How Many Calories Should You Eat? Weight Loss Calculator

Your ideal calorie intake depends on things like age and activity level. Most cisgender females need at least 1,600 daily calories to maintain their weight, while cisgender males need at least 2,000. If you want to lose weight, eating less can help.

Reducing the number of calories you eat per day can be an effective weight loss method (1).

However, figuring out exactly how many calories you should eat can be tricky, as it depends on a variety of factors, including your age, sex, size, and activity level.

Below is a simple scientific calorie calculator, along with five evidence-based tips on how to sustainably reduce your calorie intake.

Enter your details in the calculator below to figure out how many calories you should be eating per day to either maintain or lose weight.

The calculator is based on the Mifflin-St Jeor equation and can provide an estimate of your calorie needs. It utilizes population data, as well as other factors, including genetics, medications, and lean body mass, that affect your calorie needs (2, 3).

How to use this calculator

This calculator uses your age, size, sex, and activity level to estimate the number of calories you should eat per day to maintain your weight.

You can adjust this number based on your goals if you’re trying to gain or lose weight.

Keep in mind that this tool only provides general guidance, as activity levels and many other factors influence your daily calorie needs. Thus, this calculator will likely provide a number that’s close to your calorie needs, but it’s not a perfect tool.

Your doctor or dietitian can offer more individualized advice on your ideal calorie intake, depending on your health status and goals.

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When trying to lose weight, it’s important to create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you normally do or by exercising more. Some people choose to combine the two, eating a little less while being more physically active (4).

Still, it’s important to ensure that you’re consuming enough nutrients, even if you’re trying to lose weight, or you risk developing nutritional deficiencies and metabolic changes that make long-term weight maintenance difficult (5, 6).

Here’s a closer look at how many calories you should eat based on recommendations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (7).

Females assigned at birth (FAABs)

Keep in mind that these estimates don’t apply to those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as they’ll need significantly more calories.

Males assigned at birth (MAABs)

Men who are very active or have certain health conditions may require more calories. The number you need within these ranges also varies based on your height and weight.

Children

Keep in mind that cutting a child’s calorie intake may increase their risk of nutritional deficiencies, slow growth, and foster an unhealthy relationship with food or an eating disorder (8). Instead of counting calories, it’s best to encourage eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods.

summary

The amount of calories that your body needs can vary depending on your age, sex, activity level, and body size.

Simply put, a calorie is a unit that measures energy. Calories are usually used to measure the energy content of foods and beverages.

To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your body burns each day. Conversely, to gain weight, you need to consume more calories than you expend (1).

Keep in mind that while the “calories in, calories out” concept of weight loss may seem simple, many factors contribute to weight loss or the inability to lose weight, including medical diagnoses, hormonal changes, genetics, and age (9).

summary

Calories are units that measure the energy content of foods and beverages. While many factors can influence weight loss, you generally need to eat fewer calories than you burn to lose weight.

Although decreasing the number of calories you consume can be effective for weight loss, cutting calories without considering which foods you eat isn’t a sustainable way to lose weight.

Here are five simple strategies that may help you lose weight.

1. Eat more protein

When it comes to losing weight, protein is incredibly important.

Studies show that increasing your intake of protein may help keep you full and curb your appetite (10, 11).

Protein may also help fight cravings. According to some research, high protein snacks help enhance feelings of fullness while decreasing hunger and appetite (12).

In addition to promoting weight loss, some research suggests that maintaining a high protein diet may prevent or reduce weight regain and help maintain muscle mass (13, 14).

Therefore, if you want to achieve long lasting, sustainable weight loss, consider increasing your protein intake by eating more eggs, meat, poultry, tofu, nuts, seeds, or legumes.

2. Limit sugary drinks

Another relatively easy change you can make is to limit your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas, fruit juices, chocolate milk, and other drinks with added sugar.

Your brain doesn’t register liquid calories the same way it does solid calories, so they affect your feelings of hunger and fullness less significantly (15).

Additionally, studies associate drinking sugary beverages with an increased risk of obesity (16, 17).

