Calorie Counting - Is It Necessary?
Often when we think of weight loss, we think of cutting down our calories as a fail safe way to achieve results. However, calorie counting is not as straightforward as it might seem and it’s important to assess if it’s the right option for you.
Today, we’re going into detail about what exactly it entails and how to do it safely if you feel like it’s the right option…
Firstly - why do we count calories in the first place?
Being aware of how many calories you consume each day can help you to track different measurements including total body weight, macro nutrients, BMR and more so it’s not a bad idea to keep track if you struggle to understand your body weight.
When we consume more calories than we burn during exercise it is easier to put on weight, so keeping track of your daily intake can help you to see if you are balancing out.
What should my daily calorie intake be?
This is different for each of us, our recommended daily calorie intake will be based on:
gender
age
fitness levels
lifestyle
According to the NHS, the general guidelines are as follows:
Women who are sedentary = 1600-2000 calories per day
Women who are active = 2000-2400 per day
Men who are sedentary = 2200-2400 calories per day
Men who are active = up to 3000 per day
It’s important to note that these are guidelines and you can calculate your own individual recommendation if you needed to.
Do I need to cut calories to lose weight?
According to the majority of research, cutting calories is one of the key factors to weight loss as you are expending more calories than you consume which will reduce your overall weight, your body fat percentage and your BMR (basal metabolic rate)
How many should I cut?
The general guideline here is to cut your calories by 500-600 per day, now this may not be easy at first so you may look at starting with a lower number whilst you adjust and increasing it over time.
Is cutting calories the only way to lose weight?
Fundamentally, if you want to lose weight then yes you need to cut some calories in order to be in a deficit (where you expend more than you consume) however, it is important to note that this will only work if the calories you are consuming are of good quality., balanced meals.
Cutting 500 calories but still consuming high fat and sugary foods will not aid weight loss.
In conclusion, if you are specifically looking to lose weight then yes, being in a calorie deficit will aid this and is probably the most strategic way for you to do so. You can follow general guidelines or you can speak to a health professional to help work out the specific calculations for you personally.
We recommend speaking with a health professional before starting this process as they can advise you on the safest way to start reducing your calorie intake.
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