Calories are the energy in food. Your body has a constant demand for energy and uses the calories from food to keep functioning. Energy from calories fuels your every action, from fidgeting to marathon running. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are the types of nutrients that contain calories and are the main energy sources for your body. Regardless of where they come from, the calories you eat are either converted to physical energy or stored within your body as fat. These stored calories will remain in your body as fat unless you use them up, either by reducing calorie intake so that your body must draw on reserves for energy, or by increasing physical activity so that you burn more calories.
Your weight is a balancing act, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. And if you eat fewer calories and burn more calories through physical activity, you lose weight. In general, if you cut to 1, calories a day from your typical diet, you'll lose about 1 pound 0. It sounds simple. However, it's more complex because when you lose weight, you usually lose a combination of fat, lean tissue and water.
Also, because of changes that occur in the body as a result of weight loss, you may need to decrease calories further to continue weight loss. Cutting calories requires change but doesn't have to be difficult.
These changes can have a big impact on the number of calories you consume:. Skipping one or two high-calorie items is a good place to start when cutting calories. For example, you could skip your morning latte, soda at lunch or that bowl of ice cream you always have after dinner. Think about what you eat and drink each day and identify items you could cut out.
If you think that skipping your indulgence will leave you with a craving, try a low-calorie substitution. Simple substitutions can make a big difference when it comes to cutting calories. For example, you can save about 60 calories a glass by drinking fat-free milk instead of whole milk.
Instead of having a second slice of pizza, reach for some fresh fruit. Snack on air-popped popcorn instead of chips. The sizes of your portions affect how many calories you're getting. Twice the amount of food means twice the number of calories.
It's common to underestimate how much you're eating, especially if you're dining out. Controlling your portions is a good way to control calories. Replacing high-calorie foods with lower calorie alternatives and reducing your portion sizes can help you cut calories and improve weight control. For a successful — and sustainable — weight management plan, you also need to increase your physical activity.
Combining regular activity and healthy eating will best help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Developing a healthy diet and lifestyle plan that will help you lose weight and keep it off in the long term requires much more than determining your current calorie needs and then eating fewer calories on a daily basis 9. Although decreasing the number of calories you consume can be effective for weight loss, cutting calories without considering which foods you eat is not a sustainable way to lose weight.
For example, choosing more nutrient-dense foods — think whole grains, nuts, vegetables, and fruits — will benefit your health more than opting for nutrient-poor ones like soda, donuts, and candy. 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 , Protein may also help fight cravings. According to some research, high protein snacks can help enhance feelings of fullness while also decreasing hunger and appetite Plus, in addition to promoting weight loss, some research suggests that maintaining a high protein eating pattern could help prevent or reduce weight regain and help maintain muscle mass 13 , Therefore, if you want to achieve long-lasting, sustainable weight loss, consider increasing your protein intake by adding foods like eggs, meat, poultry, tofu, nuts, seeds, or legumes to your diet.
Increasing your protein intake can help you stay satisfied and consume fewer calories. This may help you lose weight and keep it off. Another relatively easy change you can make is to limit your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas, fruit juices , chocolate milk, and other beverages with added sugar.
Additionally, studies suggest that consuming sugary drinks is associated with an increased risk of obesity 16 , The harmful effects of sugar also go far beyond weight gain. In fact, added sugar can contribute to other health issues, including heart disease, liver problems, and type 2 diabetes Sugar-sweetened beverages are high in calories and added sugar. Additionally, they affect your hunger and satiety less significantly than solid foods and have been linked to a higher risk of obesity.
One simple thing you can do for your health is drink more water. Adequate hydration is associated with improved brain health and weight management, as well as a reduced kidney stone risk When combined with a healthy diet, drinking more water, especially before meals, appears to be helpful if you need to lose weight.
Try other unsweetened beverages like coffee, tea, and sparkling water to meet your hydration needs. Some studies have shown that drinking water may improve your health and help you eat fewer calories by increasing your feelings of fullness.
When you eat fewer calories, your body compensates by saving energy, making you burn fewer calories. As such, long-term calorie restriction can significantly slow your metabolism and lead to a loss of muscle over time.
Resistance-training activities like weightlifting have been shown to prevent muscle loss and stop your metabolism from slowing during long-term calorie restriction Cardio exercises, such as walking, swimming, or jogging, can also be important — both for increasing weight loss and supporting overall health 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 , Resistance training can help prevent muscle loss and keep your metabolism from slowing when cutting calories.
Cardio exercises can also help support other aspects of health. 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 To gain weight, you need to eat more calories than your body uses each day. For more information, see How can I gain weight safely? Page last reviewed: 24 October Next review due: 24 October Home Common health questions Food and diet Back to Food and diet.
What should my daily intake of calories be? What are calories? The amount of energy you need will depend on: your age — for example, growing children and teenagers may need more energy your lifestyle — for example, how active you are your size — your height and weight can affect how quickly you use energy Other factors can also affect how much energy you burn.
For example: some hormones chemicals produced by the body — such as thyroid hormones some medicines — such as glucocorticoids, a type of steroid used to treat inflammation being unwell Calories and kilocalories The term calorie is commonly used as shorthand for kilocalorie.
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