The harmful effects of sugar also go far beyond weight gain. In fact, added sugar may contribute to other health issues, including heart disease, liver problems, and type 2 diabetes (17).

3. Drink more water

One simple thing you can do for your health is to drink more water.

Adequate hydration is associated with improved brain health and weight management, as well as a reduced kidney stone risk (18).

What’s more, drinking water immediately before meals may reduce hunger and help you eat fewer calories (19, 20).

When combined with a healthy diet, drinking more water — especially before meals — appears to be helpful if you need to lose weight.

4. Exercise

Resistance-training activities like weightlifting have been shown to limit muscle loss, which may help minimize metabolic changes during long-term calorie restriction (21).

Cardio exercises, such as walking, swimming, or jogging, are also important — both for increasing weight loss and supporting overall health (22).

Additionally, exercise has a variety of other benefits that go beyond weight loss, such as increased longevity, enhanced energy levels, improved mental health, and a decreased risk of chronic disease (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28).

5. Reduce your intake of refined carbs and ultra-processed foods

The term “refined carbs” refers to grains that have lost their bran and germ, including white bread, pasta, crackers, and white rice. It also includes sugar and other sweeteners.

Refined grains typically lack fiber, which supports weight loss by decreasing your appetite and increasing feelings of fullness (29).

Eating fewer refined carbs may promote weight loss by altering levels of specific hormones that regulate your appetite, such as peptide YY (30). It’s also best to avoid ultra-processed foods.

Summary

Eating more protein, exercising, staying hydrated, and limiting your intake of refined carbs and sugary beverages are a few simple ways to decrease your daily calorie intake.

In addition to cutting calories, there are several steps you can take to lose weight in a sustainable, long lasting manner:

• Practice mindful eating. Mindful eating can help reduce food cravings and promote long-term weight loss (31).
• Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fruits and veggies are low in calories but high in fiber, which makes them ideal for weight loss (32, 33).
• Stock up on healthy foods. Following a healthy diet is much more challenging when you have a kitchen full of processed foods. Make sure you have healthy snacks and foods on hand.
• Find support. Studies show that social support may aid weight loss (34).
• Try meal prepping. Many people find that meal prepping is a convenient way to eat well and save time.

summary

In addition to decreasing your daily calorie intake, the tips outlined above may support long-term weight loss.

Although counting calories can be an effective strategy for weight loss, it’s important to remember that there are many other factors to consider when choosing what and how to eat.

Instead of focusing solely on calories, it’s best to follow a balanced diet that’s rich in a variety of nutritious, whole foods.

If you do decide to cut calories, be careful not to decrease your intake too much, as doing so may cause several serious side effects (4).

Research shows that young adults who use calorie-tracking apps to monitor how many calories they consume may be more at risk for developing disordered eating patterns that could develop into eating disorders (36).

That said, for people who are not at risk for developing disordered eating habits, restricting how much you eat can be a successful weight loss strategy, at least in the short term (37). However, eating too few calories may also slow your metabolism, making it harder to maintain weight loss in the long term (5).

summary

Cutting calories too much may harm your health and make it harder to maintain weight loss. Instead of focusing only on calories, concentrate on a well-rounded diet that’s rich in nutritious, whole foods.

Are 1200 calories enough for a day?

Although it may help you lose weight, eating 1200 calories or less a day does not provide enough energy or nutrients for most healthy adults.

How many calories should you eat for breakfast?

The number of calories that you should eat for breakfast depends on many factors, including your daily needs, personal preferences, health goals, and overall diet.

How many calories should you eat for lunch or dinner?

While some people may enjoy eating a large lunch and smaller dinner, others may decide to distribute their calorie intake more evenly. Therefore, everyone’s needs and preferences are different.

How many calories should you eat to gain muscle?

To gain muscle, you may have to increase your calorie needs by a few hundred calories per day. A sports dietitian can help you develop an appropriate plan (38).

summary

The number of calories that you should eat at each meal or to reach a specific weight goal can differ. Therefore, it’s best to experiment to find what suits your needs.

