In order not to consume too few or too many calories per day, it is important to know the energy requirements of your own body. This is especially important for people who want to lose a few kilos or build muscle mass. Because each person has a certain total turnover, the energy requirement per day in calories. This total turnover results from the basal metabolic rate and the power metabolic rate.
The basal metabolic rate is the amount of energy that the body, at complete rest during a day, requires to maintain its function. The power metabolism is the whole amount of energy that the body needs within a day. The energy requirement that exceeds the basal metabolic rate is referred to as the power metabolic rate. This mainly includes muscular activities.
When calculating the power metabolism, the following point is taken into account:
PAL value (Physical Activity Level)
The measurable value for physical activity is called the PAL value. This value is considered as the basis for calculating the power turnover. The PAL value always refers to 24 hours. This PAL value indicates with which number the basal metabolic rate should be multiplied to calculate the total energy requirement. The factors are multiplied by the number of hours and then added together. The sum is then divided by 24. This gives the average daily factor. This is multiplied by the basal metabolic rate and thus the average total energy requirement is obtained as a result.
Calculation example:
(8 hours x 0.95 + 8 hours x 1.6 + 8 hours x 1.8) /24 = PAL value
7.6 + 12.8 + 14.4 = 34.8 / 24 = 1.45 (PAL value)
Basal metabolic rate (1340 kcal) x 1.45 = 1943 kcal (603 kcal power metabolic rate)
Factor activity example
0.95 sleeping
1.2 only sitting or lying Frail people
1.4-1.5 sitting, hardly any physical activity Office work at desk
1.6-1.7 mainly sitting, walking and standing Students, pupils, cab driver
1.8-1.9 mainly standing and walking Salesperson, waiters, craftsmen
2.0-2.4 physically demanding work Farmers, high-performance athletes
In order to keep an eye on your own calorie balance, it is extremely important to know your own metabolic rate and your daily energy requirements. Internalize this principle, and you will soon be able to record visible successes. Whether to lose weight or to built muscle mass.