Which Activity Level should I choose?
Your Activity Level choice has a big impact on your suggested targets, but
can feel frustratingly imprecise for individual needs and lifestyles.
Before you choose, consider that you will want to lean in the direction of
your goals. So if you think you're on the border between two choices, and
your goal is to lose weight, choose the lower activity level to set a
lower Calorie target.
Here's a rough guide:
Sedentary You spend most of your day sitting (like many desk jobs). You may work
out a few times a week, but that's the majority of your activity. You
probably average less than 30 minutes of moderate activity per day,
and intense exercise is not typically part of your routine.
Lightly Active You spend a good part of your day on your feet (like a teacher or a
nurse). Activities might include walking at a slow pace for over 30
minutes daily, with occasional bouts of high-intensity workouts that
do not exceed 60 minutes per week.
Moderately Active You move around a lot during the day. Suitable for individuals
regularly engaging in moderate activities or including intense
workouts 2-3 times a week. This includes brisk walking for 60-120
minutes daily, plus high-intensity exercise sessions totaling 60 to
180 minutes per week.
Very Active You lead a physically demanding lifestyle or engage in vigorous
exercise consistently, including intense workouts 4-5 times a week.
Activities involve running, HIIT, or competitive sports, totaling over
180 minutes of vigorous activity weekly, alongside daily moderate
activities.
Extremely Active You have an intense physical activity routine or labor-intensive job,
incorporating intense exercises almost daily. This level includes
long-distance running, competitive cycling, hard manual labor, or
athletic training, with vigorous activities extending beyond 300
minutes per week. Don't be afraid to experiement with different activity levels to see how
the targets change. Try following a set of targets for a week or two, and
then adjust based on your progress.
What are your macronutrient suggestions based on?
We make some macronutrient suggestions based on your goals, physical
stats, and selected diet type. Our goal with these suggestions is to make
sure you're getting at least a minimum amount of each macronutrient, while
leaving you plenty of flexibility to get food suggestions that you enjoy.
Carbs We scale carbs based on your activity level, weight, and goal. Carbs are
relatively easy for your body to convert into energy, so if you're more
active, you'll need more of them. If more sedentary, you'll need less.
Carbs also tend to be less satiating, so if your goal is lose weight, it
can be easier to feel full with a low carb diet, and if your goal is to
gain weight, it can be easier to eat more and perform better with a high
carb diet.
Protein There are a few things to consider with protein.
The RDA for protein is 0.36 grams per pound of bodyweight (0.8g/kg) per
day. 0.82g/lb (1.81g/kg) is thought to be the upper bound of useful protein
intake before it stops improving muscle building [ Phillips & Van Loon, 2011 ] Protein intakes of up to 1.1g/lb (2.4g/kg) have been shown to improve
the quality of weight loss (i.e. more fat, less muscle loss) in athletes
[ Hector & Phillips, 2017 ] Most people will do just fine by following the RDA, but we tend to
estimate a bit higher for the supposed benefits. We adjust based on your
activity level, selected bodyfat (lower bodyfat means more lean muscle
mass, and thus a higher protein requirement), and goals. Proteins also
tend to be the most satiating macronutrient, so if your goal is to lose
weight, it can be easier to feel full with a high protein diet.
Fat Fat is essential for hormone production, nutrient absorption, and proper
overall health. It's also key in making a lot of things taste really good.
It's often suggested not to go below a fat intake of 0.3g/lb (0.66g/kg) of
bodyweight, as it can be difficult to get enough essential fatty acids and
fat soluble vitamins below that level. We suggest at least 0.3g/lb for
people trying to lose weight, and at least 0.5g/lb for people trying to
maintain or gain.
If you're interested in a more specific macronutrient breakdown, we
suggest you consult a dietitian. They can help you determine the best
macronutrient targets for your specific goals and lifestyle. You can also
use any other calculator you like, and plug your numbers into Eat This
Much to get meal plans that match.
Can I just use percentages as my macro targets?
We do allow you to set your own macro targets as percentages, but we don't
recommend it for most people. Your body doesn't care about specific ratios
of macronutrients. It cares about getting enough of each nutrient to
function properly and repair itself, and everything extra will be turned
into energy as fuel or stored as fat.
The reason macronutrient percentages are popular is because they're a
simple way to communicate targets, and they can be a good starting point
for thinking about nutrition. However, they can be unnecessarily
restrictive, and if you're using a platform like Eat This Much to handle
your calculations for you, there's no reason to limit yourself by trying
to hit an exact percentage.
How is the Calorie target calculated?
This calculator uses the Mifflin-St Jeor formula to estimate your Basal Metabolic Rate , plus an "Activity Factor" multiplier to estimate your total daily
Calorie needs. We also make some rough macronutrient suggestions, but
you're free to completely customize these numbers when you create a free
account.
Keep in mind that this is a rough estimate. The best way to determine your
true Calorie needs is to track your intake for a week or two, and then
based on your progress, adjust your numbers. Err in the direction of your goals! So if you want to lose weight, it's better to underestimate your needs a bit,
and if you want to gain weight, it's better to overestimate.
And of course, be sure to consult a health professional before making any
major changes to your diet.
What is TDEE?
TDEE stands for Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It's an estimate of how
many Calories your body burns in a day, including your Basal Metabolic
Rate, any exercise you do, and even the energy your body uses to digest
food (called the Thermic Effect of Food).
If you select your goal as "Maintain weight", the calculator will suggest
a Calorie target that is equal to your TDEE.
How do my goals factor into the recommendation?
It's estimated that one pound of body weight is equivalent to around 3500
Calories. So if you set your goal to lose 1 pound per week, the calculator
will suggest a Calorie target that is 500 Calories below your TDEE. If you
set your goal to gain 1 pound per week, the calculator will suggest a
Calorie target that is 500 Calories above your TDEE.
If your goal is to build muscle, make sure you're lifting weights and
eating enough protein. Without muscle stimulus, those extra Calories are
more likely to get stored as fat.
Easily estimate your daily calorie needs, optimize your macronutrient intake,
and plan your nutrition with these powerful tools. Whether you're aiming to
lose weight, build muscle, or maintain a healthy lifestyle, these calculators
will help you make informed decisions tailored to your goals.
