5 Easy Steps to Calculate Your Nutritional Requirements

1. Calculate your maintenance calories.

To maintain current weight: 14 16 cals multiplied by your weight (lbs) per day.*

To lose weight: 10 12 cals multiplied by your weight (lbs) per day.*

* The amount should be towards the lower end if you are female or inactive. Go for the
higher numbers if you are male or physically active.


Calories/day = ______cal x ______lbs = ______

Example: Maintenance cals = 15 cals x 160 lbs = 2400

2. Calculate your protein requirements.

A. Get a rough estimate of your body fat percentage from the YMCA formula using the
widget provided (You will need your weight and waist circumference at the belly button
to calculate).

_____________%

Example: 160 pound male with 33 inch waist = 16%


B. Lean Body Mass = Multiply your weight by (1 body fat %)

______lbs x (1 - .____) = _______


Example: 166 lbs x (1 - .16) = 166 x .84 = 139.44

C. Grams of protein to eat/day = Multiply your lean body mass by 1 to 1.5**.

** The amount should be towards the lower end if you are female or significantly
overweight and towards the higher end if you are trying to seriously bulk.

Grams of protein/day = ________(lean body mass) x 1.2 = _____

Example: 139.44 x 1.2 = 167 g.

D. Calories from protein/day = # of grams of protein/day x 4

Calories from protein/day = ________ x 4 = ________

Example:

Calories from protein/day = 167 g x 4 = 668 cals

3. Calculate your fat requirements.

A. Fat calories = total calories/day multiplied by 0.3

Fat cals/day = _______(total cals/day) x 0.3 = ________

Example:

Fat calories = 2400 x 0.3 = 720 cals

B. Grams fat to eat/day = Fat calories divided by 9

Grams fat to eat/day = _____(Fat cals)/9 = ________

Example:

Grams fat to eat/day = 720 cals/9 = 80 g

4. Calculate your carbohydrate requirements.

A. Calories from carbs = Total calories calories from protein calories from fat

Cals from carbs = _______(total cals) _____fat cals - _____ prot cals = ________

Example:

Cals from carbs = 2400 720 668 = 1012

B. Grams of carbs to eat/day = calories from carbs divided by 4

Grams of carbs to eat/day = _____ cals from carbs/4 = ______.

Example:

Grams of carbs to eat/day = 1012 cals/4 = 253.

5. The Numbers:

Cals/day = _________

Protein/day = _______ g or _________cals

Fat/day = ________g or __________cals

Carbs/day = _________g or ________cals

Example Case:

Cals/day = 240

Protein/day = 167 g or 668 cals

Fat/day = 80 g or 720 cals

Carbs/day = 253 g or 1012 cals


Track to make sure that the number of calories/day that you are actually
consuming is allowing you to meet your goals. If you are on a maintenance diet and you
are either gaining or losing weight, adjust your calories down or up respectively to
maintain your weight. Similarly, if you are trying to lose weight, make sure that the
number of calories you are consuming/day is allowing you to lose weight. You may see
a quick drop initially, but the goal is 1 to 2 pounds/week after that.

Recalculate monthly if you are on a weight loss program, as the numbers will
change as you lose weight.