Calculate your calorie consumption and basal metabolism during sports!

Without fuel, no engine is running. The fuel of the human "engine" is the energy it gains from the nutrients of food. Now calculate the daily calorie requirement and basal metabolic rate during sports.

Determine your daily energy needs

For one, we need energy for processes such as breathing, the maintenance of organ functions, physical and mental work in everyday life. Add to this the extra calories needed through sport. But this so-called work or performance through is often overestimated! We show you how you can calculate your daily energy requirements. The unit of energy content of the food is expressed in kilojoules (kJ) or kilocalories (kcal). In everyday use, however, the unit kilocalories (kcal) is used predominantly. 1 kilocalorie equals 4.184 kilojoules, or 1 kilojoule 0.239 kilocalories. The conversion is simple: From kilocalories to kilojoules, the value is multiplied by 4.184, in the opposite case divided by this value.

Part of the energy gained from nutrient depletion is transferred to other energy-containing compounds such as ATP and can thus be used in your organism for various forms of work (eg muscle activity). The efficiency of biological energy conservation is 40%. The remaining 60% of the binding energy is released as heat. Thus, more energy must be used for ATP formation than is conserved in ATP.

Table 1 shows the contribution of each major nutrient to ATP formation. Depending on the type of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, the values ​​may vary by ± 10%. (1)

Physiological and physical calorific value - the difference

The physiological calorific value refers to the energy that is released during the metabolism ("combustion") of a particular nutrient. This is also called "burning calories". For carbohydrates and fats, the physiological calorific value is the same as the physical one. They are completely degraded in the organism to the energy-free end products carbon dioxide and water. Protein is different. Your organism can only decompose protein incompletely. The nitrogen contained in the protein molecules is excreted as an energy-containing urea compound with the urine. Therefore, the physiological calorific value of protein is about 25% below the physical calorific value measured in the laboratory. Table 2 gives you an overview. (2)

Capture the energy turnover

The daily energy expenditure of a person can be measured by different methods. However, this is only partially practicable in everyday life or in counseling situations. Therefore, the average daily energy requirement of a person is usually estimated or calculated without specifically measuring it.

Examples of measuring methods are direct and indirect calorimetry.

In direct calorimetry the subject is in a measuring chamber for a longer period of time (at least 24 hours). The heat produced by the combustion of nutrients is measured and thus the sales are calculated. Since part of the heat is initially stored in the body, short-term energy sales measurements using direct calorimetry are not meaningful. It should also be taken into account that another part of the heat is released into the air in the form of water vapor. With this method, only statements about the energy turnover, but not about the share of different nutrients in the energy turnover are possible.

This is possible with the method of indirect calorimetry. Their principle is based on the fact that the nutrients are oxidatively degraded to water, carbon dioxide and nitrogen-containing products. Here, the nutrient metabolism via the respiratory gas analysis (O2 uptake and CO2 release) and the nitrogen excretion in the urine can be recorded, and the energy conversion calculated using the known physiological calorific values. The breathing air is detected by means of a mouthpiece or a face mask. (1)

The calorie calculator for your basal metabolic rate

Their daily energy requirements are made up of the basal metabolic rate (GU), food-related thermogenesis, work and performance (muscle work) and the need for growth, stress, illness, pregnancy and lactation under strict rest conditions and postabsorptive condition. Above all, it depends on the amount of muscle, age, gender and genetic and hormonal influences. It is measured 12-14 hours after the last meal, immediately after awakening and with complete physical rest. In immediate body environment thermoneutral conditions should prevail between 27-31 ° C.

Of course, not every home can do a professional measurement. In order to be able to determine your GU nevertheless, there is a formula for which you only need factors such as gender, weight, height and age:

Men:

GU = 66 + (13.7 * weight in kg) + (5 * size in cm) - (6.8 * age in years)

Women:

GU = 655 + (9.6 * weight in kg) + (1.8 * size in cm) - (4.7 * age in years)

The JV designates the amount of energy needed to maintain all vital organ functions and metabolic functions in absolute rest and wakefulness. It's the amount of calories that your body consumes, even if you do nothing.

There is also still-fasting sales (RNU). This can be determined in contrast to the GU by indirect calorimetry in the consultation. The RNU is about 5% above the GU and its measurement conditions are a bit more practical. Here is also in the morning 12-14 hours after the last meal measured. However, the subject may be measured clothed at 24-26 ° C room temperature in comfortable, relaxed sitting. (1)

The increase in energy turnover

Postprandial thermogenesis is the increase in energy expenditure after ingestion. Your organism needs energy to transport and metabolize the main energy-producing nutrients. This manifests itself in an increased formation of heat and is referred to as thermogenesis. Depending on the food composition, thermogenesis accounts for about 10% of the total energy requirement.

Calculate your daily calorie requirement! Important for losing weight

To gauge the actual daily needs, add to the GU the energy needs during everyday life, during work, during exercise and other recreational activities. This will give you the total energy needed per day. A common method is to specify the daily energy requirement of different professional and leisure activities in the form of PAL (physical activity level) values ​​as a multiple of the JV.

PAL value 1.2 (x GU) predominantly sedentary lifestyle with no other activities, e.g. bedridden people or wheelchair users

PAL 1.3 to 1.5 predominantly sedentary activity with little to no recreational activities, e.g. Office workers, precision mechanics, teachers, etc.

 PAL value 1.6 to 1.7 sitting main activity with some standing and walking activities, e.g. Students, assembly line workers, motorists, etc.

PAL value 1.8 to 1.9 predominantly standing and walking activities, e.g. Retail, salesman, craftsman, waiter, housework

 PAL value 2.0 to 2.4 strenuous exercise, e.g. Competitive athletes, construction workers, forest workers, farmers, miners, etc.

Your calorie consumption in sports

In order to determine the energy turnover through exercise, there are different formulas and possibilities. For example, cycling in the slipstream reduces energy consumption. In practice, your resting sales can be determined via indirect calorimetry. By determining your calorie consumption under stress, you will be able to determine your total series intake and then be able to adjust your diet accordingly!

Our book tip from the Trainingsworldredaktion:

The practice book of sports nutrition

Optimal nutrition is an indispensable prerequisite for optimizing performance and the best possible training success, both in competitive and competitive sports. From weightlifting to combined sports to pure endurance sports, a specially designed diet supports training and weight management effectively. This book provides a guide to the practical implementation of sports-appropriate meal design in everyday life and answers important questions about the suitability and value of food, meaningful use of food supplements and u. v. m. In addition, it contains numerous prescriptions with detailed nutritional evaluation, a meal planning guide, and a comprehensive, exercise-based food study.