Calories are equal to weight gain. When you eat too much of what your daily intake should be, you will gain weight. That is the law of nature. So, when you want to lose weight, you have to portion your calorie intake. Correct calorie counting, therefore, is an important step in reaching your weight loss goals. If you successfully count your calories, you will have a better chance of losing the weight you’ve gained because of too much calorie consumption.
But before you can begin learning how to count your calories, you need to know how much you need in a day. Most women will need to take 1,200 calories a day, no more and no less. Men, on the other hand, will need about 1,800 calories. The number of calories you need will depend on several factors, including your age, height, and lifestyle. However, you cannot go below the 1,200-calorie-a-day count because that is unhealthy already.
Experts recommend a weight loss of 0.5 to two pounds per week. If you go too fast, you will make it difficult to keep the weight off in the long run. You will also be prone to binge-eating. There are a lot of online tools to calculate your needed calorie intake. Check out how many calories you need to intake each day to start your weight loss journey.
Use Tools, Supplements to Your Advantage
Don’t rely on your memory alone when fulfilling your food journal. There are calorie counters that you can download. You will input the food and proportions you are planning to eat before the meal. This way, the tool will give you an idea if you are going way above your daily calorie intake.
If you do not have the time to prepare healthy meals yourself, there are always weight-loss supplement drinks designed to have all the protein, vitamins, and minerals your body needs for one meal. One glass of these supplements will power you enough for a few hours. However, you still need to eat a healthy and balanced diet with fruits and vegetables as your mains.
Measure Portions Accurately
Again, you cannot measure your meal portions by yourself. You need to use measuring cups, spoons, and even a digital kitchen scale to accurately portion your food. Portioning your food is the best way to lose weight. You will reduce the amount of food you eat when you realize that a portion of ½ cup of pasta is all you need for one meal.
When you are simply eyeballing it, you will lose track of how much you are eating. Be conscious about your meals. For example, people pour more cereals into their bowls than they should when they don’t measure it. This means that they will consume more than they should.
Learn to Read the Nutritional Label
Every food you eat has a nutritional label, so learn how to follow the guide. The label will indicate how many calories are there in one serving. The serving size does not mean the whole pack of chips. It is computed based on grams. That’s why you need a kitchen scale, or at the very least, you need an idea of how many pieces of chips are in 50 grams.
For meals that you cook, you can check the internet for a way to measure the calorie. You need a measuring cup since, for example, one serving of rice or pasta is equal to ½ cup while one serving of meat is equal to three ounces. High-fat and high-sugar foods such as ice cream, donuts, and pizza may seem harmless. However, three spoonfuls of ice cream may be equal to one meal already.
Exercise Regularly
Experts say that weight loss is 80% to 90% diet and only about 10% exercise. That might put off some people who regularly go to the gym to exercise. Physical activities are still an important component of your weight loss journey. They will also burn calories from the excess food that you eat. If you think you ate more than your 1,200-calorie-a-day requirement, a 30-minute run on a treadmill will burn those calories away.
While you are busy counting the calories in your diet, you might forget that the quality of that diet is still important. You still need your daily intake of fruits, vegetables, and meat. Remember that 100 calories of spinach will affect your health differently than 100 calories of French fries. So, be wise not only about how many calories you eat but what food you eat.
