity, ect).