Carbohydrates are the ideal energy source for the body for its many activities or processes.
Carbs allow for optimal muscle growth and burning of fat if done at the right proportions.
Everything we do throughout our day relies on the energy from carbohydrates we get through the diet or carbs we make in the body from other sources.
These macronutrients will be the fuel we use as we work out and will allow every cell to function, even the brain.
This carb calculator will give you the proper recommendations for a diet filled with moderate carbohydrate intake so that fat loss and muscle gains are at a great general level.
Someone more used to the average diet in the united states may find the number extremely low and harder to follow, so that the number can be adjusted a bit.
For these adjustments, it is ideal to use our macro calculator on PTpioneer to adjust the percentages more closely.
To use this calculator below, enter your age, sex, height, weight, fitness goal, and activity level.
How Is The Daily Protein Recommendation Calculated?
This Carbohydrate Calculator uses the Mifflin St Jeor equation, which most nutritionists, dietitians, and fitness professionals consider the gold standard for finding BMR, or basal metabolic rate.
The formula for BMR is:
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- For men: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) โ 5 x age (y) + 5 (kcal / day)
- For women: 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) โ 5 x age (y) -161 (kcal / day)
Next, the calculator uses the result of the BMR formula and multiplies it by the chosen activity level to get the total calories needed to maintain your body weight. Here are the numbers:
- Sedentary = 1.2
- Lightly active = 1.375
- Moderately active = 1.550
- Very active = 1.725
- Extra active = 1.9
Your goal selected in the calculator will adjust the total amount of calories required.
- For weight loss, the calories are reduced by 10 – 20%.
- 500 calories will be added to the equation’s product for weight gain.
- For maintenance of weight, we will not change the result.
To find the grams of carbs we need within our days, you need to take the percentage of carbs recommended in the diet, typically 40%, and multiply it by your total calories. This could be changed a lot depending on your diet and activity type.
This percentage has been found to keep up well with the carbohydrate needs associated with activity while ensuring you can continue physical activity effectively.
If you had a recommended daily calorie intake of 2,000 calories, you would take 40 percent of that 800 calories.
With the 800 calories, you would divide by the four calories found in every gram of carbohydrate, which equals out to 200 grams of carbohydrates needed each day.
You can also use our macro calculator page to see the rest of the macros and how they fit into your diet.
Are Carbohydrates Unhealthy?
The simple answer is no. Carbohydrates have been considered bad and avoided or reduced to a very low level.
Carb intake is completely healthy when not excessive, as these are less filling than other macronutrients.
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It also doesn’t help that many people take these calories as liquids and other easy-to-ingest and non-filling ways.
A significant problem exists with added sugars in the food that the average American eats these days.
This makes the number of carbohydrates skyrocket for the general population. This is where a calculator for the proper amount of carbs comes in handy.
So, carbohydrates are not by any means unhealthy; they just are very easy to get in excess amounts quickly.
It is the easiest of the three macronutrients to overconsume.
With carbohydrates, more so than other macronutrients, there may be some optimal timings before, during, and after a workout. These timings will allow people to get energy and regenerate the stores of glycogen kept in the body.
Eating carbs in the evening is also often a good idea, even though most people think the contrary. If more of your daily carbs are eaten at night, studies have shown that you can optimize your hormones and lose fat.
Which Carbohydrates Are Best For Building Muscle And Weight Loss?
Complex carbs are the best kind of carbs to fuel your day, especially when these come from whole foods and whole grains.
The complex carbs will break down over a greater period, allowing blood sugar levels to remain constant and not spike.
Some excellent complex carbs include sweet potatoes, brown rice, fruit, and starches. They also have another valuable carb, which is fiber.
Fiber is a healthy form of carbohydrates that does not add to the calories we take in, but it does allow for better health from digestion and other minor dietary conditions.
Simple carbs are not quite as healthy but can have their place. For example, having quick-digesting carbs known to spike blood sugar when you have just finished training or exercise sessions can be a good idea.
The sugar from simple carbs is seen to go to the muscle more quickly, allowing you to heal up and be ready to go sooner.
How Can I Find The Amount Of Carbs In Food?
Carbohydrate levels are found on the nutrition labels, and with these, you can also utilize a food scale to get the closest estimates.
The grams of carbohydrates and other macronutrients are all found on the backs of food items, and these should always be paid attention to in grocery stores and on menus.
Ensure you are familiar with weighing food at home to find the most accurate numbers and eliminate the need for guesswork.
We hope this Carbohydrate Intake Calculator has helped you with your fitness and nutrition goals.
Make sure that you check out the other health calculators that are found here on PTPioneer!
Tyler Read
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