Losing weight can be easier when you know how to count calories. And is that to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than you burn.
Although it is not the only one, counting calories is a strategy often used to lose weight. And works. The following are all the things of interest you should know before you start counting calories.
What are calories for?
Food and drinks give us calories. Some more and some less, but the important thing is that later, the body uses them as fuel. Calories are necessary for walking or exercising, but also for thinking and breathing. So it is not possible to do without them.
Calories are essential to be alive, but you cannot eat an unlimited number. The excess calories are paid. Consuming more calories than you burn should not pose any risk if it is not done regularly. But when it becomes a habit, it inevitably leads to overweight and obesity. And is that unburned calories are stored by different parts of the body as fat.
How many calories can you eat per day?
Generally, women need 2000 calories a day to maintain weight. Instead, if you want to lose weight, the limit goes down to 1500 calories or less. As for men, it is considered that they need 2500 calories to maintain weight and 2000 or less to lose weight. In any case, it is recommended not to drop below 1200, since there is a risk of not supplying the body with the energy it needs to face the day with guarantees.
If you need to know the exact number of calories you need to lose weight, consult a nutritionist. Based on numerous individual factors (including gender, age, weight, height, activity level, and several more) it will tell you what your daily calorie limit is. And it is that the caloric needs of a young athlete are not the same as that of an old man who does not exercise.
Weigh, measure or compare food?
When you figure out your daily calorie limit, the next step is to shape your diet. The food tables tell us the number of calories that a given food contains at a given weight. For example, a banana provides 89 calories per 100 grams. And a 165 calorie chicken breast. For packaged meals, check the labels.
Therefore, weighing foods is a necessary step in knowing how many calories they have. This is the most accurate method for determining the quantities for each menu, but it should be noted that it is not the only one. If weighing seems impractical, consider measuring cups or comparisons.
Comparisons are the least accurate of the three methods, but it is also the most popular because doing it is quick and easy and can be done both at home and when eating out. For example, a tennis ball marks the size for servings of pasta, cereal, or yogurt. For meat you can use the palm of your hand, and so on hundreds of more comparisons.
Counting calories is considered more of a guide than an exact science. And it is that you will always work with approximate figures, even when all the portions are weighed. If you feel that you are doing everything in your power to make your record as faithful and accurate as possible, you can be satisfied.
Apps to count calories
Anything that involves doing calculations may sound difficult and boring to most people. But thanks to technology, today the task of counting calories has become more comfortable and even relatively fun.
There are a large number of free apps to count calories that you can install on your mobile phone. Apps like My Fitness Pal, Lose It! o FatSecret will help you lose weight by tracking the meals you eat.
Should you count calories?
Counting calories is highly effective for weight loss, but it is not for everyone. In addition, it is necessary not to confuse counting calories with healthy eating. Calories tell us about quantity, but not about quality.
If they give them a choice, many experts consider that basing your diet on healthy foods is a better strategy than counting calories. And it is that, in addition to being beneficial for health, they also help to consume fewer calories in the long term. The reason is that many of these foods have satiating qualities.
If you decide that you are going to start counting calories, keep these tips in mind:
- Don't cut too many calories from your diet. It can be dangerous to your health and also increases the risk of throwing in the towel.
- Don't forget to exercise. Although counting calories helps you lose weight, what guarantees success in weight loss diets is combining them with a few weekly sports sessions.