There are so many complicated definitions of just what a calorie is that it is not surprising how confusing it can be to actually understand it. The most easily understood definition seems to be that it is the measurement of the potential of different foods to supply needed energy to the body. This means, simply, that nearly all food has the potential to supply much needed fuel or energy to the body. However, some of these foods only provide “empty” or “bad” calories. When you are on a diet, it is important to understand which foods provide the “good” calories so that you can be sure to stay away from the “bad” ones.
You need the right amount of calories for a healthy, well balanced diet.
First of all, it is important to understand that your body needs a certain amount of calories to make it work. Compare calories to gasoline that you put in your car to make it run. You can think of a calorie to a gallon of gasoline. Just as your car needs fuel to operate properly, you need the right amount of calories in your diet to make YOU function properly.
Typically, the adult body needs at least 1,000 to 1,400 calories per day to properly fuel the main organs such as the heart, brain, and lungs. Your resting metabolic rate, or RMR, is the minimum amount of calories that you need. This number varies widely taking into consideration such things as your age, weight, sex, and muscle mass. You cannot function through each day actively unless you have more energy than what your RMR requires. The general average of how many extra calories you need each day on your diet is typically 400 to 600. However, only a registered nutritionist will be able to tell you exactly what your specific needs are.
When you look at how a calorie will affect your body, it is important to understand that if you are taking in more than your body needs every day, eventually, you WILL gain weight. Keep in mind that if you consume an extra 3,500 calories, you will gain 1 pound of fat. That does not mean that you must stay on a diet all the time. You can treat yourself periodically, just not every day.
Most people start paying close attention to calories when they want to lose weight as it is typically harder for most people to lose weight than to gain it. Everyone knows that if you want to lose weight, you need to use or burn more calories than you are taking in. For example, if you are eating 2,000 calories each day to maintain your weight, burning 250 calories per day should net you a weight loss of a ½ pound per week. Now, if you go further and cut out an additional 250 calories a day, that would give you 500 calories less everyday and your weekly weight loss would be 1 pound.
By using this formula, you can fill in any calorie amount for your diet. Now that you understand how it all works, you will be able to get serious about losing the weight you need safely.
