Calorie is the unit of measurement that tells us how much energy our body derives from a particular food item. The food and drink we consume in our daily diet provides the energy and nutrients we need to stay healthy and energetic. Our personal calorie needs vary according to our weight, age, gender and activity level, but "on average" women need about 2000 calories a day to maintain their energy balance and keep their weight stable. Men need about 2500 a day. The energy content of stored body fat is about 3500 calories, so a 500 calorie deficit is needed each day in order to lose one pound. The safest way to create an energy deficit is by reducing calorie intake and at the same time increasing energy expenditure.
Calories you Need
Your calorie needs depends on a lot of factors like your age, gender, size, height, weight,
activity level and also the climate and environment you live in. The lower body size and the warm
climate in tropical countries make the calorie requirements of people living there less than those corresponding
age groups living in temperate climates. Likewise, Calorie needs will hit the highest point during your
mid - twenties, so at 25, you need 2300 calories/day. And then decline at about 2% per decade, by 35 you may need only
2254 calories. This reduction in calorie needs is due partly to an increase in body fat percentage that comes with age.
The gender factor also have its influence on calorie needs. Men because of their higher percentage of lean muscle tissue,
need 5-10% more calories than women. But women during pregnancy and lactation will need 300- 500 calories more per day
than their usual needs.
Counting Calories
To lose weight by counting calories you need to first work out how many calories
you need each day to maintain your weight. For women, this average is around 2000, for men around 2500,
this will vary depending on your build – such as muscle content and height. To lose weight your calorie
count needs to be less than the calories you burn. If you eat 500 calories less than you need each day you'll
lose weight at the rate of one pound (453.6g) a week. If you eat 1,000 calories less than you need each day
you'll lose two pounds (907.2g) each week. By eating fewer calories, your body will have
to turn to its fat stores to make up the deficit in your calorie count. It is recommended that
you combine exercise, to burn more calories, with healthy eating to create a calorie deficit.
CALORIE DEFICIT
The most effective way to create the necessary calorie deficit to lose weight is to
choose lower calorie foods and take regular calorie-burning exercise. Good low calorie food
includes fiber-rich foods your stomach. The best type of exercise to burn energy is
aerobic exercise, although strength training is also useful to increase muscle mass thus raising your metabolism.