To keep your body working properly and at its best, you need to continually consume a regular amount of food. Just like an automobile will not function without filling up with gas. Your body as well needs fueling up to keep going. Even worse, imagine a vehicle that gets the completely wrong kind of fuel all of the time. What happens is the car eventually breaks down and either stops working or runs badly. The same goes for your health when you take in junk food on a daily basis. So, How Many Calories Should I Eat?.
How Many Calories Should I Eat?
Given the obesity rate in the country, there is no lack of information about calories and the need to lose weight. Right now there are programs on television and cable that focus on teaching people how to get into shape. Yes, everyone is aware of the word calorie, but do you really know how many calories you should eat to lose weight? A calorie is a unit of energy and how you measure your energy versus the foods you consume. If you eat too little on a regular basis you can cause many different health problems. And naturally, on the flip side, if you eat too many calories you will most likely gain extra pounds. Which also can lead to health risks. Most nutrition and health professionals will agree that the general guidelines for women who do not need to lose weight is consuming 2000 calories and for men 2500.
But what about those who want to lose weight? The total is going to depend entirely on the individual, what they currently weigh and their level of activity everyday. You can figure out your ideal caloric daily intake by working a simple math problem that will give calculate your basal metabolic rate or BMR. This formula calculates the amount of movement or energy your body needs to be able to do its most basic human functions like breathing and just moving around for example. A simple search engine query can give you some really good options for calculating this number.
Dieticians say that in order to lose weight you should remove five hundred calories a day from your diet. In order to lose one pound each week. So, as an example, if you currently consume 2000 calories a day and never exercise, you will need to cut your caloric intake down to 1500. Keep in mind that you have the option of either cutting out the calories or working out enough to lose the five hundred calories. Doing a little of both is the best idea since you not only work off the calories but help improve your cardio vascular system and tone your body as well.
Even with the best-laid weight loss plan or program, everyone experiences ups and downs in their journey to lose weight. You may discover that after your first week you lose a lot more weight than you do as the weeks go by since loss will vary depending on your body and the time of the month etc. Some people have reported that they actually gain a little weight. That is most likely attributed to the increase in muscle mass, which is of course a good thing. Having more muscle will help your metabolism increase and also help you burn more calories.
As you begin your new lifestyle to reach your goal weight. Remember that the best weight loss is healthy and consistent rather than gimmicky. One to two pounds each week is a healthy goal to try and achieve. As losing more than that is hard for the average person to maintain. There are ways that you can make changes in your life. That help you reduce the number of calories you take in like journaling. Eating on a smaller plate, drinking more water and switching your favorite foods. Its for healthier versions, and of course get off that couch and exercise.
