Caloric Requirements

There are three primary components that make up your body's energy expenditure. Adding these three components together, basal metabolic rate, energy expended during physical activity, and the thermic effect of food is the most accurate way of determining how many calories your body requires each day.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): Most of the body's energy, about 60-70%, goes to supporting the ongoing metabolic work of the body's cells. This includes such activities as your heart beat, respiration and maintaining your body temperature. To determine your BMR:

For teenage males - Multiply the body weight by 10; add double the body weight to this value.
- For a 150 lb male, 1,500 + (2 x 150)=1,800 cal/day BMR

For teenage females - Multiply body weight by 10; add the body weight to this value.
- For a 120 lb female, 1,200 + 120=1,320 cal/day BMR
That’s how you find out how much calories you need each day for your diet plan you are going by. Some foods you can get your calories from is fruits and vegetables you can also get it from yogurt.