How many calories do you need. How many calories do you need to burn to lose weight. Minimum daily calorie requirement

26.07.2020

In order to correctly calculate how many calories to consume per day, it is important to know the level of energy expenditure of the human body in the course of its life. That is, you need to calculate the basic metabolism, in which calories are consumed for the work of organs, the performance of any actions and various types of loads.

As a rule, each person has his own (individual) basal metabolism. And, depending on the lifestyle, its level will be either higher or lower. So, for example, in people with sedentary work, the main metabolism will be a smaller number of kilocalories, and in active people - more.

By the way, it should be noted that when calculating calorie intake per day, terms such as calories and kilocalories are often used. The fact is that these two concepts are considered identical. But the term "calories" in the interpretation is narrower and refers only to the amount of energy that is required to heat 1 degree of water. Although it is applicable to establish the nutritional value of products, as an abbreviated version of the word "kilocalorie".

Calculation of the basic exchange of a person

To calculate the basal metabolism, formulas are used that establish energy costs for both women and men. The general formula for women looks like this: 655 + (9.5 x body weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years). For example, with a height of 170 cm, a weight of 75 kg and an age of 30 years, the number of kilocalories will be: 655 + 9.5 x 75 + 1.8 x 170 - 4.7 x 30 = 1532.5 kcal.

For men, the general formula looks like this: 655 + (13.7 x body weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age in years). For example, with a height of 185 cm, a weight of 80 kg and an age of 30 years, the number of kilocalories will be: 655 + 13.7 x 80 + 5 x185 - 6.8 x 30 = 2472 kcal. But these calculations are not complete. And in order to establish the exact calorie intake per day, you need to multiply the resulting figure by the activity coefficient.

So, with light physical labor, the activity coefficient will be 1.4, and with mental labor - 1.6. If a person is engaged in moderate physical labor, then when calculating the calories consumed, the result should be multiplied by 1.9. With heavy physical labor - by 2.2.

Daily calorie intake varies by gender. That is, for men, their number will be higher than for women. Age also affects - more calories will be required by a young body. As a rule, young people tend to have a more active lifestyle, and as a person grows older, he becomes more calm and measured. Therefore, age is also important when calculating calories consumed.

Considering all the data, scientists have deduced the total number of kilocalories that a person should consume. At the same time, they took into account gender, age and lifestyle. So, for example, for men who lead a sedentary lifestyle, the daily calorie intake at the age of 19-30 years will be 2400 kcal. And at the age of 31-50 - 2000 kcal. With the same lifestyle at the age of 51 years and older, 2000 kcal will also be enough.

How many calories should women consume per day with a similar rhythm of life? Here it is also important to distinguish between age. For example, from 19 to 25 years old, it is recommended to consume 2000 kcal. And at the age of 26-50 - 1800 kcal. Women who are over 51 should consume 1600 kcal.

With a moderate lifestyle for men aged 19-30 years, the required amount of calories is 2600-2800 kcal. And at 31-50 and older - 2400-2600 kcal. For women aged 19-25 years, it is recommended to consume 2000 kcal per day. At the age of 26-50 - 1800 kcal. And over 51 years old - 1800 kcal.

How many calories should be consumed per day with an active lifestyle? The daily norm for men aged 19-30 years is 3000 kcal. At the age of 31-50 - 2800-3000 kcal. And over 51 - 2800-2400 kcal. For women, the daily calorie intake at the age of 19-25 will be 2400 kcal, at the age of 26-60 - 2200 kcal. And over 61 years of age, the amount of calories consumed should be 2000 kcal.

Pregnant women deserve special attention. Since ancient times, it was believed that for the proper development of the baby in the womb, the expectant mother should eat for two. And as a result, she had extra body weight. Therefore, in modern society, whole groups of various specialists worked on this issue, who found that the basal metabolism of a pregnant woman increases by 25%.

How many calories to eat per day when carrying a child? If in a normal state a woman needed about 1850-2000 kcal, then during pregnancy 2500 kcal is needed, and by the end of the term - 2800-2900 kcal.

