Need help losing weight? A few simple calculations will help you set realistic goals.

Step 1: Know your body

Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories you’d burn per day if you were to lie in bed 24/7. It’s based on various factors including height, age, body composition (a higher muscle-to-fat ratio will burn more calories even at rest). To calculate your BMR, plug your deets into this equation (known as the Harris-Benedict formula):

BMR = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) – (4.7 x age in years)
e.g. a 32-year-old female measuring 167 cm tall and weighing 60 kg would compute 655 + 276 + 300.6 – 150.4 to arrive at a daily at-rest burn of 1,081.2 calories or 4,519.4 kJ per day (multiply calories by 4.18 to convert to kJs).

Calculate how many calories you need each day>>