How to calculate the number of calories for weight loss

Calculating the calories consumed per day is one of the most effective ways to achieve long-awaited weight loss. Before you start counting, you need to familiarize yourself with some counting rules so as not to harm your health.

Calorie - what is it?

Calorie - a unit of energy of the body. Any product that we consume contains substances such as fat, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and trace elements. When these substances along with food enter the body, they are split and energy is released - calories. We need them for vital activity.

The caloric content of any product depends on the content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Most of the calories are found in carbohydrates (9 kcal), in fats and proteins, they are half as large (4 kcal).

It's no secret that for weight loss we need a calorie deficit. Any existing diet is based on consuming fewer energy units, even if you don’t count them.

Therefore, some diets are dangerous to health, ineffective, because the calories are so small that the body instead of healthy weight loss, just exhausted. All this is happening because, unfortunately, there is no specific norm of calories for everyone to lose weight without health risks.

Norm calories per day

The usual rate of energy needs per day for a healthy lifestyle is not less than 2000-2500 kcal with normal daily physical exertion. Lack of calories will lead to poor health, weakness, dizziness. The excess energy, on the contrary, will be delayed and will turn into extra pounds.

The required number of kilocalories per day is influenced by:

• growth;
• weight;
• psycho-emotional state;
• level of physical and mental activity;
• floor;
• age.

For example, men need to spend more calories, and women less. For a growing organism, a greater expenditure of energy is natural than for an organism that has stopped in its physical development.

Therefore, it is impossible to clearly define the overall daily calorie intake. All figures are approximate and can not relate specifically to you. To find out your energy intake rate, you need to calculate it.

How to count your calorie intake for weight loss

The organism of each person is individual.

The number of calories you need can be calculated according to the following scheme:

According to table No. 1, for 1 kg of a person’s weight it is necessary to get about 1 g of protein, 1 g of fat and 2.5 g of carbohydrates together with food. The table shows an example of 60 kg, that is, if you weigh 60 kg, then you need to eat 60 grams of protein, 60 grams of fat and 150 grams of carbohydrates.

Next, we calculate the number of calories contained in proteins, fats, carbohydrates.

After examining table number 2, we will see that the total number of kilocalories per day is about 1380-1614.

Calculate your personal number of calories will help various applications in your smartphone and programs on your computer. In addition, download a calorie counter on your phone, so it will be easier to control the caloric intake of foods consumed, as well as the amount of BJU.

Try to remember that it is better not to fall below these values. This is the minimum at which you can lose weight. Do not believe diets containing 1000 calories. You risk harm to health.

The most optimal deficit is 20% of the daily energy intake. With such a deficit, you can eat everything, but in small portions, and monitor the calorie content in the application.

Benefits of a calorie-deficient diet

Such a diet is pretty simple. At the same time you can consume absolutely any food. The main thing is to count calories and weigh foods.

So, the advantages of diet:

1. You will not be hungry. With proper calculation of the daily rate of calories for your body, no discomfort should be expected. If you count calories, eat exactly at the rate of consumption of BJU (protein / fat / carbohydrates) in the ratio of 30/30/40, then the feeling of hunger will not, and weight loss should take place comfortably. If you feel discomfort - increase the daily rate of calories gradually. Best with carbohydrates.
2. You can eat sweets. Yes, you heard right. With such a diet is easy to control the consumption of sweet and flour. These foods should not be more than 20% of your diet. Everything must be calculated and weighed. You can always add candy or cookies to your personal daily calorie intake. Replace one of the snacks with ice cream, if you really want.
3. A varied menu. When our goal is to simply count calories, we can make our own diet based on daily preferences. Perhaps even a burger and french fries will fit into your scheme, and why not, for example, if you eat less for dinner?
4. There is at any time of the day. Calculating calories will allow you to eat at any time of the day, even at night. After all, 250 kcal in the morning is the same as the same 250 kcal in the evening or even at night. In short, the time of consumption of food has nothing to do with losing weight.
5. Clarity of the concept. When calculating calories, regardless of the time of day and the foods consumed, the figures for the calculation are unchanged. In any product there are nutrients that have their constant caloric content. If the protein contains 4 kcal - it means it will always be so.

How diets for 1000 kcal harm health

Survive 1000 kcal impossible. Various low-calorie diets just pounding a dead end. Since you have to constantly starve, spoil your metabolism and be under stress. With a lack of calories, any increase in calorie content is immediately deposited in fat, but after all, with such nutrition, the risks of falling off increase.

Remember, to get out of constant hunger on a low-calorie diet and at the same time stay in shape, you need to:

• count calories (using applications in a smartphone);
• add 30-50 kcal per week;
• add physical activity.

Counting calorie foods has virtually no drawbacks, with the exception of the count itself. You will need to constantly monitor yourself in food consumption, record food, weigh them and count kilocalories.

Quick weight loss is your enemy

With a huge calorie-deficient diet, you will definitely lose weight, but you will get a lot of unnecessary diseases:

• metabolic disease;
• problems with the digestive tract;
• nervous system disorder;
• depression;
• drowsiness;
• apathy;
• hair loss;
• deterioration of the skin and much more.

With a sharp decrease in calorie intake of food or a shortage of fats and carbohydrates, we disrupt the natural balance of substances in the body. Yes, the weight goes away quickly, you are rapidly losing weight, but the skin does not have time to get in shape, it starts to sag ugly. Such a weight loss will go to the expense of the body's resources accumulated in the hair, nails and skin.

5 main tips for those who decide to count calories

If you decide to count calories and take care to consume daily nutrients, then try the following simple tips:

1. The first thing to do is to calculate your daily caloric intake, based on the parameters of the body and activity. Once you know your number, just stick to these values.
2. Do not try to reduce your calorie intake. If you deliberately reduce your daily calorie intake, you can reach the extreme point mentioned above. Eat just as much as optimal for you. No less and no more.
3. Use the applications on your phone for easy calorie counting. The phone is always at hand, you can record there data about the product.
4. To lose weight and not get in addition sagging skin - combine the calorie deficit with physical exertion. Take part in running, dancing or fitness.
5. With such weight loss, pay attention not to weight, but to your volumes. Because during exercise, muscles build up, and they are known to be heavier than fat.

Losing weight when calculating calories is quite simple. If you do not eat too low in calories, but follow the daily intake of proteins, fats and carbohydrates (and we need all these substances for the normal functioning of the body), then you will definitely lose weight. And you really decrease in volume and lose those extra pounds.

However, it is worth remembering that if you decide to be slim, then you will need to stick to counting calories constantly. Otherwise, all the same, with an excessively high-calorie diet, the remains of unused energy will be stored in reserve.

Watch the video: Healthy Eating Diet Tips : How to Calculate Calories Needed to Lose 1 Pound (May 2024).