How many calories should a child consume per day?

For children, the caloric content of nutrition should not be too low, as their body is constantly functioning, gaining strength and vitality. And the rate of energy consumed depends only on their age.

How many calories to eat per day for babies up to 4 months? Their daily norm is 550 kcal. This is the number of calories the baby receives from breast milk. And at the age of 4-12 months, the baby needs to consume 800 kcal. For this, complementary foods should be introduced, since milk alone will no longer be enough.

At 1-4 years old, the daily calorie intake will be 1300 kcal. And at the age of 4 to 7 years - 1800 kcal. If the child is 7-10 years old, then his daily norm will be 2000 kcal. Starting at age 11, the number of calories consumed will be differentiated depending on gender.

How many calories to eat per day for teenagers 10-13 years old? For girls, their daily amount will be 2150 kcal, and for boys - 2250 kcal. At the age of 13-15, girls are recommended to consume 2300 kcal, and boys - 2500 kcal. Young men aged 15-19 years should consume 3000 kcal. And for girls at the same age - about 2400 kcal. Starting at age 19, adult rates are used to establish daily calorie intake.

It is also important to remember that the vital activity of a child is significantly different from an adult. Therefore, if children constantly run around and eat more, this is normal. Don't overfeed your baby, but don't underfeed either.

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The caloric content or energy value of food is one of the most important characteristics of food. It is determined by the amount of energy that the body receives with the complete assimilation of the components included in the food consumed.

The daily calorie intake of a person depends on age, weight, height, gender, lifestyle, it is determined by the body's energy costs for various activities. The minimum amount of energy required to ensure the normal functioning of the body in women is less than in men - by about 15-20 percent.

How many calories per day do women need?

Most nutritionists agree that the average woman needs 2000 kcal. However, the number of allowable calories depends on the level of physical activity.

Women with a sedentary lifestyle need to consume the following number of calories:

from 18 to 25 years old - about 2000 kcal;
from 26 to 50 years - 1800 kcal;
after 50 years - up to 1600 kcal.

For women leading a moderately active lifestyle, the following indicators are the norm:

from 18 to 25 years - up to 2200 kcal;
from 26 to 50 years - about 2000 kcal;
after 50 years - 1800 kcal.

With high activity, women need:

from 18 to 25 years old - 2400 kcal;
from 26 to 50 years - about 2200 kcal;
after 50 years - up to 2000 kcal.

A woman carrying a child needs a lot more calories. The daily diet in this case depends on how long the pregnancy is. With increasing gestational age, you should increase your daily food intake from 2500 to 3200 calories per day. The diet of a woman who feeds a baby should be at least 3500 kcal.

In 1919 there appeared Harris-Benedict formula, for a modern person, it is no longer accurate enough, it has an error of about 5%.

The daily calorie intake for women is calculated as follows:

655.1 + 9.563 x weight (kg) + 1.85 x height (cm) - 4.676 x age (years)

1.2 - minimum or no physical activity;
1.375 - fitness classes 3 times a week;
1.4625 - fitness classes 5 times a week;
1.550 - intense physical activity 5 times a week;
1.6375 - fitness classes every day;
1.725 - every day intensively or twice a day;

The result is also multiplied by the activity coefficient.

The most accurate to date is recognized Mifflin-St. Jeor formula:

10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (years) - 161

The result must also be multiplied by the activity factor.

How many calories per day do men need?

The metabolic process occurs much faster in men, so the daily diet of a man differs significantly from that of a woman. An adult man of average build needs about 2500 kcal. in a day. But, if we take into account the level of physical activity, the picture looks like this:

Men who lead a sedentary lifestyle need:

from 18 to 30 years old - about 2400 kcal;
from 31 to 50 years - 2200 kcal;
after 50 years - 2200-2400 kcal.

For men leading a moderately active lifestyle, the following indicators are the norm:

from 18 to 30 years old - 2600-2800 kcal;
from 31 to 50 years - 2400-2600 kcal;
after 50 years - 1800 kcal.