How many calories you need per day depends on whether you want to maintain, lose, or gain weight, as well as various other factors, such as your sex, age, height, current weight, activity level, and metabolic health.

Many websites and apps can help you track your calorie intake. You can try using a calorie counter or tracker for at least a few days to see the amount of calories, carbs, protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals you’re eating.

That said, working with a registered dietitian (RD) can also help you gain, maintain, or lose weight while ensuring that your nutrient needs are being met.

Just one thing

Try this today: Preparing your own meals at home puts you in control of what’s on your plate and makes it much easier to manage your calorie intake. It’s also a great way to control portion sizes and make healthy swaps using your favorite nutritious ingredients.

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What Is a Calorie Deficit, and How Much of One Is Healthy?

We use calories to measure how much energy we get energy from food. You should be able to lose weight with a deficit of 500 calories a day without experiencing extreme hunger or fatigue. To help create a deficit that supports healthy weight loss, avoid sugar and processed foods while getting regular physical exercise.

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, you’ve likely heard that a calorie deficit is required.

Yet, you may wonder what exactly it involves or why it’s necessary for weight loss.

This article explains everything you need to know about a calorie deficit, including what it is, how it affects weight loss, and how to achieve it in a healthy, sustainable way.

Calories are the units of energy you get from foods and beverages, and when you consume fewer calories than you burn, you achieve a calorie deficit.

The calories you burn or expend each day — also known as calorie expenditure — include the following three components (1):

• Resting energy expenditure (REE). REE refers to the calories your body uses at rest for functions that keep you alive, such as breathing and blood circulation.
• Thermic effect of food. This involves the calories your body expends digesting, absorbing, and metabolizing food.
• Activity energy expenditure. This refers to the calories you expend during sports like exercise and non-exercise related activities, including fidgeting and performing household chores.

If you provide your body fewer calories than it needs to support these three components of calorie expenditure, you put your body into a calorie deficit. Doing so consistently for long periods results in weight loss (1).

Conversely, you will gain weight if you regularly provide your body more calories than it needs to support these functions. This is called a calorie surplus.

summary

A calorie deficit occurs when you consistently provide your body with fewer calories than it needs to support calorie expenditure.

For most people, a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day is sufficient for weight loss and unlikely to significantly affect your hunger or energy levels (2).

To create this calorie deficit, you need to know what your maintenance calories are. Maintenance calories are precisely the number of calories your body needs to support energy expenditure.

You can use calorie calculators like the Body Weight Planner from the National Institute of Health. Such calculators estimate your maintenance calories based on your weight, sex, age, height, and physical activity level (3).

Though calorie calculators provide a good idea of your maintenance calorie needs, you can get a more precise number by tracking your calorie intake and weight for 10 days (4).

While maintaining the same level of daily activity, use a calorie tracking app to track your calories and weigh yourself daily. For an accurate result, use the same scale, at the same time of day, and wearing the same clothes (or nothing at all).

Your weight may fluctuate day to day, but if your weight has otherwise remained stable over the 10 days, the average number of calories you consumed per day is a better representation of your maintenance calories.

Divide the total number of calories you consumed for 10 days by 10 to find your average daily calorie intake. Then, subtract 500 calories from this number to determine your new daily intake goal for weight loss.

For example, if you find your maintenance calories to be 2,000 per day, your new daily calorie goal would be 1,500.

As you lose weight, your maintenance calories will decrease over time, and you will need to adjust your calorie intake based on your weight loss goals (1).

Still, to ensure healthy weight loss and adequate nutrient intake, women should not consume fewer than 1,200 calories per day, and men no fewer than 1,500 calories (5).

summary

You can estimate your maintenance calories by using an online calculator. Alternatively, for a more accurate number, monitor your calorie intake and weight for 10 days.

You can achieve a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories or increasing your physical activity levels — or both.

That said, it may be easier and more sustainable to create a calorie deficit through diet rather than exercise alone, as you may not have the time, energy, or motivation to exercise daily. Plus, exercise doesn’t burn as many calories as many people believe (6, 7, 8, 9, 10).

