If you struggle with being overweight and constantly look for ways to shed those extra pounds then you ask yourself a lot of times how to count calories to lose weight?
If you do, you are certainly familiar with the approach called “Calories in, calories out”.
Basically, this approach means that you will maintain your ideal weight if you burn all the calories you intake per day.
Furthermore, that means that you will gain weight if you intake more calories than you burn and vice versa, which is the most important thing for our story today –that you will lose weight if you create calorie deficit – intake fewer calories that your body requires for your daily activities and BMR (basal metabolic rate) and burn some calories to create deficit. (1)
To find out what BMR is and how to calculate your daily calories requirements continue reading this text.
I will try to give answers to all your questions.
This counting calories guide will help you to understand better this common weight loss method.
You will find many people against this kind of losing weight who will tell you that simple maths is not enough to lose weight and live a healthier life.
But, they are not right.
Many studies show that counting calories can play a significant role in the weight loss process.
Nevertheless, you can’t rely only on this principle.
Weight loss is a complex process and counting calories without changing your lifestyle, exercising and eating balanced and varied food will lead you nowhere.
But, it is a very good start and it will help you in your weight loss battle which you will win, for sure.
So, grab your calculator and let’s get started with some adding and subtracting
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What are calories?
A calorie is a unit of energy and it represents the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius.
Basically, a calorie is an energy that we get from food.
Calories that you intake with food come from carbs, proteins, and fats.
Protein has 4.1 calories per gram.
Carbohydrates have 4.3 calories per gram.
Fat has 9 calories per gram.
Every nutrient has a different role in your body, but what’s important when it comes to weight loss and weight gain is the total intake of calories. (1)
So, how to count macros for weight loss?
In order to lose weight, you need to intake fewer calories than your body needs – that way, you encourage your body to burn fat for energy.
If you reduce the intake of calories for 3500 per week or 500 per day, you can lose about a pound of fats per week.
For example, if you need 2000 calories a day to maintain your current body weight, you need to reduce the intake of calories to 1500 so that you lose weight.
Macronutrients and Weight Loss:
Carbs and Weight Loss
Whenever you read something about weight loss, you will notice that carbs are on the forbidden list.
But, they play a big part of the total intake of calories – 45 to 65 % of calories in your diet comes from carbohydrates.
However, not all carbs are a good choice if you are on a special diet to cut down some weight.
You will be more successful in losing weight and maintaining your body weight if you eat healthy, unprocessed carbohydrates like wholegrain cereals, fruit, and vegetables.
Avoid processed carbs such as white bread, pasta, sweets, and soda.
Studies show that gaining weight is connected to the intake of unhealthy carbs.
In a diet with 1500 calories, 675 to 975 should come from carbs, which is 170 to 245 g a day.
This range of calories allows you to find a healthy diet for your own taste.
Proteins and Weight Loss
Many popular diets encourage you to eat fewer proteins in order to lose weight.
However, one study showed that people on diets who intake a high amount of proteins and fats and low amount of carbs lose more weight than those on diets with low intake of fats.
Bear in mind that long-term effects of diets with a low amount of carbs aren’t investigated so it’s not sure whether to start such a diet.
Many diet guides recommend in taking 10 to 35 calories from proteins to stay healthy.
When you have a diet with 1500 calories, 150 to 525 calories should come from proteins.
That is 38 to 131 proteins a day.
But it’s better to stick with the higher number since many women need at least 46 g of proteins daily, even when they have diets with fewer calories.
Also, you need to consider ingredients that are high in proteins and are good for weight loss, but also have good quality.
You need to intake proteins from healthy sources like:
lean meat,poultry,fish,eggs,beans,soy,low-fat dairy products.
Fats and Weight Loss
When it comes to weight loss, the same thing happens with fats as with carbs.
They are cut out of every list.
And this is not right.
A partial explanation is that fats are a concentrated source of calories.
But, fats are an important part of your diet.
As with these other two macronutrients, diet guides offer a range of calories that should come from fats: 20 to 35 percent.
That is or 300 to 525 calories for a diet with 1500 calories, to stay healthy.
That’s 33 to 58 g of fat a day.
The fats you intake when you are on a diet should come from healthy sources like avocado and nuts.
Popular Keto diet is based on an increased intake of fats and decreased intake of carbs.
Nevertheless, consult your doctor or nutritionist if you need help to determine what diet regime is appropriate for your lifestyle.
So, what’s the bottom line?
You always hear how you need to intake fewer calories than you need.
But the most important thing is what kind of calories you intake.
So, put the nutritional value first when you choose your 1500 calories for that day.
Carbs, proteins, and fats are absolutely necessary for every diet.
Eat diverse food and apply rules such as using a smaller plate to fool your brain and think you eat more food than when you use a bigger plate.
Eat high-fiber foods, fruits, zero calorie foods, nuts, vegetables.
The key to weight loss and maintaining your ideal weight is finding the right type of diet that you can use for your entire life, no matter if it’s based on carbs, fats, or proteins.
