How many kcal do you need? How many calories to consume per day to lose weight. How to count calories to lose weight. Daily calorie intake for men

0 21020 2 years ago

For a beautiful and toned figure, enhanced and regular physical activity not enough. A balanced diet is also necessary, based not only on healthy products, but also on calorie counting. The latter depends on many parameters, including age, height, weight and other indicators. Find information about staying healthy and correct selection diet can be found at https://specialfood.ru/.

How many calories do you need to lose weight?

The answer to the question of how many calories do you need to lose weight is simple: to lose weight, you need to ensure a deficit in daily calorie intake. Those. you need to spend more than you consume. Here's how to achieve this: eating less or exercising more is up to everyone. Many people get so carried away that they reduce their calorie intake by an unacceptable amount, which can negatively affect their health. The daily reduction in calorie intake should be no more than 20% - this is the norm for safe weight loss.

You can find out the number of calories needed for weight loss as follows:

determine how many kcal you can eat per day (using online calculator a or the formulas described below);
We calculate the required daily caloric deficit, i.e. the number of kcal by which you need to eat less to lose weight.

The average daily intake for women is 2000-2500 kcal, for men – 2400-2900 kcal. To lose weight, you need to ensure that your daily calorie intake is no higher than these values, but not lower than 1500 kcal. Otherwise, you can deal with all sorts of diseases. There is no need to take these indicators as a standard: you need to take into account the individual characteristics of a person, including metabolic rate, level of physical activity, etc.

The required number of calories for a woman to lose weight

A woman needs fewer calories to function normally than a man. This is explained both by differences in the physiological processes occurring in the body and by various physical activities. Average daily requirement in calories is 2200 kcal. For example, a young girl needs to consume more calories than an older woman. With age, metabolism slows down, so the body does not need large quantity energy.

Every hour the human body uses one kcal. Accordingly, the permissible norm will be equal to the product of body weight by 24 hours. For example, a woman with a height of 165 cm and a weight of 80 kg needs to consume no more than 1920 kcal daily (80 kg x 24 hours = 1920). This is the only way she can lose weight.

Weight is not the main indicator for calculating calorie intake. Lifestyle must also be taken into account. If a woman does not play sports at all and her work involves constant sitting, then depending on her age, the following calorie intake standards apply:

The table will be slightly different if a woman systematically has light loads:

The norm increases slightly for active women who regularly play sports:

Required number of calories for weight loss for a man

According to generally accepted standards, there is the following gradation of standard calorie intake for men:

up to 30 years – 2400-2600 kcal per day;
30-50 years – 2200 kcal;
over 50 years old – 2000 kcal.

To calculate the required number of calories per day, you need to multiply a man’s weight by 20. But this does not take into account physical activity. For every minute of cardio exercise, you need to add 5 kcal to the daily norm; for strength training, this figure will be equal to 10 kcal.

Calorie formula for weight loss

There are a number of formulas that allow you to calculate how many calories you need per day to lose weight. The basic calculation is based on a person’s weight. In this case, it is necessary to multiply body weight by the basic metabolic rate equal to twenty. The resulting amount is the norm of calories per day. To lose weight, you just need to consume 200-300 kcal less of the amount received.

This figure is not final. Great importance has the degree of human activity. There is a certain activity indicator by which you need to multiply the result:

for people actively involved in sports or engaged in physical labor, it will be equal to 1.5;
for persons attending training at least three times a week, the figure will be 1.4;
persons who resort to sports occasionally will have to take 1.3 as a basis;
overweight people leading a sedentary lifestyle should multiply the resulting calorie intake by 1.2.

Muffin-Jeor Formula

It is considered one of the most accurate. It is successfully used for weight correction. The calculation is based on the basal metabolic rate (BA), which refers to the number of calories consumed during the day. At the same time, most of them should be burned through active pastime.

For men, the formula will look like this:

OO x body weight + 6.25 x height (in cm) – 4.92 x age + 5.

For women, the formula will be slightly different:

OO x body weight + 6.25 x height (in cm) – 4.92 x age – 161.

The formula is also subject to adjustment due to the physical activity coefficient. Basal metabolic rate should be multiplied by:

1.2 - with a passive lifestyle;
1.375 – at lack of activity;
1.55 – with moderate activity;
1,725 – elevated level physical activity;
1.9 - at extremely high load.

