After the Christmas holidays, at the end of a pregnancy or as a result of a sedentary lifestyle, somehow the extra pounds accumulate, and you have to change something to lose them. Determining how many calories you should consume each day and taking note of your calorie intake throughout the day is an effective way to try to lose weight. Counting calories is not a diet, but it helps you to eat only the right number of calories for your weight, height and level of physical activity.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Determine Your Basal Metabolism and Your Daily Calorie Intake
Step 1. Consult a doctor before starting a weight loss or training plan
It is not worth putting your health at risk with an extreme diet. For most people, it is appropriate to try to lose no more than 0.5-1 kg per week.
Step 2. Use free online calculators to determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR) to take the mystery out of weight loss
Basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories our body burns when we are at rest.
The Mayo Clinic and many other health websites offer calorie calculators that determine how many calories you should eat each day to maintain your current weight. Enter variables such as weight, height, age, gender and physical activity level, and the calculator will determine the appropriate number of calories for you
Step 3. If you don't want to use an online calculator, do the calculation yourself
Here's how to calculate your BMR. There are different formulas for men and women.
- For women:
- For the men:
- You will get a number. What does this number mean? It will be the number of calories you would burn by staying in bed all day and doing absolutely nothing.
655 + (4.3 x Weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)
655 + (6.3 x Weight in pounds) + (12.9 x height in inches) - (5.8 x age in years)
Step 4. Multiply your BMR by a factor proportional to your exercise level
You will need to do this to get the amount of calories you can consume each day to maintain your weight. Take your BMR, multiply it by the correct number below, and add it to your BMR. This number is called your recommended daily calorie intake.
- If you are not doing activity, multiply your BMR by 0, 2.
- For low or mild activity, multiply your BMR by 0.3.
- For moderate activity, multiply your BMR by 0.4.
- For strenuous activity, multiply your BMR by 0.5.
- For very intense activity, multiply your BMR by 0.6.
Step 5. Understand how weight gain and loss work
Any calories you ingest in excess of your recommended daily calorie intake will increase your weight, while if you ingest less, you will lose weight. Half a kilo is worth about 3500 calories. Therefore, if you ingest 3500 calories more than you burn, you will gain half a kilo; if you burn 3,500 calories of those ingested, you will lose half a kilo.
For example, suppose your BMR is 1790. Let's also assume that you are in moderate activity, ie three workouts per week. 1,790 x.40 = 716. Add 716 to 1,790 to get 2,506. This is the number of calories you don't have to exceed to lose weight. Any excess calories ingested will make you gain weight
Step 6. End each day with a 500 calorie deficit to lose 0.5 pounds per week
Knowing how many calories to eat each day will make it easier for you to choose what to eat.
If your suggested calorie amount is around 2500, aim for 2000. It will help you achieve your desired goal
Method 2 of 2: Learn to Count Calories
Step 1. Plan meals that have the right number of calories
Life is intense; it's easy to eat what we find in the house or drive to the nearest fast food restaurant and order something we like. Instead, resist the temptation to eat junk foods, and plan what you will eat each day. In order not to be mistaken, buy the necessary provisions for a few days every time you go shopping.
It will be more difficult at first, because you will not have the experience to estimate the calorie content of foods. After a few weeks of paying attention, you should have learned how to quickly estimate the calorie content of certain foods
Step 2. Choose healthy foods
Healthy foods may not taste great, but they are often low in calories, so you can eat more. Conversely, unhealthy foods often have more calories; a large Coke at McDonald's has over 300 calories, about the same as a cheeseburger. That's a lot of calories for a drink. When choosing foods, you generally prefer:
- Lean and white proteins (chicken breasts, fish and tofu) instead of darker and fatty meats.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables instead of dried fruits and vegetables.
- Whole grains (brown rice, wholemeal bread) instead of processed cereals (white rice, white bread).
- Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats instead of trans and saturated fats.
- Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in flaxseed, cod liver oil, and salmon.
- Nuts, seeds and grains instead of sweets and candies.
Step 3. Drink lots of water
Water is essential for the health of your body's organs. Above all, the water has no calories. It's like you're stealing calories every time you drink. (Your body uses calories to digest food and water). If you really want to lose weight, drink water and stay away from all sugary drinks. You can replace it with unsweetened green tea if you want.
Step 4. Check the calorie content of each food before buying it
Whether it's bread, snacks or frozen foods, check the number of calories per serving and choose the one that contains the least.
- If you are young, go with your parents when they shop. It will be an experience that will bond you, and you will be able to choose for yourself nutritious and healthy foods, with nutritional information that you can understand.
- Pay attention to the portions. If the nutrition information states that a pack contains four servings, divide the entire contents of the pack into four parts. Each part will be a portion.
Step 5. Check the calories on the nutritional websites
Not all foods have packaging that lists the number of calories, but there are many websites that will tell you the calories of almost any food. Make sure that after checking the calories of 100g of fish, for example, you only eat that amount and no more.
Step 6. Obtain measured spoons and containers to respect the correct portion size
This way, you will know exactly the quantities of food you are consuming.
Step 7. Write down everything you eat and drink, and record the number of calories for each food
You can use a spreadsheet program on your computer to make it easier for you. Write down what you eat (even on a slip of paper), and enter the information in your spreadsheet at the end of the day. Then, add up the calories. Not only will writing what you eat will help you stay motivated and not overdo it, but it will also help you learn the calories of the foods you eat most frequently.
One of the good things about keeping a food diary is that you can mark when you've found a healthy dish that you really enjoyed. If you write this in your diary, you will be less likely to forget that grilled asparagus with quinoa is very good
Step 8. Remember that it will always be easier
In the beginning, when you don't know the calories of any food, counting calories will take a lot of time and effort, and can be frustrating. But when you learn that an apple contains 70 calories and your favorite cereal bar contains 90, it will all be easier.
Step 9. Buy a mechanical counter
You can find them in various ebay-like sites at very low prices. Their function is to count and register progressively every time you eat something. For convenience, you can press the button every 10 calories assimilated.
Alternatively, many smartphones offer applications that will record calories for you, as well as calculate how many calories you should consume if you want to lose weight
Step 10. Be patient
Don't think you can lose weight overnight. Too often, people with the best of intentions get discouraged before getting results. If they kept going for a while longer, they would start reaping the rewards. So stick to your schedule, believe in its effectiveness, and be patient. You owe it to yourself.
Advice
- Find low calorie recipes on the net and search for nutritional information on the dishes offered by your favorite restaurant, so you know what to order.
- If you are making a recipe that you don't know the calorie content, try to calculate it from the sum of the ingredients used.
Warnings
- When comparing the calories on the labels of two packages, make sure the portions are the same.
- Don't underestimate the calories in drinks. Drink zero-calorie water or beverages to avoid wasting valuable calories on foods that won't make you feel full.
