What is my calorie requirement? How do I calculate my basal metabolic rate? How many calories do I need if I want to build muscle or lose fat? – Are you curious what the answers are? Then you have landed right here, because we will follow up on the topic of calories and the special features of men.
Calorie – what is it anyway?
Put simply, energy in food is measured in calories. Maybe you've heard the term " calorific value " before. This is another term for said energy. In everyday life, people often mistakenly speak of calories when they are actually talking about kilocalories (kcal) (i.e., 1,000 calories). In this post, we stick to the common term and use calorie and kilocalorie as synonyms.
On food packages, in addition to the calorie value (kcal), you will also find the value in kilojoules (kJ). The latter is the official unit of energy. However, because most people are more familiar with kcal, it is still used in the food industry.
The conversion of kilocalories (kcal) into kilojoules (kJ) is done by dividing by approximately 4.2. That is, if a food has 1000 kcal, it has approximately 238 kJ.
Calculate calorie requirements
As is known, the body needs energy in the form of food in order to carry out everyday and important processes well. Exactly how much energy you need depends on several factors :
- Gender
- Age
- Size
- Weight
- Activity level
- Individual factors: such as diseases that affect calorie intake
Our handy calorie calculator takes all these factors into account and gives you a reliable result in seconds. Of course, the calorie calculator is also free. Try it now!
What do you need to keep in mind?
You must have noticed that you also have to indicate your gender in the calorie calculator. Why is this the case? In terms of calorie requirements, men and women differ in some aspects that need to be taken into account.
The basal metabolic rate of men is higher due to the different "body composition" : this means that men naturally have a higher muscle percentage and a lower fat percentage. In addition, they are often larger and heavier, thus having more mass and consuming more calories.
If you are interested in the exact differences, you can read about them here .
Calorie requirements for muscle building
To calculate how many calories you should eat to gain weight, you need to look at your energy balance . If you consume as many calories as you expend, the balance is neutral.
When losing weight, the value must be negative. So, either you eat below your recommended calorie requirement or you do additional exercise without eating more. In contrast, the energy balance must be positive when gaining weight – that is, you should eat more than your calorie calculator shows you.
How many more calories you have to consume in addition cannot be universally stated, as it depends on individual factors. In principle, however, one speaks of a calorie surplus of 300-500 kcal . However, it is advisable not to consume calories indiscriminately, but to pay attention to healthy foods with a high protein content.
The calorie calculator provides you with your ideal calorie requirement in a practical and uncomplicated way and calculates your activity level simultaneously. However, you still have to add the aforementioned calories to build muscle.
What is the basal metabolic rate?
If you take a closer look at the subject of calorie requirements and the like, you will often come across the term "basal metabolic rate". This is the energy your body needs at rest to carry out all the necessary processes and functions. In other words, this amount of energy (in the form of food) should definitely be consumed daily, whether you want to lose or gain weight.
In contrast, performance turnover is the part needed for additional, physical activities . This part may differ from day to day depending on how much you move. Together, they make up your total expenditure, which is your recommended daily calorie requirement.
With the following formula, you can easily calculate your basal metabolic rate as a man.
- Men: BMR (kcal/day) = 1 x kg body weight x 24
For a detailed explanation and a more precise calculation, read here .
Why count calories?
There are various reasons for counting calories, which can differ individually. The following list is not exhaustive, but it can provide an overview of when it may be worthwhile for you to track your calories.
Counting calories: Yes, please!
As mentioned earlier, you need an accurate overview if you want to gain muscle or weight in general, for example. Also, when losing weight, it can be useful to be aware of your daily calorie intake.
It is particularly interesting to discover the difference between one's own perception and reality. For example, you may feel that you are consuming far too many calories, but after tracking, you notice that you could eat even more to meet your ideal calorie needs.
The disadvantages
As with anything, there are some arguments against counting calories all the time.
It is important that you do not stress yourself out if you exceed your prescribed calorie requirements! But even if you still have open calories according to the information, but are already full, you should rather listen to your intuition or your body.
If you notice that the constant calorie counting puts you under pressure and you feel guilty when you eat something sweet that significantly increases your calorie intake, it is also advisable to stop tracking.
Additionally, keep in mind that just because something is low in calories doesn't mean it's healthy. Nuts usually have a rather high calorie value. However, because they contain valuable fats and proteins, you should not do without them!
Therefore, if you want to keep track of your calorie intake, it is also worthwhile to calculate your intake of other nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, or vitamins and minerals. Various apps can help you with this.
Conclusion
In summary, it can be exciting to track calories over a certain period of time to uncover specific eating habits and gain better insight into nutrient intake. However, you should not let yourself be put under pressure and also listen to your body !
How can Verival support you?
In addition to the practical calorie calculator , Verival also offers a variety of products that can help you start your day healthily and support you in your individual journey. Because, as already mentioned, it is not only the number of calories that counts, but also the increased nutritional values.
Due to the nutrients it contains, such as magnesium, zinc, or iron, oats are an ideal basic ingredient for breakfast . In addition, the flakes provide long-lasting energy. How exactly does this work?
From a chemical point of view, the carbohydrates contained in oats consist of long chains. Once carbohydrates are absorbed, they are cleaved in the body and then absorbed into the bloodstream. Depending on the length of the chains, this process occurs at different speeds. Because oatmeal is long-chain, it takes longer to digest. Therefore, the blood sugar levels rise more slowly, and you stay full longer. This is optimal if you want to lose weight or need sustained energy for your workouts.
However,
For those who want to focus on a higher protein intake , our protein porridge cocoa banana or the muesli strawberry sour cherry is particularly suitable . In addition, our crunchy almond cream is perfect as a high-protein breakfast stop.
No matter what you choose, you can start your day easily and healthily with the Verival breakfast products from the sports range!