When active, men need to consume the following number of calories:

from 18 to 35 years old - about 3000 kcal;
from 31 to 50 years old - 2800-3000 kcal;
after 50 years - 2400-2800 kcal.

66.5 + 13.75 x weight (kg) + 5.003 x height (cm) - 6.775 x age (years)

We multiply the result by the coefficient of physical activity:

1.2 - minimum or absence;
1.375 - 3 times a week;
1.4625 - 5 times a week;
1.550 - intensively 5 times a week;
1.6375 - every day;
1.725 - every day intensively or 2 times a day;
1.9 - daily + physical work.

According to Mifflin-St. Jeor formula The calorie intake per day for men is calculated as follows:

10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (years) + 5

Here, too, the result is multiplied by the activity factor.

How many calories per day do children and teens need?

Daily children's diet depends on age. The caloric content of food should be increased every six months in order for the growing body of the child to develop well.

The norm of calorie intake for children and adolescents looks like this:

up to 2 years - 1200 kcal;
from 2 to 3 years - 1400 kcal;
from 3 to 6 years - 1800-2000 kcal;
from 6 to 10 - 2000-2400 kcal;
from 10 to 13 years - no more than 2900 kcal.

Calories are fuel for the human body. After food enters the body, heat is released, its amount is measured in calories. A person needs to eat in order to live, but not vice versa.

As in everything, a measure is needed here, an excess of calories leads to obesity, and a deficiency leads to malnutrition, both of which lead to unpleasant consequences and diseases.

Calories are a source of energy, unused calories will remain in the body in the form of excess fat.

And in the event of a lack of energy, the body will begin to deplete itself, switch to an economical mode and will spend energy only on maintaining life, postponing other functions of the body until better times. Hair and teeth will begin to fall out, the girl's periods will stop.

basal metabolism

In order not to face these consequences, you need to know how much energy your body spends per day. Energy is spent even just on the functioning of the body: the work of the lungs, digestive organs, brain, muscles.

The more and more intensively a person moves, the stronger his mental activity, the more calories he will burn per day.

So how many calories should you eat per day? First you need to understand how many calories the body consumes at rest.

One of the most popular formulas for calculating the required calories is 1 Kcal / hour per kg of body weight + 10%. For example, if a person's body weight is 55 kg, then the calculation according to this formula will look like this:

55 kg x 1.1 x 24 (hours) = 1452 kcal

This amount is the minimum, eating below which, you can undermine health. These are the so-called unregulated costs.

Adjustable costs are already individual features of energy consumption. Such as age, lifestyle, gender. The ratio of the initial and target weight also plays a role.

Daily calorie intake per day, taking into account individual characteristics

The required rate of calorie intake per person per day is individual. There are formulas to calculate it. It should be borne in mind that the norm is designed for a person with normal weight in order to maintain it.

For those who are losing weight and gaining weight, the norm will be different. The height unit in the formula is indicated in centimeters, and the weight in kilograms.

There are separate formulas for men and women. With age, the need for calories also decreases, which is taken into account in the formula.

Formula for women: 9.99 x weight + 6.25 x height - 4.92 x age - 161;
Formula for men: 9.99 x weight + 6.25 x height - 4.92 x age + 5.

Get the number of calories needed per day for a person with certain parameters. But now it’s worth taking into account his lifestyle and multiplying the resulting value by the appropriate coefficient:

Lack of activity: 1.2;
Low activity: 1.45;
Average activity: 1.55;
High activity: 1.7;
Increased activity: 1.9.

Girls who are pregnant and breastfeeding consume more calories. A gynecologist will help you determine the exact rate, but usually pregnant women need at least 2600 calories and up to 3500 in the last stages.

Children from six months to a year usually need about 800 kcal, up to one and a half years 1300 kcal, up to three 1500 kcal, and so adding about 200-300 each year of life.

Again, this is all conditional and you need to consult a pediatrician, depending on the tendency to gain weight, the rhythm of life and individual characteristics.