In other words, it may be easier to eat 500 fewer calories each day than to burn this number of calories through exercise. Nonetheless, it’s still recommended to engage in muscle-strengthening and aerobic exercises for their beneficial effects on overall health (11).

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the Department of Health and Human Services recommend that adults do 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, weekly (12).

Moderate-intensity exercise includes brisk walking and light bicycling, whereas examples of vigorous-intensity exercise are jogging and fast bicycling.

The guidelines also recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities involving their major muscle groups — including the back, shoulders, chest, arms, and legs — at least two days every week (12).

Engaging in muscle-strengthening activities will help your body prioritize the loss of body fat rather than muscle mass (13, 14, 15).

summary

It’s likely more sustainable to create a calorie deficit through diet rather than exercise alone. However, physical activity is important for many aspects of health.

Cutting calories from your diet to create a calorie deficit doesn’t necessarily require drastic changes.

In fact, several strategies can help you reduce your calorie intake to lose weight and maintain it — and they don’t even require calorie counting.

Don’t drink your calories

You may be able to eliminate several hundred calories from your diet simply by reducing or eliminating your intake of sugary beverages like soda, fruit juices, and specialty coffee drinks.

Alcoholic beverages can also pack a significant number of calories.

The calories from these beverages don’t provide fullness, and in excess, they can lead to weight gain, heart disease, and diabetes (16, 17, 18, 19).

Limit highly processed foods

The sugar, fat, and salt in highly processed foods, including sugary beverages, fast foods, desserts, and breakfast cereals, make these high calorie foods highly palatable and encourage excess consumption (20, 21).

In fact, one study showed that people who were allowed to eat as much or as little as they wanted ate 500 more calories per day on a diet containing highly processed foods, compared with a diet containing minimally proceeded ones (22).

Minimally proceeded foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber and include foods like lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. A diet rich in minimally processed foods will help prevent you from overeating and ensure you get the nutrients your body needs.

If your current diet consists of many highly processed foods, slowly begin to replace those items with minimally processed ones. For example, swap sugary cereals with oatmeal topped with fruit, or swap chips with lightly salted almonds.

Eat primarily home-cooked meals

Preparing and eating your meals at home allows you to control the ingredients and your portion sizes — and therefore, your calorie intake.

One study showed that people who cooked dinner at home 6–7 times per week consumed 137 fewer calories per day, on average, than people who cooked dinner at home 0–1 time per week (23).

Eating home-cooked meals is also associated with better diet quality, an increased intake of fruits and vegetables, lower body fat levels, and reduced risks of heart disease and diabetes (24).

What’s more, frequently cooking at home can save you money (25).

summary

Reducing your consumption of sugary beverages, consuming a diet containing mostly minimally processed food, and eating at home can help you reduce your calorie intake.

A calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body expends.

A calorie deficit of 500 calories per day is effective for healthy and sustainable weight loss.

Eliminating sugary beverages, consuming mostly minimally processed foods like fruits and vegetables, and eating home-cooked meals can help you reach a calorie deficit without calorie counting.

90,000 Daily Calorie Value: How Much Energy Does a Person Need?

The energy of our body is consumed constantly and for this it is not necessary to engage in some kind of hard physical activity. Even activities such as washing dishes or walking around the city burn calories. Therefore, it is very important to try to ensure that the daily calorie intake is chosen correctly to replenish energy and maintain body tone.

Counting calories: norms for men and women

Calculating the amount of daily calorie intake is not so easy, because it depends on many parameters – age, gender, activity, individual characteristics. Nevertheless, it is possible to do this – at least with a sufficiently high accuracy. In general terms, the principle of counting is as follows: men, young people and athletes need more energy than women, the elderly and people who lead a passive lifestyle.

Daily calorie intake for men

At different ages, the calorie consumption of the stronger sex is seriously different. From 19up to 30 years, a man leading a predominantly sedentary lifestyle needs an average of 2300-2500 kcal. From 31 to 50 years old – at 2100-2300 kcal. 50 years and older – less than 2000 kcal.

