In order to keep your weight under check, it’s important to get a sense of how your diet is affecting your waistline. And for that, you need to track your calorie intake from time to time.
Different Kinds of Calories
Scientists have recently discovered that the quality of calories (and not just quantity) has an effect on weight of an individual. There is a difference in consuming 500 calories of carrots from 500 calories of popcorn, although technically you should be consuming the same amount of energy, the popcorn makes you fatter just the same.
Foods that take more effort to chew and digest like fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains, make your body burn more calories. Coffee and tea increase calorie burn, for other ingredients they have. Certain spices like chilies, cinnamon, and ginger also help to burn calories.
Tracking calories has never been simpler. You don’t even need a pencil and paper; your smartphone can do it for you. Most apps offer well-designed food diaries, nutrition database, healthy recipes, exercise logs, weight charts and journals too. Once they learn about you, they recommend the right calorie level to suit your goals and lifestyle. Once you choose a meal plan, calorie counters do all of the math, switch out anything you don’t like, and then follow along each day. They, hence, come handy when you are trying to lose, maintain or even gain weight.
But how many calories do we need to be healthy?
A physically active, 25-year-old 6 feet tall male requires more calories than a 5 feet 70-year-old woman who is not especially active. Certainly, there is no single specific number for all. Various factors including age, size, height, gender, lifestyle, the amount of physical activity in a day and overall general health are key influencers. According to the U.S Department of Health, an average male adult requires about 2,700 calories to maintain his weight, while an average female needs only 2,200 calories..
The sensible way is to cut down on calories gradually. Maintaining a healthy diet while you lose weight will just help the whole process along.