Calorie consumption table

In addition to the fact that for weight loss calories can be consumed less, they can also be spent more. It is good if you are lucky and the rhythm of life is active by itself. What if it's an office job? Then you need to play sports and other activities.

In addition, there are many household activities that are quite energy-consuming. So, why not pick up a hobby more active than knitting. How many calories can you burn if you do a certain activity?

Here is a table of calorie consumption per hour for a person weighing 55 kg:

Kind of activity	Calories burned per hour
Dream	50
Watching TV	55
Floor washing	96
Active sex	83
gardening	105
Ironing	110
dressing baby	110
stroller	121
Bathing a child	149
morning exercises	165
Surfing	165
hoop rotation	165
Truck driving	179
riding a horse at a gallop	220
Aqua aerobics	220
Chopping firewood	237
Belly dance	248
Harvesting	253
Sailing	275
Rafting	275
Outdoor games with a child	297
classical ballet	318
Roofing	330
water skiing	330
Canoeing	385
Diving	385
Press swing	406
Zumba	413
Cross-country skiing at an approximate speed of 4 km/h	385
Skating	385
luge	385
Jogging in place	440
Swimming breaststroke	550
Running at 9.5 km/h	550
Running at 12 km/h	688
Running up the stairs	710
Cross-country skiing at an approximate speed of 8 km/h	770
Running at 17.5 km/h	990

Calculation of the indicator for active weight loss

How many calories should you eat per day to lose weight? If a person is satisfied with his weight, then he should simply stick to the figure obtained above.

But if the goal is to lose weight, then you need to lower the number of incoming calories, otherwise the weight will simply stand still.

To do this, you need to subtract 15-25% from your own calorie intake, depending on the degree of the problem.

How to know if you need to lose weight and by how much

If you need to lose weight quickly, it is possible to increase the deficit, but in the end, the daily calorie content of a woman cannot be less than 1200 kcal, and men 1800 kcal.

It is believed that the weight of a healthy person should not exceed height - 100 for a man and height - 110 for a woman. BMI (body mass index) is more indicative, it can be calculated using the formula: “weight in kg / height in m² \u003d BMI”.

For example, if the weight is 80 kg, and the height is 165 cm, then the BMI will be 80 / 1.65 ² = 29.4. Next, you need to look at the table.

According to her, in a person with such parameters, an excess is on the verge of obesity of the 1st degree. A person needs to lose at least 12 kg. Based on it, it also follows that with a height of 165 it is better not to weigh more than 68 kg and less than 50 kg.

But such a calculation does not take into account age and people with very short stature and narrow bones. Therefore, narrow-boned, as well as women below 1.55 m and men below 1.68 m, need to subtract another 10% for an objective BMI result.

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The most common cause of excess weight is a sedentary lifestyle and excess calorie intake. Excess weight is not only an aesthetic problem, it provokes many diseases, reduces the duration and worsens the quality of life.

Therefore, if a person wants to lead a healthy lifestyle, he needs to keep a record of what he has eaten. Even exceeding the calorie content required by the body by 50 Kcal, a person will begin to gain weight.

If the product needs to be weighed at home, then kitchen electronic scales will come in handy, they are accurate to the gram, they are not so expensive and will be useful to the hostess in the kitchen if the recipes are followed.

If you count calories for several months, then it will be brought to automatism. And already by sight it will be clear how many calories are in a particular dish.

Also, do not forget to eat varied. Diverse - this does not mean that chicken today and turkey tomorrow, it means that all food groups must be balanced. The body needs both proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in approximately a 20/30/50 ratio.

The ratio is approximate, it is not necessary to adhere to it fanatically. But still, protein should not be consumed less than 20 grams per day, as it is a building material and is very necessary.

But the ratio of fats and carbohydrates can be changed if there is a goal to lose weight. But only by reducing the amount of carbohydrates, reducing the amount of fat is fraught with health, especially for women.

If the weight loss was fast enough at first, and then stopped, most likely this is a plateau. To disperse the plateau, it is advised to give the body a shake-up, let's say once a week to sharply increase calories.

