Knowing how much energy our body consumes each day is essential to achieving our goals (weight loss, muscle gain, maintenance, etc.). These energy needs depend on two fundamental elements: your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your Physical Activity Level (PAL) . In this article, we will explore these concepts in detail and show you how to estimate your needs using our calculator. Ready to find out what your body uses each day? Let's go!

Basal Metabolism (BMR): What is it?

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the amount of energy our body uses at rest to maintain its vital functions. This includes processes such as breathing, heartbeat, body temperature regulation, etc. In other words, BMR represents the energy needed for our body to function without performing physical activities.

MB is influenced by several factors:

• Age : Metabolism generally slows down with age, particularly due to the decrease in muscle mass.
• Gender : Men tend to have a higher BMR than women due to a greater proportion of muscle, which burns more energy than fat.
• Body composition : People with more muscle mass have a higher BMR because muscle uses more energy at rest.
• Genetic factors : Some people naturally have a faster or slower metabolism than others.

Physical Activity Level (PAL): Understanding its influence

Physical Activity Level (PAL) , as the name suggests, refers to the intensity and frequency of your daily physical activity. It is essential to consider your PAL to estimate your total energy needs. Indeed, BMR alone is not enough to determine the energy you consume on a daily basis, as it does not take physical activity into account. The PAL score is therefore the value by which BMR is multiplied.

Here are the different categories of NAP:

• Sitting work, little physical activity : This level is for people who spend most of the day sitting, with little or no movement. For example, an office with little physical movement. The NAP factor here ranges between 1.3 and 1.4.
• Sitting work, short trips, moderate physical activity : People with an office job but who move around regularly during the day (e.g. short trips around town or moderate walking) can have a NAP of 1.5.
• Strenuous work or regular and rather intense physical activity : If you do work that requires more physical effort (e.g. manual trades or regular sports), your NAP will be between 1.6 and 1.7.
• Intense and regular physical activity : Athletes or people who practice intense physical activity on a regular basis (e.g. frequent training, high-level sports) will have a NAP that varies between 1.8 and 2.

Estimate your energy needs

The theoretical formula is a simple method to obtain an estimate of your daily energy needs based on your BMR and your NLP. Although this formula provides an order of magnitude, it remains approximate, because each individual is unique and several other factors can influence your actual needs.

The theoretical formula

• For women: MB = 9,740 × Weight (kg) + 172.9 × Height (m) − 4,737 × Age​ + 667,051
• For men: MB = 13,707 × Weight (kg) + 492.3 × Height (m) − 6,673 × Age​ + 77,607

Then, to get your total energy needs, you need to multiply the BMR by your Physical Activity Level (PAL). Be careful, this formula does not work for a teenager.

If you want to get an estimate more easily, use our energy needs calculator . It will allow you to quickly calculate your total energy needs.

Achieve your goals

If your goal is to gain muscle mass, it's essential to consume more calories than your body expends daily. This requires a nutrient-rich diet, but other techniques are possible. For mass gain, for example, there are specific supplements.