Simple Calorie Counting for Long-Term Weight Loss
With the plethora of calorie counting applications now available for your smart phone, ipad, laptop etc etc, it’s easy to become obsessed with documenting every little morsel that passes your lips.
There’s really no need.
Calorie counting to aid weight loss and maintain your weight can be done quickly and easily using the best tool around – your brain!
Once you begin to know the calorie value of certain foods (for example, two slices of wholegrain bread is around 200 calories), you will be able to plan ahead and know approximately how many calories per meal you can consume.
Calories (or their proper name, kilocalories) are best thought of a potential energy for the body.
It is found in everything we eat, from a carrot to a piece of chocolate cake (unfortunately!)
Depending on how much protein, carbohydrates, sugar, fat, water etc is in a piece of food controls how many calories it will have.
For example, one apple has around 100 calories, while two glasses of wine has around 300 calories, and, a 2.8oz (80g) Snickers chocolate bar has almost 400 calories – almost A� of your total calories for the day!
Basically, the more calories you eat each day the more you need to exercise and move to burn them off. By eating the recommended amount of calories that’s right for your body each day and combining this eating plan with
regular exercise means you’ll maintain a healthy body weight.
It’s really as simple as that.
By eating fewer calories you will lose weight.
Simple.
However, eating fewer calories doesn’t mean your food has to be boring or tasteless. There are always low-fat alternatives for your favourite meals (yes, this includes pizza and fish and chips!)
Depending on your age, sex, weight, lifestyle etc determines how many calories a day you should be consuming.
This table outlines the right amount of calories depending on a person’s weight:
It depends on your age, sex, weight and if you exercise regularly or not. This table outlines the average number of calories that different groups of people should eat each day:
Weight – Female – Male
50kg / 100 lbs – 1,680 calories – 1,830 calories
60kg / 132 lbs – 1,800 calories – 2,000 calories
70kg / 154 lbs – 1,920 calories – 2,170 calories
80kg / 176 lbs – 2,040 calories – 2,350 calories
90kg / 198 lbs – 2,155 calories – 2,520 calories
100kg / 220 lbs – 2,270 calories – 2,690 calories
By eating well and exercising 4-5 times a week you will be slim, happy and full of energy.
Just imagine for a minute, how different would your life be if you could lose weight? You would sleep better than ever before, be able to keep up with your children and grandchildren, enjoy getting outside into the fresh air more regularly and having the energy to feel well day in, day out. Wouldn’t that be nice?
So what are you waiting for? With just a few simple changes to your diet and easy calorie counting, you’ll be feeling fit and fine in no time. Your new body and positive mindset are just around the corner.