This doesn't work for everyone. And in general, many of the tips given above may not suit absolutely everyone, then consultation with a specialist is necessary. And you should always listen to your body.

Not all girls who monitor their weight know about such a method of losing weight as counting calories. We can say that this is weight loss without a diet. You can eat absolutely all foods, but be sure to count their calorie content. Many may think that this is too hard and this way of losing weight is definitely not for them. At first, of course, it is unusual. After all, you need to know the weight of each serving of food, take into account the calories of each piece of bread eaten, constantly keep a food diary. But then this way of eating will become a habit and you can easily tell how many calories are in a bowl of borscht. To help beginners, there are many different programs for mobile phones that can calculate the calorie content of a particular dish and will count how much you ate in a day. In this article, we will answer the most exciting questions: “How many calories should I eat per day?”, “How many calories do I need per day to lose weight?”, “How to lose weight without dieting?”.

How to count calories to lose weight. What are calories

What is a calorie? This word modern man hears everywhere. Any product in the store has on the label information about the calories it contains. Despite the fact that most people use this word in relation to food, calories have a much greater meaning.

a calorie is a unit of energy that needs to be expended to heat 1 gram of water by 1 degree;
the amount of energy in food is the number of calories in it;
1000 calories equals 1 kilocalorie;
the word "calorie" is used not only in relation to food, but also to everything that contains energy.

How many calories per day should a person consume

Each person, performing any action during the day, spends energy. This energy is calories. But depending on how much energy each individual person spends, the daily number of calories that he should consume is calculated. Therefore, there is such a division in the norm of calories for different categories of people. For example, young people tend to expend much more energy than older people. And, accordingly, they need to consume more calories. There are also differences in daily calorie intake between men and women. Below we consider in more detail the daily calorie intake for men and women with different degrees of activity. But we must not forget that these figures are applicable only to those people who have no complaints about their weight. If you want to lose weight, then the calculation of calories will be different for you.

Calories per day for women

Depending on the nature of life activity, the following groups are distinguished among women:

sedentary women. It is recommended to consume 2000 calories for women aged 19 to 25, 1800 calories - from 26 to 50 years, 1600 calories - for women over 50;
women with a moderately active lifestyle. It is recommended to consume 2200 calories for women aged 19 to 25, 2200 calories - from 25 to 50 years, 1800 calories - for women over 50;
women with an active lifestyle. It is recommended to consume 2400 calories for women aged 19 to 30, 2200 calories for women aged 31 to 60, 2000 for women over 60.

Calories per day for men

Men with a sedentary lifestyle. It is recommended to consume 2400 calories for men aged 19 to 30 years, 2200 calories - from 31 to 50 years old, 2000 calories - for men over 50 years old.
Men with a moderately active lifestyle. It is recommended to consume 2600-2800 calories for men aged 19 to 30, 2400-2600 for 31 to 50 years, 2200-2400 calories for men over 51.
A man with an active lifestyle. It is recommended to consume 3000 calories for men aged 19 to 30 years, 2800-3000 - from 31 to 50 years old, 2400-2800 - for men over 50 years old.

How to count calories to lose weight

Losing weight using the daily calorie counting method is the only scientifically based method of losing weight. In order to lose weight by 1 kg, you need to burn 7700 calories. In order to lose weight it is impractical just to cut down on the diet. You should certainly increase your physical activity. So, you will accelerate your metabolism faster, and kilograms will start to go away faster. How to calculate how many calories you need to eat in order to lose weight? Modern nutritionists give the following recommendations:

if you are slightly overweight and, moreover, at least 3 times a week you devote time to training, then it is enough for you to "minus" 10% of calories from the daily norm for a healthy person. This will be an ideal option in order to systematically lose extra pounds and not stress the body;
if you are slightly overweight and do not exercise, then you should “minus” 20% of the calories from the daily allowance for a healthy person. Those. you will have to eat 20% less per day than you would be supposed to if you did not want to lose excess;
if you are obese, then you need to cut your daily calorie intake by 40%. As a rule, people with such a large overweight cannot engage in sports training due to medical contraindications. But for yb[ walking and light gymnastics are always available.

