Counting calories and limiting your intake can be effective to prevent weight gain or lose weight, as long as you manage to stick to the plan.

To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. In theory, this sounds simple but managing your food intake in the modern food environment can be tricky. Calorie counting is one way to tackle this problem and it’s commonly used for weight loss.

 

What are calories?

Calories are a measure of energy, normally used to measure the energy content of foods and beverages. Technically speaking, a dietary calorie is defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius. You use the calories that you eat and drink for essential functions such as breathing and thinking, as well as day-to-day activities such as walking, talking and eating. Any excess calories you eat will be stored as fat, and consistently eating more than you burn will cause weight gain over time.

Why calories count?

It’s quite common to hear that calories don’t matter and calorie counting is a waste of time. However, when it comes to your weight, calories do count. Counting calories and limiting your intake can be effective to prevent weight gain or lose weight, as long as you manage to stick the plan.

How many calories should you eat?

The amount of calories you need depends on factors like gender, age, weight and activity level. For example, a 25-year old male athlete will need more calories than a 60-year old man who doesn't exercise. If you are trying to lose weight, you will need to create a calorie deficit by eating less than your body burns off. You could figure out your calories by trial and error or you could use apps such as “My Fitness Pal” which not only has a calorie calculator but also has a comprehensive list of foods and their calories. It’s a pretty useful app if your goal is to get fit.

How to weigh and measure your portions?

Calorie counting can help you combat overeating by giving you a better understanding of how much you are really consuming. However, for it to work, you need to record food portions correctly. Here are a few common ways to measure portion sizes:

• Scales: The most accurate way to determine how much you're eating is to weigh your food. However, this can be time-consuming and isn't always practical.

• Measuring cups: Standard volume measures are slightly quicker and easier to use than a scale, but can still be time-consuming and awkward at times.

• Comparisons: Using comparisons to common items is quick and easy, especially if you're away from home. However, it's much less accurate.

Calorie counting isn't an exact science, even when you weigh and measure portions. However, it's not necessary to be absolutely spot-on with your measurements. Just make sure to record your intake as accurately as you can. To improve your estimations, you can try using scales in the beginning to give you a better idea of what a portion looks like. This should help you be more accurate, even after you stop using them.

The quality of your diet still matters

Calories are useful for tracking how much you eat, but they don't tell you much about the quality of your diet. When it comes to foods and the human body, the benefits of not all calories are the same. For example, 100 calories of broccoli will affect your health differently than 100 calories of french fries. This is important because your overall diet and the types of foods you eat have an effect on your health. Additionally, the effects of different foods on hunger, appetite hormones and the amount of calories you burn can vary considerably. It is best to base your diet on high-quality foods from plants or animals that have been minimally processed. Highquality foods not only provide health benefits, but they also make it a lot easier to consume fewer calories in the long run.