Calories are essentially energy in our bodies that are expended and consumed at different rates. We get calories from foods and our daily diet. The amount of calories we need depends greatly on our activity levels and how much we weigh. So how do you know how many calories you need in your daily diet?
Although there is not necessarily a magic number when it comes to the correct amount of calories, there are some basic guidelines you can use to help determine your individual needs:
• Your calorie consumption and your calorie expenditure should be equal if you want to maintain your weight, and if you are trying to lose weigh, your calorie intake should be less than the amount you burn off.
• Resting metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calorie at rest. For most adults of average activity level and size this equates to around 1200-1400. This is the basic minimum amount of calories every day that your body needs to maintain and function properly.
• Depending on your activity level, your calorie intake should be around 2000 for women and 2700 for men. If you are an endurance athlete or have a very strenuous job, your requirements could be a little bit higher. If you are not very active or are more sedentary than your calorie intake should be decreased.
• Approximately 50-60 percent of your daily calorie intake should come from carbohydrates, 30 percent from protein and 10-20 percent from fats.
It is important to remember that in order to maintain your weight or lose weight, you need to burn off as many or more calories than you consume. There is approximately 3500 calories in a pound, so in order to lose a pound of weight a week; you need to have a calorie loss of 3500 calories a week. This can be a combination of less calories taken in and increase in exercise.
