Cara Kempf is a certified personal trainer with the Fitness Zone in Carmel and a group fitness instructor with NIFS in downtown Indianapolis. She can be contacted at fitnessblog@theindychannel.com.

Ever wonder how many calories you actually burn in one day?

Whether you've got a sedentary job or an active one, you should be aware of your daily caloric burn so that you can maximize your daily workouts and burn enough calories to maintain a healthy weight.

If you have a desk job, you may want to get to the gym for a longer, more intense workout than if you remain on your feet all day long.

Jackie Berning, Ph.D., R.D., recommends this formula:

Calculate your weight in kilograms by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you weigh 68.2 kilograms.

Multiply this number by 0.9, which is your average hourly caloric burn. Your caloric burn hourly is 61.38.

Multiply this number by 24 to find your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Yours would be 1,473. This is the number of calories your body needs per day simply to stay alive.

Now, add in your activity level. If you lead a pretty sedentary life, add 10-20 percent of your BMR to your BMR. If you lead a somewhat active life (i.e. work that involves movement, and a 30-minute daily walk), add 50 percent to your BMR. If you have a very active day job and consistently work out, add 70-80 percent to your BMR. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, hold a teaching job, and work out for about 30 minutes per day, you would take 50 percent (to 60 percent) of your BMR, 736, and add it to your BMR, which results in approximately 2,210 calories per day that you burn.

If you are burning more calories daily than you take in, you will lose or maintain your current weight.

Make sure you take in enough calories to maintain a healthy body (i.e., at least your BMR), but try to consume a few less calories than you burn in one day.

Of course, Berning is just giving an estimate of the calculations for caloric burn, so take that into consideration when trying to decide on a diet plan.

Always seek advice from a professional if you are questioning your body's needs.