To figure out your ideal caloric intake you first need to determine your basal metabolic rate, or the amount of energy (calories burned) used by the body under resting conditions. Keep in mind here, that the more muscle you have on your body, the more energy (or calories) you will use while resting. This is why transforming body composition (reduce body fat and increase muscle) will support achieving ideal weight in the long term.

Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) – (4.7 x age in years)

Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) – (6.8 x age in years)

To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

1.                   If you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : 1.2

2.                   If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : 1.375

3.                   If you are moderately active (moderate exercise/sports/bootcamp 3-5 days/week) : 1.55

4.                   If you are very active (hard exercise/sports/bootcamp 6-7 days a week) : 1.725

5.                   If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x day training) :  1.9

*Most of our bootcamper’s can categorize themselves as “moderately active” or “very active”,

depending on how often they attend workouts (frequency) and how hard they work (intensity)*

BMR x factor depending on activity level = caloric intake per day to maintain your current weight

You can achieve weight loss by increasing your caloric expenditure (exercise) or reducing your caloric intake (eating less!). The combination of both will ensure long lasting weight loss, as long as you do it right. If you are going to reduce caloric intake do it safely. Reducing calories by 15% - 20% of your daily maintenance needs is a good start. And remember, sustained weight loss is impossible without increased, regular exercise.