BRIENMALONE's CalorieKing blog
Sunday, Dec 30 2007 - Calculating Your Daily Burn
View BRIENMALONE's food & exercise for this day
I received a question about the devices I use to calculate my daily calorie needs.
The Polar F55 has a new model for 2008 that retails for about $199. I was able to buy a new one on ebay for about $160 (including shipping). Be sure to look for "2008" if you buy through ebay - many people are selling the 2007 for the same price!
There are a lot of really cool toys to help you approximate your BMR/RMR, but there are some free formulas that will at least get you in the ballpark.
Harris-Benedict Equasion
Harris-Benedict is probably the most common formula for estimating BMR. It isn't very precise, but it does the job. (Just google "Harris-Benedict" to find out more)
Katch-McArdle Equasion
If you know your lean body mass (LBM) or body fat percentage, then the Katch-McArdle equasion will give you a better estimate of your BMR. (google will lead you to the equasion for this one, too). There are a number of ways to estimate your LBM - There are the accumeasure calipers ($24 or so), Omron makes a hand held bioelectric impedance device for $150-200, and Tanita has a scale that also uses bioelectric impedance for about the same price. It really doesn't matter which one you use as long as you stick with one (I own all 3 and while none of the devices agree with each other, they each seem to give consistent results)
Polar F55
This polar monitor is really best suited for monitoring workouts, not total calorie consumption. My experience so far has been that it overestimates my calorie burn rate.
BodyBugg
If you don't mind making a $400 investment, the bodybugg will tell you everything you want to know about how you are using energy. (This is the device that the people on "Biggest Loser" wear.)
BodyGem/MedGem
At $1200, the cost is prohibitive for individuals, but the BodyGem is a really cool tool that many gyms and personal trainers have. It is a small hand-held device that tells you exactly what your BMR is based on the amount of oxygen you consume at rest. You have to fast 10 hours prior to testing, and the test takes about 10-15 minutes to run. If you'd rather not buy one, BodyGem operators usually charge between $35 and $45 per test.
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December 30 - Journal
As for the ordinary stuff for today - our family is still dealing with the flu - so my foods and exercise are all way off. We're all ready for this to be over! It seems like our 2 year old (the only one who had a flu shot) is doing better than the rest of us, thankfully. I'm just itching to get back into the gym, but until the fever breaks and my lungs clear, all I can do is wait. At least my wife and I are sick while we have holiday time off to recover.
My motivation is pretty high right now, but for anyone else reading out there -
How do you stay motivated when you're sick?
The Polar F55 has a new model for 2008 that retails for about $199. I was able to buy a new one on ebay for about $160 (including shipping). Be sure to look for "2008" if you buy through ebay - many people are selling the 2007 for the same price!
There are a lot of really cool toys to help you approximate your BMR/RMR, but there are some free formulas that will at least get you in the ballpark.
Harris-Benedict Equasion
Harris-Benedict is probably the most common formula for estimating BMR. It isn't very precise, but it does the job. (Just google "Harris-Benedict" to find out more)
Katch-McArdle Equasion
If you know your lean body mass (LBM) or body fat percentage, then the Katch-McArdle equasion will give you a better estimate of your BMR. (google will lead you to the equasion for this one, too). There are a number of ways to estimate your LBM - There are the accumeasure calipers ($24 or so), Omron makes a hand held bioelectric impedance device for $150-200, and Tanita has a scale that also uses bioelectric impedance for about the same price. It really doesn't matter which one you use as long as you stick with one (I own all 3 and while none of the devices agree with each other, they each seem to give consistent results)
Polar F55
This polar monitor is really best suited for monitoring workouts, not total calorie consumption. My experience so far has been that it overestimates my calorie burn rate.
BodyBugg
If you don't mind making a $400 investment, the bodybugg will tell you everything you want to know about how you are using energy. (This is the device that the people on "Biggest Loser" wear.)
BodyGem/MedGem
At $1200, the cost is prohibitive for individuals, but the BodyGem is a really cool tool that many gyms and personal trainers have. It is a small hand-held device that tells you exactly what your BMR is based on the amount of oxygen you consume at rest. You have to fast 10 hours prior to testing, and the test takes about 10-15 minutes to run. If you'd rather not buy one, BodyGem operators usually charge between $35 and $45 per test.
--
December 30 - Journal
As for the ordinary stuff for today - our family is still dealing with the flu - so my foods and exercise are all way off. We're all ready for this to be over! It seems like our 2 year old (the only one who had a flu shot) is doing better than the rest of us, thankfully. I'm just itching to get back into the gym, but until the fever breaks and my lungs clear, all I can do is wait. At least my wife and I are sick while we have holiday time off to recover.
My motivation is pretty high right now, but for anyone else reading out there -
How do you stay motivated when you're sick?
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