Such a "diet" is very easily tolerated by a person, because. there are no strict restrictions in the products. You can vary your calorie intake slightly throughout the week. For example, on one of the days, increase the number of calories per day by 10-20%. But then you should arrange a fasting day during the week, reducing the number of calories by 40%. There is also a more accurate formula for calculating calories for weight loss. This formula is based on height, weight, age, lifestyle. Based on this method of counting calories for a single person, individual weight loss programs are compiled by modern nutritionists. This is the Mifflin-San Geor formula.

In the process of calculating the ideal number of calories for your weight loss according to the formula above, it is important to adequately assess the nature of your physical activity. According to statistics, many people overestimate their "sports success" during the week. Someone does really intense workouts 5 times a week and sets himself a factor of 1.55, and someone lifts 2 kg dumbbells and does a little run and also sets himself a factor of 1.55. Remember that it is better to slightly underestimate the nature of your training than to overestimate.
Be sure to weigh your portions. Some people correctly counted the number of calories in a 100 g serving, but relying on their “eye”, they put themselves a much larger portion, and then complain that the calorie counting weight loss system does not work.
Counting calories throughout the day is painstaking and meticulous work. Don't forget to add the calories from mayonnaise, sugared juice, sugared coffee, etc. to your total calories for the day. Some people forget to take into account such “little things” and also do not see any shift in losing weight. Absolutely everything that you put in your mouth should be strictly counted.

How many calories to eat per day to lose weight. How to distribute calories throughout the day

In modern recommendations of nutritionists for weight loss, a lot of attention is paid to the distribution of calories throughout the day. After how many hours should meals be arranged? How much to eat per day to lose weight? Or is it all unimportant that you can eat all of your 1,700 calories in one meal? Here's what nutritionists advise:

it is recommended to arrange about 5-6 meals per day;
the interval between meals should be at least 2-3 hours;
if, due to your busyness, you cannot eat fractional and frequent portions, then you can very well make a meal schedule that is convenient for you. The main thing is that the number of calories does not exceed the norm set for you;
it is better that the most high-calorie foods of the day be consumed in the 1st half of the day;
in the evening, give preference to the “lightest” calorie foods from your daily diet.

How many calories to eat per day to lose weight. Life hacks for weight loss using the calorie counting method

Many people who are just about to start losing weight using the calorie counting method are intimidated by the complexity of this whole process. Perhaps endless tables of calories pop up before your eyes. To lose weight at the present time, there is no need for such tables, there is no need to constantly check with it, count calories in a column, look for the product you need in the list for a long time. Today everything is much easier. Among the most popular life hacks in the calorie counting method are:

How to count calories in a complex dish to lose weight

To accurately calculate the calories in a dish, you need to take into account the calorie content of each ingredient in this dish. Of course, the fewer ingredients in a dish, the easier the calorie counting process becomes. But what if the dish is complex? During the cooking process, you need to weigh each product that you put in the pan, for example, and sum it up with the rest of the products. In such a simple way, you can easily calculate the calorie content of pasties, cutlets, pickles, etc. Don't forget to consider the oil you're going to fry something in. Spices, tea, coffee do not affect the total caloric content of the diet.

Eating calories to lose weight. Is it possible to achieve a reduction in daily calorie intake without counting them?

If you still doubt that you can constantly keep such a detailed calculation of calories, then you can try to lose weight without counting them. And it's quite possible:

reduce to the very minimum the consumption of fatty foods, sugar, flour products. Due to this, the calorie content of your daily diet can be reduced by 20%;
make your meals fractional. Eat little but often. So, you will achieve a reduction in daily calorie intake by another 5-10%

How to eat calories to lose weight. Variants of a daily diet with different calorie content

Menu option for 1800 kcal

Breakfast. Lean boiled meat 90 gr, green peas 250 gr, 1 boiled egg, coffee with milk.
Lunch. Apple.
Dinner. Vegetable soup 200 gr, steam cutlets from 120 gr of raw lean meat, stewed beetroot salad 150 gr, jelly with sugar substitute 50 gr.
afternoon tea. Fat-free cottage cheese 100 gr, unsweetened compote 200-250 gr.
Dinner. Boiled fish 100 gr, fresh vegetable salad 150 gr.
Before bedtime. Low-fat kefir 200-250 gr.

Menu option for 1200 kcal

Breakfast. Boiled fish 100 gr, fresh vegetable salad 200 gr, coffee with milk.
Lunch. Apple.
Dinner. Vegetable soup 200 gr, chicken meat 100 gr, fresh vegetable salad 40 gr, unsweetened compote.
afternoon tea. Non-fat milk 250 gr.
Dinner. Lean boiled meat 90 gr, stewed vegetables 200 gr.
Before bedtime. A glass of low-fat kefir.

Menu option for 800 kcal

Breakfast. Fat-free cottage cheese 100 gr, coffee without sugar.
Lunch. Apple.
Dinner. Soup on vegetable broth 200 gr, boiled lean meat 90 gr, compote without sugar 200 gr.
afternoon tea. Compote without sugar 200 gr.
Dinner. Boiled chicken breast 90 gr, green peas 50 gr.
Before bedtime. Fat-free kefir 200 gr.

Benefits of losing weight with calorie counting

Perhaps, after reading the main advantages of such a weight loss method as counting calories, you will discard all your doubts. If you still have doubts, then read about the advantages of this method, which were confirmed by most nutritionists and a huge number of women who have lost weight in this way:

Firstly, you do not need to give up any products. There are no restrictions on dietary diversity. You can eat everything that you ate before, just "fit" into your daily calorie intake. Of course, the consumption of "harmful" products will decrease, but no one forces you to exclude them altogether. Love chocolate? Wonderful. Just enter the calories from 2 cubes into your diet;
secondly, you can continue to visit your favorite cafes as before. Almost all establishments prescribe the composition of the dish and its calorie content in the menu. This is a huge psychological plus in losing weight;
thirdly, once you have mastered the skill of counting calories, you will bring it to such automaticity that you will subconsciously continue to count calories “in your mind”, even when the weight loss is over. And this means that you will not gain weight after a diet, proper nutrition within a certain daily calorie content of meals will become your way of life. You will know how to eat right every day to lose weight.

Cons of losing weight using the calorie counting method

Opponents of the calorie counting method put forward a theory of weight loss based not on calorie reduction, but on the correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Some nutritionists believe that extra pounds come to us not because of overeating, but because of the wrong ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. And it would be more logical not to reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed, for example, but to completely exclude them from the diet or bring them to an acceptable minimum.
Another opponent of calorie counting suggests learning to distinguish between feelings of hunger and appetite. Accordingly, you need to eat only when you actually feel hungry. And the feeling of appetite must be learned to control and suppress. The main disadvantage of the weight loss system using the calorie counting method is that you do not "listen" to your body.
Some nutritionists offer another alternative to counting calories - a reference not to the calorie content of the dish, but to its volume. Most often, they suggest comparing the portion size with some kind of reference point: a fist, a palm, a glass, a dessert plate, etc. In their opinion, you can avoid constant mathematical calculations, but keep a low caloric content of the daily diet and fractional nutrition.

A weight loss system based on daily calorie counting is not a novelty in nutrition. The method was invented back in the 20s of the last century. Adhering to this method or not is only your decision. But it’s definitely worth a try if you want to achieve a lasting result in losing weight, relieving your body of stress. Smooth and natural, correct weight loss while normalizing the daily caloric content of meals has long been proven and tested by many people. Success in losing weight!

Calories is a word that not only people who want to lose weight should know, but everyone without exception. After all, this is not just an indicator that regulates how much we need to eat in order not to get better, our health, performance, well-being and mood directly depend on the number of calories consumed.

Minimum number of calories per day

Calories are needed for the direct process of the life of the human body: breathing, the work of internal organs, pumping blood, exercise, sleep, etc. It is calories that provide nutrition to our cells and organs. Therefore, in no case should you reduce the caloric content of the diet to a minimum. Remember how long a person can live without food, which is the source of calories. The minimum limit of how many calories a person needs per day is 1200 kcal for women and 1500 units for men. If you fall below this norm regularly, the body will simply have nowhere to take energy for its own life support, which over time will lead to dystrophy and the consequences that appear due to it. Therefore, if you have looked after a diet based on the use of a super-low number of calories (below 1000 kcal), think about whether you really need to lose weight at the cost of health and beauty?

Meanwhile, nutritionists have proven that the most effective and healthy method of losing weight is precisely counting calories. And there is no contradiction in this: you just need to know how many kcal a person needs per day, and if necessary, gradually reduce the amount of calories consumed. The fact is that the indicators of 1200 and 1500 kcal for women and men, respectively, are highly averaged, and display a minimum that cannot be crossed. But how many calories a person needs to consume per day for the normal functioning of the body is determined individually. Especially for this, nutritionists have developed several formulas for calculating the required calorie intake for each person. This rate is easily calculated using special formulas. Here is one of them.

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How to determine how many calories you need per day

First you need to calculate the basic metabolism (how many calories a person needs per day at rest).

For women:

9.99 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (in cm) - 4.92 x age - 161

For men:

9.99 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height - 4.92 x age (years) + 5

Then we multiply the resulting basal metabolic rate by a coefficient that depends on the physical activity of a particular person.

This ratio is equal to:

With a sedentary lifestyle 1.2
With little activity (sport once a week) 1,375
Average physical activity (sports at least 3 times a week) 1.54
Active lifestyle (daily sports) 1,725
Very high level of physical activity (hard physical work, heavy loads in the gym) 1.9

Of course, not always a high or low level of activity is expressed exclusively by training in the gym. It can be active housework, brisk walking, a certain level of professional physical activity, etc.

By counting the numbers using this formula, we will get the answer to the question of how many calories are required per day. Here you can find out. If you stick to the calorie content of the diet, calculated according to the above formula, your weight will be stable: you will not lose weight and will not get better. This figure is necessary for your body to maintain its normal vitality, for the proper functioning of organs, for your well-being. If you consume more calories than you get according to the formula, you can get better over time. Indeed, with insufficient consumption of energy received from food, nutrients will turn into fat.

Average daily calorie intake

Many people know the phrase that a woman needs to consume about 2000 kcal per day. In fact, this figure should be slightly lower: approximately 1800 kilocalories. In general, when calculating the caloric intake, it is necessary to take into account not only gender, weight, profession, physical activity, but also age. For example, in adolescence, the body needs more calories, because during the period of growth, the human body consumes much more energy than in adulthood, when the body is already fully formed. To maintain the body in a normal state, 1 kilocalorie per 1 kilogram of human weight per hour is needed.

What are calories spent on?

Calories are burned on the thermal effect of digestion. Approximately one third of the calories burned per day is spent, oddly enough, on the process of digesting food. The body uses more energy to digest proteins than it does to digest fats and carbohydrates. About 15% of calories are burned during exercise and in general any physical activity. It can be a workout at the gym, professional classes, a run to the bus, etc. But on the main exchange (energy consumption at rest) burns 70% of calories!

Electronic assistants for calculating caloric intake

If you want to most accurately calculate how many calories you need to consume per day, get yourself electronic assistants. These can be: pedometer, heart rate monitor, calorie counter. For example, with the help of a pedometer, you will find out how many steps you take per day, and the calorie content of your diet depends a lot on this. After all, as we said above, the more you move, the more calories you need to consume. And, if you find that you are moving less than normal, you will need to reduce the calorie content of the diet. Such electronic health gadgets will help you get to the required rate of daily mobility. After all, every time you look at the display of the pedometer, you will want to break your own "record", take more steps than yesterday or the day before yesterday. This will motivate for greater mobility, which will have a great effect on health, mood and appearance.