For men leading a moderately active lifestyle, these figures are approximately equal to 2700, 2500 and 2300 kcal. For athletes and active people – 3000, 2900 and 2600 kcal, respectively.

Daily calorie intake for women

90 002 Girls over 19up to 25 years old, leading a mostly sedentary lifestyle, it is recommended to replenish daily energy reserves by 1900-2100 kcal. At the age of 26 to 50 years, women should consume from 1700 to 1900 kcal per day, over the age of 50 – 1500-1700 kcal.

For girls who lead a moderately active lifestyle and who have not yet turned 25, energy consumption is on average 2100-2300 kcal. At the age of 26 to 50 years – 2000-2100 kcal and over the age of 50 about 1700-1900 kcal. For active women and athletes, these figures are 2300-2500, 2100-2300 and 1900-2000 respectively.

daily calorie intake should be adjusted based on body weight : those who want to lose weight should reduce energy consumption, and for those who want to gain weight – on the contrary, increase.

Proteins, fats and carbohydrates: daily proportions

The correct balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is the basis of good health and energy. Therefore it is very important to monitor not only the amount of energy consumed, but also the proportions of macronutrients.

The main source of calories for our body are carbohydrates. Once in our digestive system, they turn into glucose – the main “fuel” for humans. A huge amount of useful carbohydrates is found in cereals, vegetables and fruits. As a percentage of the total number of calories consumed by our body daily, such carbohydrates should be at least 60%. If this indicator is lower, then individual organs and systems may begin to function incorrectly.

Protein is extremely important for the growth and repair of tissues – muscle, cartilage and others. Also, the consumption of protein foods contributes to the growth of immunity. Therefore, proteins should make up 10-15% of our diet. Most of all they can be found in any meat, dairy products, as well as legumes. For greater simplicity of calculation, we can assume that for every kilogram of its mass a person needs one gram of protein per day.

Fat should make up 25 to 30% of the body’s total energy intake. The most useful are unsaturated fats , contained in large quantities in olive oil, fish, dairy products, nuts. They contribute to a better absorption of useful microelements by the body, improve the functioning of the immune system, provide an energy reserve in case the intake of other useful substances stops (this is important for prolonged physical activities, such as long distance running, etc.). However, it should be remembered that there are also unhealthy fats (so-called “trans fats”). Their excess can lead to excess weight, problems with the cardiovascular system and other diseases.

The correct daily calorie intake is an important factor that helps our body to function properly and prevent problems with being overweight. Count calories, keep the balance of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and feel fresh and active every day!

Calories per day for weight loss: how to calculate

Reducing the number of calories you consume per day can be an effective way to lose weight. However, in this case, it is important to calculate very accurately how many of these same calories are needed to achieve the result. This figure depends on a large number of factors, including age, gender, activity level, and more. In this material, we will tell you exactly how many calories it is recommended to consume in order to lose weight or keep the weight at the same mark.

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To understand exactly how many calories you need to consume per day to start the process of losing weight, first you need to understand the base on which everything is based.

How many calories per day you need to eat on average

The number of calories you consume per day depends on your gender, age, height, current weight, level of physical activity, metabolism and a number of other important factors. When trying to lose weight, it’s important to create a calorie deficit by eating less than usual or exercising more. Many people choose to combine the two: reduce their daily calorie intake and exercise more.

However, in your desire to lose weight as soon as possible, it is important not to go too far. To do this, you need to make sure that you consume enough calories per day in the process of losing weight in order to provide your body with the necessary nutrients. For example, many trendy diets involve reducing calorie intake to 1000-1200 per day, which is clearly not enough for most healthy adults.

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Too much calorie reduction can not only lead to a number of side effects, but also lead to nutritional deficiencies in the body. All this can also come back to haunt with metabolic changes that will make it difficult to maintain weight in the long term.

We will tell you how many calories women, men and children should eat per day. These tips are based on the USDA’s 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

How many calories per day women should consume

As we said earlier, the number of calories per day for women depends on their age, height and level of physical activity. Most women over the age of 19up to 30 years of age, it takes 2000 to 2400 calories per day to maintain weight.

