How many kilojoules do you need?
Calculate your metabolic rate and level of activity to gauge how much you should be eating each day
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Just how much energy do we use?
The following figures are how much energy a person uses, in kilojoules per kilogram of body weight per hour (kJ/kg/h), during various activities. Scroll down to calulate how many kilojoules you need each day.
| Writing: 1.7 kJ/kg/h | |
| Sitting quietly: 1.7 | Walking rapidly: 14.2 |
| Standing relaxed: 2.1 | Running: 29.3 |
| Driving a car: 3.8 | Swimming (4km/h): 33 |
| Vacuuming: 11.3 | Rowing in a race: 67 |
1. Calculate your metabolic rate
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is how many megajoules (MJ, or 1000kJ) you burn, at rest, per day
| 18-30 years old | 31-60 years old | |
| Men | 0.063 x body weight (kg) + 2.896 = BMR in MJ | 0.048 x body weight (kg) + 3.653 = BMR in MJ |
| Women | 0.062 x body weight (kg) + 2.036 = BMR in MJ | 0.034 x body weight (kg) + 3.538 = BMR in MJ |
2. Gauge your average daily activity level
Multiply your BMR by the figure below from the category that best reflects your daily activity level
| Men | Women | |
| Sedentary | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| Light | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Moderate | 1.8 | 1.7 |
| Heavy | 2.1 | 1.8 |
3. The result is your energy need
Multiply your answer by 1000 to determine how many kilojoules you need just to get through the day. Eat more, you’ll gain weight. Eat less and you’ll lose it.
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