Physical activity level is used to determine how many calories a person burns and how many they should eat. It is based on estimates of energy expended in various activities and classified into categories. The level of physical activity can be converted to a multiplier to estimate total energy expenditure, which can help with weight management.
Physical activity level is a number in a formula used by nutritionists, fitness professionals, and doctors to determine how many calories per day a person burns, and therefore how many calories they should eat. Scientists have used estimates of the energy expended in various activities and classified them into categories based on intensity and frequency, ranging from extremely inactive to extremely active. Due to the fact that all three components of the formula are based on estimates, there is a margin of error. For most people, however, it is a fairly effective way of determining the amount of energy expended each day.
The amount of energy a person expends in a 24-hour period that is accounted for by physical activities, such as cleaning, working, and exercising, is a person’s estimated level of physical activity. This can be converted to a multiplier, which is multiplied by the basal metabolic rate (BMR) to determine an estimate of a person’s total energy expenditure (TEE) for a single day. If your basal metabolic rate and total energy expenditure are already known, you can find the multiplier for your physical activity level by dividing your total energy expenditure by your basal metabolic rate.
The basal metabolic rate is the number of calories that the body burns completely at rest, without digestion, movement or any other factor involved. These calories are used to supply all the organ systems of the body with enough energy to function and keep the body alive. If you already know your total energy expenditure, you can divide it by your level of physical activity to determine your basal metabolic rate.
A person’s level of physical activity could be one of five or six categories, depending on the source used, each with its own assigned multiplier that estimates the number of calories burned performing the tasks associated with it. A completely inactive person, such as someone who is bedridden, has a multiplier of 1.2. At the opposite end of the spectrum, an extremely active person, such as someone who has a physically demanding job and participates in physically intense hobbies and sports, may have a multiplier of 2.0 or even 2.4.
Total energy expenditure, the result you get by multiplying your basal metabolic rate by your level of physical activity, can help you gain, lose, or maintain weight. If, for example, your total energy expenditure is estimated at 2,000 calories, you might want to make sure you eat an additional 500 calories, for a total of 2,500 per day, if your goal was to gain weight. Similarly, you could subtract 500 calories and eat 1,500 if your goal was to lose weight.
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