The 31 to 59 year old group of women generally require less energy. They are recommended to consume about 1800–2200 calories per day to maintain weight. Women over 60, on the other hand, have the lowest calorie needs: to keep their weight at one mark, they need from 1600 to 2000 thousand calories.

Keep in mind that the exact number of calories you need can be either in the upper or lower part of this range. You can even go beyond the established limits, depending on the individual level of activity, parameters and health status.

Also, these recommendations do not apply to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding because they require significantly more calories.

How many calories per day men should consume

As with women, men’s calorie needs can vary depending on many factors. According to the latest dietary guidelines for Americans, men between the ages of 19 and 30 should consume between 2,400 and 3,000 calories to stay in shape.

Energy requirements decrease with age, so those in the 31 to 59 age group need between 2,200 and 3,000 calories per day. Men over the age of 60 usually need 2000-2600 calories per day to maintain weight.

Those who exercise a lot or have certain health problems may need more calories. The number of calories in the suggested ranges also directly depends on the indicators of weight and height.

How many calories per day should children consume

The energy needs of toddlers and adolescents vary widely by age and gender. While a three-year-old child may only need about 1,200 calories a day, a teenager will already need about 3,000!

Generally, children do not need strict calorie counting. Reducing their intake in the case of children can provoke nutritional deficiencies in the body, which is fraught with growth retardation and the development of an eating disorder.

Instead of counting calories, parents are better off preparing nutritious meals for their children, allowing them less unhealthy snacks, and encouraging their regular physical activity.

What are calories

In simple terms, a calorie is a unit of energy. It is in calories that the amount of energy in all foods and drinks is usually measured. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns in a day. And vice versa – in an attempt to gain weight, you must consume more calories than you expend.

Keep in mind that although this concept seems very simple, diseases, hormonal changes, genetics and age can slow down the process of losing weight or gaining the necessary weight. Developing a healthy eating plan that will help you lose weight and keep it off in the long term takes a lot more effort than just cutting back on your daily calories.

How to reduce your calorie intake

Yes, reducing your daily calories can actually be effective when it comes to weight loss. However, in this case, it is simply impossible not to take into account exactly what foods you eat.

For example, nutrient-dense foods like whole grains, nuts, vegetables, and fruits are more beneficial to our bodies than nutrient-poor foods like donuts, candy, and soda.

It is recommended to change your lifestyle and diet in accordance with the rules that will help you not to feel constantly hungry and unhappy.

5 simple rules to help you lose weight

• Eat more protein

In the process of losing weight, it is very important to consume enough protein. Many studies show that increasing protein in the diet helps us feel full faster and curb our appetite.

In addition, many protein diets help maintain muscle mass. If you want to achieve sustainable weight loss, consider including eggs, meat, poultry, tofu, nuts, seeds, and legumes in your diet.

• Avoid sugary drinks

Another simple rule is to eliminate sugary drinks from your diet as much as possible. This is primarily about soda, fruit juices, chocolate milk and other sweet drinks.

Our brain perceives liquid and solid calories differently, so drinks fill us up differently than regular food. In addition, many studies have linked the consumption of sugary drinks to an increased risk of obesity. Added sugar to drinks can not only affect weight gain, but also provoke other health problems: the development of heart disease, liver disease and type 2 diabetes.

• Drink more water

One simple thing you can do for your body is to drink more water. Proper drinking regimen not only improves brain function and helps control weight, but also reduces the risk of kidney stones.

What’s more, drinking water right before a meal helps reduce hunger and calorie intake. Proper drinking regimen, combined with a healthy diet, is effective in the process of weight loss. Try replacing sugary drinks with coffee, tea, and sparkling water.

• Exercise

Calorie restriction can slow down our metabolism and increase our appetite. In addition, reducing your calorie intake too drastically can also lead to muscle loss, which can affect your overall health.

Strength training is known to prevent muscle loss, which means it will help minimize metabolic changes during long-term calorie restriction. If you can’t work out in the gym, think about what you could replace the exercises at home: push-ups and squats are great.

