Tools & Skills

Take a look below at our various tools and skills that you can apply today to help you with your fitness journey!

Calorie Calculators for Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

Below are a list of calculators for basal metabolic rate calorie calculators. The Basal metabolic rate is calculated based upon your resting metabolic rate, which are the calories burnt through involuntary actions (digestion of food and breathing etc), and then also your physical activity level (PAL), the amount of physical exertion completed on average.

Please read the descriptions and select the best for you. Please note that these calorie intakes are a guideline and not to be taken as 100% factual. For better calorie advice please contact a registered dietician.

Schofield Equation

The Schofield Equation was recommended by the World Health Organisation to calculate the BMR of a regular male and female. It equates for the differences by both age and gender, It was created using multiple 20th century studies.

This calculation is best for those in the general population with no direct goal to lose or gain weight.

Mifflin St Jeor Equation

Using original calculations known as the Harris Benedict Equation (1918) and the revised edition (1984) Mifflin SD, St Jeor ST et.al (1990) wanted to create a modernised equation based upon age, weight, height and activity level. Although more modernised, the Mifflin St Jeor equation fails to account for body composition. However, this hasn't stopped it being used by the US Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.

This calculation is best for those who are looking to lose weight.

Katch- McArdle Formula

The Katch-McArdle Formula finds the Basal Metabolic Rate using Body Fat Percentage & Weight in kg. This calculation is good because it is the first calculation that uses some part of the individuals body composition in this case body fat percentage. However does neglect age, gender and height.

This calculation is best for those who know their body fat percentage and are basing their training on this.

Institute of Medicine Equation

Published in 2002 the Institute of Medicine Equation is used in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and is recognised in multiple publications and journals. Unlike the prior calculations the Institute of Medicine use the equation to underestimate the calorie threshold as they were using the equation for a new public use food pyramid and they believed it would be better for people to eat less as opposed to more due to the overweight population.

This calculation is best for those who are only slightly overweight.

Macronutrient Calculations

Please see below the calculations for rough guidelines on what macronutrients should be consumed based upon fitness goals. Macronutrients are the three major food groups of proteins (used for growth and repair of the body), Carbohydrates (used as the predominant energy source), and Fats (used for protection, heat and fast metabolising energy).

Please note these calculations are a guideline and not to be taken as 100% factual. For better calorie advice please contact a registered dietician.

Dietary Guidelines

The USDA is one of the standardised bodies for dietary requirements worldwide. They suggest that over 18s use the below percentages to correctly potion their calorie intake:

Carbohydrates 45% - 65%
Fats 20% - 35%
Protein 10% - 35%

Download this calculator if you are trying to lose weight.

United States Department of Agriculture - USDA

Performance Based Diet

Individuals who are looking to improve for physical performance in a sport or activity require different energy intakes. see percentages below:

Carbohydrates 55% - 60%
Fats 25% - 30%
Protein 15%

Download this calculator if you are trying to improve athletic performance.

Recommended Daily Energy Intake Performance

Typical Diet

Although the USDA created a dietary requirement percentage for the general population. Some people are healthier than this requiring different nutritional values, such as:

Carbohydrates 45% - 50%
Fats 35% - 40%
Proteins 10% - 15%

Download this calculator if you are healthier than the average population.

Recommended Daily Energy Intake Typical Diet

Protein Requirements

Protein is used predominantly for growth and repair of muscle tissue. Therefor the protein calculations can be varied to generic calculations. Below are the suggestions:

0.75-1g /kg/day - Sedentary Individuals
1.2-1.8g /kg/day - Endurance Training
2.0-2.4g / kg/day - Strength/ Power Training

Download this calculator for protein requirements if you are in these categories.

Complete Guide of Personal Training

Water Intake (Hydration)

Take a look below at the daily water intake based on your TEE. As well as the amount of fluids that are needed to be consumed after exercise based on the amount of body weight lost.

Please note these calculations are a guideline and not to be taken as 100% factual. For better calorie advice please contact a registered dietician.

References

Coulson, M. (2018) The Complete Guide To Personal Training. 2nd ed. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Harris, J.A. Benedict, F.G. (1918) A Biometric Study of Human Basal Metabolism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 4 (12) December, pp. 370-373.

Institute of Medicine. (2005) Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. 1st ed. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

McArdle, W.D. Katch, F.I. Katch, V.L. (2006) Essentials of Exercise Physiology. 3rd ed. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Mifflin, M.D. St Jeor, S.T. Hill, L.A. Scott, B.J. Daugherty, S.A. Koh, Y.O. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. American Journal of

Clinical Nutrition, 51 (2) February, pp. 241-247.

Roza, A.M. Shizgal, H.M. The Harris Benedict equation reevaluated: resting energy requirements and the body cells mass. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 40 (1) July, pp. 168-182.

Schofield, W.N. Predicting basal metabolic rate, new standards and review of previous work. Human Nutrition of Clinical Nutrition, 39 (1), pp. 5-41.

U. S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020) Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025. [Online] Washington D.C: U.S. Department of Agriculture. Available from: <Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025> [Accessed 23 January 2024].