How to lose, maintain, and gain your weight wisely?

Hi, buddies!

I took some courses at coursera.org. One of them is Nutrition class from University of California, San Fransisco (UCSF). Ms. Katie Ferraro is my lecturer in this class. She teaches us very well.

I'm interested in one topic about determining individual nutrient needs. If you want to lose your weight, you only need 20-25 kcal per kg body weight. In maintaining weight, 25-30 kcal per kg body weight is needed. But, for people who want to gain weight, they need 30-35 kcal per kg body weight. Upper end of range is used if you're physical active. Otherwise, lower end of range is for people who don't do any physical activity. 

As we know, macronutrient play an important role to give us calories, i.e. carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Carbohydrate, fat, and protein yield 4 kcal/gram, 9 kcal/gram, and 4 kcal/gram, respectively. Here is the table about macronutrient distribution ranges in every stage of people's life.

So, how can we calculate our nutrient needs? Let me try to make you understand by giving a case. For example : Rina (37 years old) is the woman who suffer from diabetes mellitus. Her body weight is 80 kg. She has days with no exercise. She must reduce her weight in order to meet the goal of diabetes mellitus treatment. So, how much carbohydrate, fat, and protein that she needs per day?

In losing weight => 20-25 kcal/kg

Since she is not physical active => 20 kcal/kg

Then multiply by her weight => 20 kcal/kg x 80 kg = 1600 kcal

For her, let me use the macronutrients proportion: carbohydrate 55%, fat 25%, and protein 20%. So?

Carbohydrate =>  55% x 1600 kcal = 880 kcal => 880 kcal : 4 kcal/gram = 220 gram per day

Fat => 25% x 1600 kcal = 400 kcal => 400 kcal : 9 kcal/gram = 45 gram per day

Prorein => 20% x 1600 kcal = 320 kcal => 320 kcal : 4 kcal/gram = 80 gram per day

As you see, what a fascinating class it is! :D For further information regarding this nutrition class, please visit coursera official website.

Annyonghi-geseyo!