Equally important are cardio activities such as walking, running or swimming. They help not only to effectively reduce weight, but are also good for maintaining overall health.

In general, exercise not only helps you lose weight, but also increases life expectancy, increases energy, improves mental health, and reduces the risk of chronic diseases.

• Cut down on simple carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates, also known as refined carbohydrates, are those that digest quickly and have a high glycemic index. These mainly include white bread, white rice, pastries, pasta and sweets.

Processed grains do not contain fiber, which both promotes weight loss by reducing appetite, and also leads to a greater feeling of satiety. Reducing the amount of simple carbohydrates in the diet also contributes to weight loss by changing the level of a specific hormone, peptide YY, which regulates our appetite.

Yes, a low-carb diet isn’t for everyone, but replacing simple carbs with more nutrients and fiber will definitely benefit most of us. It is also better to remove fast food, ready-made snacks, sweets and sugary drinks from your diet in the process of losing weight. These foods not only cause sugar and insulin spikes, but also contain large amounts of preservatives, unhealthy fats and salt, which are of no benefit to our body.

A few simple weight loss tips

In addition to cutting calories, there are a few more tips to help you lose weight and keep it off.

• Practice Mindful Eating . It involves getting rid of distractions in the process of eating and paying closer attention to the texture, taste and smell of the food being consumed. This practice will help control food cravings and help you lose weight.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables . They are low in calories but high in fiber. Increasing the amount of these products in the diet will also contribute to the process of fighting extra pounds.
• Fill your fridge with healthy food . Sticking to proper nutrition is much more difficult if your kitchen is full of high-calorie foods with a lot of sugar. Get in the habit of stocking your fridge with healthy foods that you can use to prepare meals for your main meals and small snacks.
• Find a soul mate . Research shows that social support can also promote effective weight loss. Team up with a friend or family member who also wants to lose weight. You can also find a like-minded person on the online forum – it will be much more fun to lose kilograms together!
• Prepare food in advance. If you don’t have the opportunity to prepare healthy meals for yourself every day, set aside one or two days for this. So you will save a lot of time and be able to enjoy delicious homemade food all week long.

Cons of calorie counting

Calorie counting is effective for weight loss, but it can lead to a number of side effects. Be careful not to cut your calorie intake too drastically and strongly. Otherwise, it can cause dizziness, headaches, constant fatigue and nausea.

Eating too few calories will also help slow down your metabolism, making it difficult for you to maintain weight in the long run. Sustained weight loss takes time, so focus on small and gradual changes rather than a rapid weight loss strategy.

Finally, calorie counting is not an exact science. Some days our body needs more calories, others less. If you focus exclusively on numbers, you will only upset your nutrition system.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories should I eat for breakfast?

The number of calories you should eat for breakfast depends on many factors. This should take into account your daily needs, personal preferences and overall diet. And if some people think that consumption of one third or one fourth of the entire daily diet at breakfast is suitable for them, then this is not suitable for others. The second group may need to adjust their calorie intake based on their individual needs.

How many calories should I eat for lunch or dinner?

Everything here also depends on a number of factors. For example, some people like to have a big lunch and a very small dinner, while others prefer to distribute the amount of calories consumed more evenly. Everyone has different preferences and needs, so find what suits you.

How many calories do you need to eat to lose weight?

To maintain sustainable weight loss, it is enough to reduce the consumption of highly processed foods. These include sugary drinks, fast food, and high-calorie snacks. Also try to increase your physical activity.

In any case, it is always better to consult a nutritionist with a nutritionist: he will help determine your individual need for calories and tell you how much to consume in the process of losing weight.

How many calories do you need to eat to gain weight?

To gain weight, you must consume more calories than you burn in a day. Try to eat more high-calorie and nutrient-dense foods: nut butters, high-fat yogurts, and oily fish.

How many calories do you need to eat to gain muscle mass?

Gaining muscle mass usually requires a lot of calories, which means you also have to consume more per day than you burn.