Questions:

1) Define basal metabolic rate (BMR).

2) Calculate your basal metabolic rate based on the following equation known as the Harris-Benedict method. If you don’t want to use your own personal data, you are welcome to ‘create’ your own fictional person (but use reasonable values). Note BMR represents calories burned and is therefore equals your recommended caloric intake.

3) Now it’s important to understand your BMR, but we understand that physical activity plays a factor in caloric intake. Take the value you just calculated and base it on your level of physical activity according to the below chart using the equation: activity factor x BMR.

4) Keep in mind that these are just guidelines. There are a number of factors that determine a higher or lower caloric intake. Discuss (don’t just list) one factor that would require someone to have a higher caloric intake and one factor that would require a lower caloric intake.  Be sure to describe WHY the factor would require more or fewer calories.

Higher:

Lower:

5)   Analyze your diet. Sign up for a free account at www.fitday.com (see supplemental PowerPoint posted on eConestoga titled “20W FitDay Instructions” for instructions on how to set up an account and log your food using the fitday website).  Record your food intake for ONE day. Make this a regular day for you so that your results reflect a ‘normal’ day for you. The website has a list of many food, but you may have to enter food manually (look at the nutrition chart on the food or on a company’s website) if it isn’t listed. Remember to enter food, water, drinks (alcohol, caffeine included). Make sure to adjust the serving size as needed.

When you have entered in your daily food intake, it will show you your “calorie intake” and “calorie breakdown” in the table at the side of the page

Enter your values from this chart into the following table: