Everyone talks about them, and how many an average person should have as well as how many in that chocolate bar they are about to eat but what are they??
Calories are energy, and no that doesn’t mean the more you consume the longer you can stay awake. This is just basic survival, your body is already preset with a required amount of calories to survive on and maintain at its current weight. For sure if you exercise and burn extra calories then this number will increase as well as your fitness so it is important to be active. Click here to find out a rough indication on your calorie requirements
Did you know that there are 3,500 calories to every 1lb of fat??
In order to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories then your body needs, so to lose .5lbs per week reduce your calories by 1,750 per week I.e if your maintenance calories is 1,900 per day over the 7 days allow yourself 1,900-250=1,650 calories per day. For 1lb it will be 3,500 and so on.
It is however recommended to not decrease your calories by more than 7,000 or go below 1,200 calories per day as this can harm the body and in the end have adverse effects. Please keep in mind the recommended healthy weight ranges provided by the NHS as well as your healthy BMI
To properly manage this it is easier when you record a food diary, and it’s no good lying to yourself about what your eating. And drinking for that matter, yes alcohol is the most calorific nutrient after fat!
1 gram of carbohydrates equals four calories
1 gram of protein equals four calories
1 gram of fat equals nine calories
1 gram of alcohol equals seven calories
There are a few free apps out there that make this easier but I personally use an amazing site called Weightloss Resources, the food diary tools are fantastic and the members in the forum are amazing! I’ve now been a member for 2 years and not sure I’ll ever leave!
So this is the basics of weight management, getting the correct nutrients is also key to a healthy balanced diet so ensure you get enough protein, carbohydrates and good fats into your diet and just find what works best for you personally!
Best of luck
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