Ketch-McArdle calculation

The most simple formula, which does not take into account any individual parameters of a person. The calculation looks like this:

370 + 21.6 x X, where X is body weight excluding fat.

The final value must also be multiplied by the physical activity coefficient.

Today, with the development of Internet technologies, there are special online calculators that will calculate the indicator with maximum accuracy. To calculate, you just need to enter the necessary personal parameters.

Calculating calories

Every day a person consumes food. Moreover, many do not monitor its calorie content. Even if not much is eaten, extra calories may still be present. And all because different foods have different calorie content. Calories can also be beneficial and harmful.

When a person thinks about losing weight, he resorts to various types of diets that work on the principle of reducing the total number of calories. In this case, products are selected taking into account their usefulness. Not everyone can “go on” one diet or another: each of them has a product that you either don’t want to eat at all, or it’s expensive, or it’s generally difficult to find.

But there is another more attractive way: eat whatever you want, but counting the daily number of calories. But this calculation must be correct. The main thing to do when counting calories is to pay attention to the product label, which states the energy value and composition of the product. Next, you need to multiply the energy value by the amount eaten. For example, milk with a fat content of 2.5% has an energy value of 54 kcal. After drinking a glass of milk, which is equal to 250 grams, and multiplying these data, we get 135 kcal (54 x 2.5).

It will be harder to count calories in prepared foods. Here you need to know the composition of the dish and the energy value of each component. Can come to the rescue special programs, tables or online calculator.

Carefully keep a record of all the foods you eat and drink during the day. The diary should also record deviations in normal activities. For example, instead of traveling by car, I had to walk, or vice versa, instead of training, I had to lie down on the sofa due to poor health.
Get a kitchen scale that is accurate to one gram. With their help, you can always know the weight of the dish and use this indicator in the calculation.
Have a reminder of the calorie content of certain foods and a calculator on hand.

You will also need patience and perseverance.

Beginner mistakes

There are a number of mistakes that people make when they decide to lose weight by counting calories:

A sharp reduction in calories

For example, a person calculated that his daily requirement is 1500 kcal. And he ate 2500 kcal every day. It turns out that he needs to reduce the “dose” by a thousand units at once. This is absolutely impossible to do: it causes enormous harm to both the body and metabolism. It is necessary to subtract 100-200 kcal from the initial daily intake every week until the required value is reached.

Measuring calories by eye

All calculations require accuracy, and calorie counting is no exception. All food consumed must be weighed. To do this, you will have to cook at home, since it is very difficult to “disassemble calories” from catering food. In the future, of course, it will be possible to abandon such extreme measures: experience itself will tell you what and in what quantity you need to eat so as not to gain weight.

Ignoring the healthfulness of food

Beyond counting energy value You also need to pay attention to the usefulness of the product. For example, you can eat one chocolate all day, 100 grams of which is about 600 kcal. With an average caloric intake of 2000 kcal per day, you can eat three of these bars. But there will be no benefit from such food.

How to achieve a calorie deficit?

A calorie deficit can be achieved in two ways:

eat less, i.e. cut back on calories;
spend more, i.e. to live an active lifestyle.

Ideally, combine these two methods. But practice shows that people choose one thing. Some people eat whatever they want but don’t leave the gym, while others lie on the couch but eat very little. What to choose is up to everyone to decide for themselves. The only thing you can’t do is combine both methods if you urgently want to lose weight. For example, for summer or a significant event. Abruptly starting intense physical training coupled with minimal food consumption is fraught with serious health problems.

Not all girls who watch their weight know about this method of losing weight, like counting calories. You can say this is losing weight without dieting. You can eat absolutely all foods, but be sure to count their calorie content. Many may think that this is too hard and this method of losing weight is definitely not for them. At first, of course, this is unusual. After all, you need to know the weight of each serving of food, take into account the calories of each piece of bread eaten, and constantly keep a food diary. But then this way of eating will become a habit and you will be able to easily tell how many calories are in a plate of borscht. There are many different programs to help beginners. mobile phone, which will be able to calculate the calorie content of a particular dish and will count how much you ate per day. In this article we will answer the most exciting questions: “How many calories should I eat per day?”, “How many calories do I need per day to lose weight?”, “How to lose weight without dieting?”.

How to count calories to lose weight. What are calories

What is a calorie? This word modern man hears everywhere. Any product in the store has information on the label about the calories it contains. Although most people use this word specifically in relation to food, calories have a much larger meaning.

a calorie is a unit of energy that must be expended to heat 1 gram of water by 1 degree;
the amount of energy in food is the number of calories in it;
1,000 calories is equal to 1 kilocalorie;
The word “calorie” applies not only to food, but to anything that contains energy.

How many calories should a person consume per day?

Each person, performing any actions during the day, spends energy. This energy is calories. But depending on how much energy each individual person spends, it is calculated daily amount calories he should consume. That’s why there is such a division of normal calories for different categories of people. For example, young people tend to expend much more energy than older people. And, accordingly, they need to consume more calories. There are also differences in daily calorie intake between men and women. Below we will consider in more detail the daily calorie intake for men and women with different degrees of activity. But we must not forget that these figures apply only to those people who have no complaints about their weight. If you want to lose weight, then calculating calories will be different for you.

Daily calorie intake for women

Depending on the nature of their life activities, the following groups of women are distinguished:

women with a sedentary lifestyle. It is recommended to consume 2000 calories for women aged 19 to 25 years, 1800 calories for those aged 26 to 50 years, 1600 calories for women over 50 years old;
women with a moderately active lifestyle. It is recommended to consume 2200 calories for women aged 19 to 25 years, 2200 calories for women aged 25 to 50 years, 1800 calories for women over 50 years old;
women with an active lifestyle. The recommended intake is 2,400 calories for women ages 19 to 30, 2,200 calories for ages 31 to 60, and 2,000 for women over 60.

Daily calorie intake for men

Men with a sedentary lifestyle. The recommended intake is 2,400 calories for men ages 19 to 30, 2,200 calories for ages 31 to 50, and 2,000 calories for men over 50.
Men with a moderately active lifestyle. It is recommended to consume 2600-2800 calories for men aged 19 to 30 years, 2400-2600 for men aged 31 to 50 years, 2200-2400 calories for men over 51 years old.
A man with an active lifestyle. It is recommended to consume 3000 calories for men aged 19 to 30 years, 2800-3000 - from 31 to 50 years old, 2400-2800 - for men over 50 years old.

How to count calories to lose weight

Losing weight using the daily calorie counting method is the only scientifically proven method of losing weight. In order to lose 1 kg, you need to burn 7700 calories. In order to lose weight, it is not advisable to simply cut down on your diet. You should definitely increase your physical activity. So, you will speed up your metabolism faster, and the kilograms will begin to fall off faster. How to calculate how many calories you need to consume to lose weight? Modern nutritionists give the following recommendations:

If you are slightly overweight and, moreover, you devote time to training at least 3 times a week, then you only need to “minus” 10% of calories from the daily value for a healthy person. This will be an ideal option for systematically losing extra pounds and not stressing the body;
if you are slightly overweight and do not exercise, then you should “minus” 20% of calories from the daily value for a healthy person. Those. you will have to eat 20% less per day than you should if you did not want to lose excess weight;
If you are obese, you need to cut your daily calorie intake by 40%. As a rule, people with such a large overweight bodies can't exercise sports training due to medical contraindications. But for yb[ walking and light gymnastics are always available.

This “diet” is very easily tolerated by a person, because... There are no strict restrictions on products. You can vary the amount of calories you consume slightly throughout the week. For example, on some day, increase the number of calories per day by 10-20%. But then you should arrange a fasting day during the week, reducing the number of calories by 40%. There is also a more accurate formula for calculating calories for weight loss. This formula is based on height, weight, age, and lifestyle. Based on this method of calculating calories for an individual person, modern nutritionists create individual weight loss programs. This is the Mifflin-St. Geor formula.

In the process of calculating the ideal number of calories for your weight loss using the formula proposed above, it is important to adequately assess the nature of your physical activity. According to statistics, many people overestimate their “sports success” during the week. Some people do really intense workouts 5 times a week and set themselves a coefficient of 1.55, while others lift 2 kg dumbbells and do a short jog and also set themselves a coefficient of 1.55. Remember that it is better to slightly underestimate the nature of your training than to overestimate it.
Be sure to weigh your portions. Some people correctly calculated the number of calories in a 100 gram portion, but relying on their “eye”, they give themselves a much larger portion, and then complain that the weight loss system with calorie counting does not work.
Counting calories throughout the day is painstaking and pedantic work. Don't forget to add the calories contained in mayonnaise, juice with sugar, coffee with sugar, etc. to your total calories for the day. Some people forget to take into account such “little things” and also do not see any progress in losing weight. Absolutely everything you put in your mouth should be strictly counted.

How many calories to consume per day to lose weight. How to distribute calories throughout the day

In modern recommendations from nutritionists for weight loss, much attention is paid to the distribution of calories throughout the day. How many hours after should you have meals? How much to eat a day to lose weight? Or does it all matter, can you eat all the 1,700 calories you are supposed to eat in one meal? Here's what nutritionists advise:

It is recommended to have approximately 5-6 meals per day;
the interval between meals should be at least 2-3 hours;
If, due to your busy schedule, you cannot eat small and frequent portions, then you can easily create a meal schedule that is convenient for you. The main thing is that the number of calories does not exceed the norm set for you;
it's better that the most high-calorie foods per day were consumed in the 1st half of the day;
in the evening, give preference to the “lightest” calorie foods from your daily ration.

How many calories to consume per day to lose weight. Lifehacks for losing weight using the calorie counting method

Many people who are just about to start losing weight using the calorie counting method are intimidated by the complexity of this entire process. You may be seeing endless calorie charts flashing before your eyes. To lose weight at present, there is no need for such tables, there is no need to constantly check it, count calories in a column, or search for a long time in the list for the product that you need. Today everything is much simpler. Among the most popular life hacks in the calorie counting method are:

How to count calories in a complex dish to lose weight

To accurately count calories in a dish, you need to take into account the caloric content of each ingredient in this dish. Of course, the fewer ingredients in a dish, the easier the process of counting calories becomes. How to count if the dish is complex? During the cooking process, you need to weigh each product that you put in the pan, for example, and add it with the rest of the products. In this simple way you can easily calculate the calorie content of a cheburek, cutlet, pickle, etc. Don't forget to consider the oil you are going to fry something in. Spices, tea, coffee do not affect the overall calorie intake.

Eating calories to lose weight. Is it possible to reduce daily calorie intake without counting them?

If you still doubt that you can constantly count such detailed calories, then you can try to lose weight without counting them. And this is quite possible:

Reduce your consumption of fatty foods, sugar, and flour products to a minimum. Due to this, the calorie content of your daily diet can be reduced by 20%;
make your meals fractional. Eat little but often. So, you will achieve a reduction in daily calorie consumption by another 5-10%

How to eat calories to lose weight. Daily diet options with different calorie content

Menu option for 1800 kcal

Breakfast. Lean boiled meat 90 g, green pea 250 g, 1 boiled egg, coffee with milk.
Lunch. Apple.
Dinner. Vegetable soup 200 gr, steam cutlets 120 g of raw lean meat, stewed beet salad 150 g, jelly with sugar substitute 50 g.
Afternoon snack. Low-fat cottage cheese 100 g, unsweetened compote 200-250 g.
Dinner. Boiled fish 100 gr, fresh vegetable salad 150 gr.
Before bedtime. Low-fat kefir 200-250 gr.

Menu option for 1200 kcal

Breakfast. Boiled fish 100 g, fresh vegetable salad 200 g, coffee with milk.
Lunch. Apple.
Dinner. Vegetable soup 200 g, chicken meat 100 g, fresh vegetable salad 40 g, unsweetened compote.
Afternoon snack. Low-fat milk 250 gr.
Dinner. Lean boiled meat 90 g, vegetable stew 200 gr.
Before bedtime. Glasses of low-fat kefir.

Menu option for 800 kcal

Breakfast. Low-fat cottage cheese 100 g, coffee without sugar.
Lunch. Apple.
Dinner. Soup with vegetable broth 200 g, boiled lean meat 90 g, compote without sugar 200 g.
Afternoon snack. Compote without sugar 200 gr.
Dinner. Chicken breast boiled 90 g, green peas 50 g.
Before bedtime. Low-fat kefir 200 gr.

The benefits of losing weight using the calorie counting method

Perhaps, after reading the main advantages of this method of losing weight, such as calorie counting, you will cast aside all your doubts. If you still have doubts, then read about the advantages this method, which were confirmed by most nutritionists and a huge number of women who have lost weight this way:

firstly, you don’t have to give up any foods. There are no restrictions on the variety of diet. You can eat everything that you ate before, just “fit” into your daily calorie intake. Of course, the volume of consumption of “harmful” foods will decrease, but no one is forcing you to eliminate them altogether. Do you like chocolate? Amazing. Just add the calories from 2 cubes into your diet;
secondly, you can continue to visit your favorite cafes as before. Almost all establishments list the composition of the dish and its calorie content on the menu. This is a huge psychological benefit to losing weight;
thirdly, once you have mastered the skill of counting calories, you will make it so automatic that you will subconsciously continue to count calories “in your head” even after losing weight. This means that you will not gain weight after a diet, proper nutrition within a certain daily calorie content dishes will become your way of life. You will know how to eat right every day to lose weight.

Disadvantages of losing weight using the calorie counting method

Opponents of the calorie counting method put forward a weight loss theory based not on reducing calories, but on the correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Some nutritionists believe that extra pounds come to us not because of overeating, but because of an incorrect ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. And it would be more logical not to reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed, for example, but to completely exclude them from the diet or bring them to an acceptable minimum.
Another opponent of calorie counting suggests learning to distinguish between the sensations of hunger and appetite. Accordingly, you need to eat only when you actually feel hungry. And you need to learn to control and suppress the feeling of appetite. The main disadvantage of losing weight using the calorie counting method is that you do not “listen” to your body.
Some nutritionists offer another alternative to counting calories - a guideline not based on the calorie content of a dish, but on its volume. Most often, they suggest comparing the serving size with some reference: a fist, a palm, a glass, a dessert plate, etc. In their opinion, you can avoid constant mathematical calculations, but maintain a low caloric daily intake and fractional meals.

A weight loss system based on daily calorie counting is not at all new in dietetics. The method was invented back in the 20s of the last century. Whether you follow this method or not is entirely your decision. But it’s definitely worth a try if you want to achieve lasting results in losing weight, relieving your body of stress. Smooth and natural proper weight loss when normalizing the daily calorie content of dishes, it has long been proven and tested by many people. Good luck in losing weight!

0 6561 2 years ago

To a woman

19-25 years old – 2000;
26-50 – 1800;
51+ – 1600.

19-25 years old – 2200;
26-50 – 2000;
51+ – 1800.

The norm for active women is even higher:

19-30 years old – 2400;
31-60 – 2200;
61+ – 2000.

To a man

The norm for men who are far from everyday activity:

19-30 years old – 2400;
31-50 – 2200;
51+ – 2000.

For those who do not play sports, but also do not lead a sedentary lifestyle, they recommend:

19-30 years old – 2600-2800;
31-50 – 2400-2600;
51+ – 2200-2400.

With high daily activity, daily calorie intake:

19-30 years old – 3000;
31-50 – 2800-3000;
51+ – 2400-2800.

Benchmarks are good, but it's better to rely on more accurate indicators. Special calculations will help you find them out.

Calorie formula for weight loss

For more than 100 years, the Harris-Benedict formula has been helping to lose weight. There are several versions of it. Let us take as an example the most recent one – revised in 1984.

For men:

88.362 + (13.397 * weight/kg) + (4.799 * height/cm) – (5.677 * age)

For women:

447.593 + (9.247 * weight/kg) + (3.098 * height/cm) – (4.330 * age)

The result of the formula is the basic metabolic rate (BMR). That is, the daily calorie requirement that the human body needs when lying on the couch for days. But healthy people they don't do that. And besides, they show varying degrees of activity. Therefore, the resulting number must be multiplied by a certain coefficient:

with low activity – 1.2;
with moderate activity (if you focus on sports, this is about 1-3 workouts per week) – 1.375;
with an active lifestyle (3-4 weekly workouts) – 1.55;
with very high activity (5-6 workouts or heavy physical labor) – 1,7;
under the load to which professional athletes or people engaged in very hard physical labor expose themselves – 1.9.

By multiplying the result of the formula by the required coefficient, you will get the daily amount of “food” energy.

Example. Given: woman, 30 years old, weight 70 kg, height 168 cm - accountant, sedentary lifestyle. Let's use the formula into which we substitute the original data:

447.593 + (9.247 * 70) + (3.098 * 168) – (4.330 * 30 )

Intermediate result (IOR) – 1485 kcal. Next you need to find the product of the BMO and the coefficient. Let's find it: 1485*1.2=1782 kcal. It is almost no different from the one that serves as a general guideline (remember, the recommended norm for this woman is 1800 kcal).

But what to do with these numbers? BER is the amount of energy that the body requires to maintain its current state. But we are wondering how many calories are needed to lose weight?

In order for the body to begin to get rid of “ballast”, it is necessary to create a calorie deficit. Experts recommend cutting the daily intake by 10-20%. Less is ineffective, more is dangerous, and also will not lead to the desired effect. Let's take the average figure - 15%. To lose weight, the woman in the example will need to subtract 15% from the 1800 kcal received - 270 kcal. That is, she needs to consume no more than 1500-1550 calories per day.

In theory, everything is fine, but in practice, the process of losing weight is somewhat more complicated. The nuances of calculating calorie content will be discussed in the next section, but for now here’s another formula. This time - Mifflin-San Geora:

for women: (9.99 x weight/kg) + (6.25 x height/cm) - (4.92 x age) - 161;
for men: (9.99 x weight/kg) + (6.25 x height/cm) – (4.92 x age) + 5.

Different experts prefer different calculation schemes. Which formula to use is up to you. In any case, the result will be approximately the same number - your BOV. Let us remind you that you will need to multiply it by a coefficient, and subtract 10-20% from the resulting number.

Correct calculation of kilocalories for weight loss - how to achieve a calorie deficit?

It would be nice if this arithmetic always worked. In practice, kilograms melt “according to the formula” only the first time. Then the body adapts and begins to conserve energy. Therefore, even strict calculation schemes are also just a guideline. Daily calorie intake needs to be adjusted. That's why nutritionists recommend starting with a 10% deficit. As soon as progress slows down, you can and should reduce the amount of kcal consumed and/or increase energy expenditure. Starting small gives you some wiggle room.

How to adjust your diet? If the process of losing weight has slowed down, or even stopped altogether, reduce your daily caloric intake by another 100 kcal and add the same amount to your consumption. Monitor your own weight for a week. If the mass begins to melt again, great. Otherwise, watch yourself for another week. This will make sure that the lack of result is natural.

Keep a diary in which you try to record all “income and expenses.” Don't fool yourself. Keep track of all the food you eat. Many people sin by ignoring the “little things” - sweets/gingerbreads don’t count. In fact, small omissions can result in the total 10-20% that should be a deficit. But they do not become one due to arithmetic negligence.

There is another, more serious sin - trying to cut too large a percentage of calories at once. This should not be done, especially for those who are seriously obese. The main problem is that fat deposits occur also on internal organs. Fat supports them. By getting rid of “reserves” at a reasonable speed, you allow the organs to get used to the new position gradually. Sudden weight loss is fraught with loss of weight.

Moreover, the sharp difference in daily consumption calories threatens the loss of muscle mass while maintaining the fat layer. Yes, you will lose weight, but at the same time you will gain an unattractive figure with saggy buttocks and other charms.

The question of how many calories you need per day to lose weight is important, but not the only one. The result must be measured not only in kcal and portions of activity, but also visually. After balancing your diet, focus on your reflection in the mirror. The normal rate of weight loss is 0.5-1 kg per week. By increasing your speed, you are risking your muscles and figure.

A low-calorie menu does not mean starvation. No, you can and should eat several times a day. As long as your daily menu contains no more than the required number of calories. Let's return to our 30-year-old example woman. At the start, her daily requirement is 1500 kcal. The table shows one of the menu options that fits this indicator.

If with the calculated diet you will lose muscle mass, add more proteins to the menu. At the same time, reduce your intake of fats and carbohydrates. Calorie content will remain the same (taking into account current needs), but weight will decrease only due to fat deposits.

A balanced diet allows you to keep your figure in shape and normalizes internal metabolism. If it is necessary to lose or gain weight, it is necessary to create a daily diet taking into account the number of calories consumed and lifestyle characteristics, since during physical activity the body expends a lot of energy.

Energy balance of the body

By eating, a person not only satisfies his appetite, but also receives the strength necessary for his life. Energy balance is determined by the ratio of the amount of energy received with food and the energy that the body expends on actions.

When calculating, it is necessary to take into account that not all nutrients are absorbed: as a result of metabolism, some elements are excreted from the body.

If the calorie content of food consumed does not fully cover the body's energy expenditure, then a negative energy balance appears. It can lead to dystrophy, marasmus and other serious diseases.

Excess food or lack of physical activity also negatively affects the body. A positive energy balance can result in obesity, atherosclerosis and hypertension.

How many calories does a person need?

Counting calories involves almost all diets, so now you can easily find the calorie content not only of individual ingredients, but also of even the most complex dishes. Each person has his own minimum number of calories that should be consumed daily.

Diets based on calorie counting do not have strict restrictions on food choice: you can consume a wide variety of foods. An interesting fact is that by overeating by only 100 kcal daily, a person will gain about 5 kg in weight over the course of a year.

How many calories should you consume?

Table 1 - Daily norm kcal consumption for men and women

How many calories should you burn?

Energy consumption by the body occurs constantly: a person expends kilocalories when walking, cleaning, watching TV. Even washing windows within an hour can use up to 100 kcal. Nutritionists have found that to lose 1 kg a person must spend 7,700 kcal in 2 weeks. How many calories does a person need?

Many people mistakenly cut their daily diet in half to lose weight. To lose weight, you need to gradually increase your daily energy expenditure by doing physical exercise.

How many calories does an athlete need?

Athletes expend more energy than people leading a passive lifestyle, so the calorie content of their diet should be increased by up to 1.5 times. The daily norm also depends on the type of sport: Athletics requires endurance, so the need for kilocalories for these athletes reaches up to 44 units per 1 kg of weight.

Before competitions and tournaments, the load increases, the number of training increases, which means an increase in the consumed diet.

Formula for calculating calories

The most popular and accurate calorie calculation formula is Marfin-Jeor. It is based on a preliminary calculation of the required minimum calorie intake for normal life. This energy is used for blood circulation, respiration and maintaining body temperature.

Basal metabolic rate in women = 9.99 x weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) - 4.92 * age - 161

Basal metabolic rate in men = 9.99 x weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) - 4.92 * age + 5

Let's calculate this figure for a twenty-six-year-old housewife who weighs 61 kg and height 170 cm:
OO = 9.9 x 61 + 6.25 x 170 – 4.92 x 26 – 161 = 603.9 + 1062.5 – 127.92 – 161 = 1337.48

The result is not final: the calorie minimum also depends on the degree of human activity.

Table 2 – Coefficient expressing the activity of a person’s lifestyle

Maintaining household involves cleaning the room, ironing clothes, and cooking, so the most suitable coefficient in our calculation is 1.375, corresponding to light activity. Multiplying the number by the result obtained in the previous formula, we get – 1,839.035 kcal.

There is also a simple way to calculate: it directly depends on the person’s weight. So, for 0.45 kg it is necessary to consume 10 kcal daily for women, and 11 kcal for men. If you calculate the OO indicator using this formula, it turns out that a woman weighing 61 kg needs 1355 kilocalories per day.

How many calories does a woman need?

The calorie content of the diet is compiled individually, which you need to remember when you ask yourself the question of how to count calories: on average, women should consume 1800-2000 kcal every day. With a pronounced negative energy balance, girls may experience problems associated with hair loss, thinning and brittle nails.

How many calories do you need to lose weight?

To calculate calories for weight loss, you need to remember that when losing weight, the caloric intake decreases: for slower and more correct weight loss, it is recommended to multiply the result calculated in the “Formula for calculating calories” section by 0.8. Diets that require reducing the daily diet to 1,000 kcal are dangerous.

After reducing your daily calorie intake, you need to increase your diet once a week. Such a zigzag prevents the process of slowing down the body’s internal metabolism.

How many calories should pregnant women consume?

The basal metabolism in pregnant women increases by an average of 25%, therefore, while pregnant, it is necessary to increase the caloric content of the diet consumed. When calculating, the trimester of pregnancy is also taken into account: during the first 4-5 months, the calorie requirement is about 2600 kcal, in the second half of the period – up to 3000-3500 kcal.

It is important for pregnant women not to increase the amount of food they eat, but to introduce a variety of foods into their diet. Overweight can negatively affect the well-being of the woman and fetus, so you should monitor your body weight regularly. On average, an increase of 8-10 kg in 9 months is considered successful.

How many calories does a nursing mother need?

The calorie intake for nursing mothers should vary between 3000 - 3200 kcal, since her body spends about 500 kcal every day when breastfeeding.

At the same time, the physical activity of the body increases, associated with caring for the newborn and cleaning the room. If a nursing mother wants to lose weight, her caloric minimum should not fall below 2000 kcal.

The need for a balanced diet

The body receives calories from various substances: it is important to balance the consumption of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Protein foods should make up 1/5 of the daily diet. Proteins are found in meat products, fish and legumes.

A slightly larger percentage (25-30) should be fats, with at least 2/3 of them being unsaturated fats. These include olive oil, nuts, and dairy products. The remainder of the daily diet consists of carbohydrates, which are found in vegetables, fruits and other foods that are not for nothing called “useful for a healthy lifestyle.”

Putting the power system together correctly

Compose the right system nutrition is easy if you know a few basic rules:

Accurate calculation of calories consumed will allow you to smoothly lose weight and eliminate mistakes in exceeding the daily norm;
Eat small meals 5 times a day;
Limit the amount of sugar and salt you consume;
Do not abuse alcohol: it causes appetite and has high calorie content.

So, by determining the amount of energy your body expends daily, calculating the caloric content of your diet and following the rules balanced nutrition, you can easily and without any drastic restrictions reduce or increase your body weight and improve your well-being.

Calorie (kilocalorie, kcal)- this is an extra-system unit of energy, the amount of heat contained in almost every product and which is spent by a person during various physical activities. To heat one liter of water by 1 ºС, 1 calorie is needed. One calorie (kcal) equals 4.2 kJ.

Calorie (calorie international) (feces; cal), 1 cal = 4.1868 J.

Thermochemical calorie (cal TX; cal th), 1 cal ≈ 4.1840 J.

Calorie 15 degrees (cal 15; cal 15), 1 cal ≈ 4.1855 J.

Calorie content of food- this is the amount of energy released in the process of its splitting.

How many calories do you need per day to lose weight?

Daily allowance calorie intake rate for each person is from 2500 to 5000 kilocalories. The required number of calories for each person is calculated separately, as it depends on physical activity, age, gender, and climate. If a person receives more calories than the body needs, then he “stores” the excess calories in the form of fat. From this it is easy to conclude: in order not to gain weight, you need to consume no more calories per day, and in order to lose weight, you need to reduce the number of calories consumed. However, you need to remember that there is a minimum amount of kcal required for the normal functioning of the body - 1200 kcal. Online calorie counter.

The most optimal options for losing weight: complete (according to chemical composition) and a varied diet with control of the daily calorie intake and an increase in physical activity through physical activity (sports or physical education).

An analysis of various methods of weight loss revealed that the largest number of calories are spent when roller skating and the value is higher than when running (374 calories in running and 425 on roller skates in half an hour). Aerobics is also known to help burn calories faster than strength exercises, however, classes in gym help increase metabolism, which is very important for losing weight, therefore the best option for weight loss there will be a combination of aerobics and exercise in the gym.

Counting calories for weight loss. How to count calories?

First of all, we determine how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight using the following formula:

weight (in pounds) x 14 for women,
weight (in pounds) x 15 for men (1 pound equals 0.453 kg).

Now, using the same formula, we calculate the number of calories for losing weight to the required weight. Using the example of a woman weighing 70 kilograms, let’s calculate her desired weight of 55 kg:

154.5 (70 kg) x 14 = 2163 kcal (the number of calories needed to maintain weight).
110 (55 kg) x 14 = 1545 kcal (the number of calories needed to lose weight up to 55 kg).