Is the 17x(your weight) formula for how many Calories to eat per day accurate?

Question

I've heard around the internet that the best way to determine how many calories a day you should eat is 17 times your weight if you're moderately active and 20 times your weight if you're very active. But I'm worried that doesn't work when you get to higher weights. Just some background:

I'm 6'1'' and about 210 pounds last I was able to weigh myself. I've been getting to the gym roughly 5-6 times a week for the past month and a half or so (which is a big improvement over the previous couple times a year). I usually manage about 45 minutes of straight cardio with my heart rate between 160 and 180 for most of the time.

Anyways, I figure that puts me at at least moderately active, but even then the number would come out to like 3,570. That seems pretty high. For the past month I've been shooting for about 1,800 to 2,200 and mostly getting somewhere around there. Am I not eating enough? Does that formula actually work? Or is that more for lower weights?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

There's no formula that can give you an accurate value. It depends completely on metabolism, what foods you eat, and how much you exercise. When I was a pro cyclist I was 6'1" and 145lbs, but I ate 6000 calories a day during peak training. No formula will give you a personalized value. 1800 to 2200 seems very low to me, especially since you're active. I would eat more and focus on high quality, whole foods. Eat strategically throughout the day. For example: start with a massive breakfast with protein, then mostly carbs for the rest of the day and finally a bit more fat and protein before bed.

superswmr · Answer

For maintenance, no cardio, and average metabolism, it's x15 for guys and x12 for girls. Any working out You do [or just having a non-average metabolism] can change that drastically. For me, it's about x19. But i'm 19 years old and i workout alot, so it varies depending on those 2 factors

Is the 17x(your weight) formula for how many Calories to eat per day accurate?

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