What is a calorie and how to calculate it

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What does calories mean?

It seems as if the term calories intake in weight loss has become one of the most popular online search queries for those who wish to lead a healthier lifestyle. So, what is a calorie used for? A calorie is instead used to describe the amount of energy burned with exercise.

Marc David from the Institute for the Psychology of Eating explains that “a calorie is the measure of heat released when you burn something”. Thus, the caloric value of anything that can be burned can be measured. That means books, bicycles and breakfast toast all have caloric value.

Difference between calories and macros

Another point of contention involves the differences between a calorie and a macros. Macros is an abbreviation for macronutrient (proteins, carbohydrates and fats). These are the three primary substances which your body requires for energy. A calorie is the result of how much energy is released. This is when the notion of a calorie deficit meal plan comes into play.

Daily calorie intake calculator

How to go on a calorie deficit?

What is a calorie deficit? This situation occurs when you are expending (burning) more calories than you are consuming at any given time. We can now see why the phrase “calories intake in weight loss” is so relevant to the types of foods that you choose to eat. If your body is not able to use macronutrients as a source of energy, it will turn to existing fat stores. Thus, you will enter into a caloric deficit. Some feel that the best way to burn calories is to leverage this unique metabolic scenario.

Calculate My Calorie Deficit

The good news is that accessing a free online metabolic calorie calculator will take only seconds. You will first need to provide basic information such as your age, gender, height, weight and level of physical activity. You will then be provided with a recommended daily caloric intake as well as how long it is likely to take to reach your goals.

Of course, this is only one facet of the larger equation. Note that a daily calorie intake calculator is meant to provide a rough estimate as opposed to precise results.

Diet

Diet plays a crucial role; particularly when referring to resting metabolic rate calories (the number of calories you burn when not performing any type of strenuous activity). This is why consuming healthy foods is a crucial recommendation.

Low Calorie Food Ideas

Here are some low calorie food ideas which are both tasty and healthy:

  • A bowl of fresh fruits and/or vegetables.
  • All-natural sugar-free smoothies.
  • Salmon with green beans.
    Sweet potatoes with chicken breast.
  • Steamed broccoli, rice, and beans.
  • Pork loin with balsamic lentils.
Calorie deficit meal plan

High Calorie Dense Food

What about high calorie dense foods? These can either be used to gain weight or to reduce cravings when consumed in small portions. Here are a handful of tasty examples:

  • Red meats
  • Chicken with skin
  • Potatoes
  • Whole-grain pasta
  • Brown rice
  • Milk, eggs and cheese

All of these represent viable sources of protein, carbohydrates and moderate amounts of fat.

How many calories does your body burn a day?

The unspoken flaw in any weight loss system that’s based on calorie counting is the assumption that all people burn calories at an equal rate. Or even that one person always burns calories at a consistent rate. The fact is, there are lots of variables that affect how calories are burned.

Therefore, the answer to this question depends on age, genetics and daily activities, among other aspects. But, if you want an approximate figure, we can say that men tend to burn between 2,000 and 3,000 calories a day while women burn between 1,600 and 2,400.

Let us then look in detail at the factors that affect calorie burning.

Resting Metabolic Rate

Every person has a resting metabolic rate, the rate at which he or she burns calories when the body is at rest. But the rate at which a person burns calories changes throughout the day. Once again, numerous variables will need to be taken into account in order to determine an exact number.
Best way to burn calories

Burn Calories With Exercise

Exercise is one of the best ways to burn calories and therefore, to lose weight over time. Rigorous physical activity can also help to lower your body mass index (BMI); a key indicator of your muscle-to-fat ratio.

Habits And Genetics

The time of day that calories are consumed can impact metabolic rate. Also, the relative balance among macronutrients (protein, fat and carbohydrates) impacts calorie burning rate. Other variables include hormonal balance, general health, environmental toxins, stress and prescription drug use.

All these things impact metabolism, which is the rate at which a body burns calories. Some people’s bodies are simply more efficient at burning calories than others. That’s why obsessing about calories is counterproductive. As Marc David explains, “When you let go of the stress and fear around calories, your metabolism starts to reach its natural place.”

Calorie intake to lose weight

Reduce your calorie intake to lose weight with spatz

We can now understand the relationship between calories and weight loss. Too many will increase your body mass while too few will place your body into a caloric deficit. Thankfully, the Spatz3 adjustable gastric balloon will help to restrict the amount of food consumed at any given time. When combined with exercise and a healthy diet, the calories intake in weight loss solution will be much easier to solve.

As always, the nutritional support you receive when you are working with the Spatz3 will help you make healthy choices without obsessing about calories.

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