If your answer is "Huh, what's a calorie?" then we are in trouble. For everyone else I am sure you know that calories, in the end, are what ultimately determines the success of any weight loss program. Now I am not saying that every single one of you who reads this needs to lose a few pounds. However, it is not a bad idea for everyone, fit, unfit or somewhere in between to have a good idea as to where they need to be with their daily caloric intake. Not only is it important to know this information, it is of equal importance to know how much and what kind of food is needed to manage your calories on a regular basis.
For those new to this there will be a learning curve along with some effort on your part. As time progresses much of this will become second nature and your brain will have this all figured out for you before you even reach for that 2nd cookie.
For the purpose of this post, a calorie is a food calorie. Which is a form of energy that is created through cellular respiration. When a piece of food is digested it reacts with the oxygen in living cells and gives off energy. Some guys in lab coats locked down in a basement somewhere figured out how many calories are in each of the different foods we eat. So if one of those guys ever escapes and you see him, give him a hug and say thanks. Bottom line - look at a calorie as energy. Simple right? Well my physiology teacher back in college would disagree. So if you want to learn more that's up to you . . .
While we are at it let's get this out of the way. For the purpose of this post let me also ask that you just keep it simple with the process. You eat calories (food) for energy. If you eat too much food and create more energy than you can use (burn), it can get stored as fat. There is a lot more to this process but that is not the intent of this post. If it is important for you to learn it all then please do the research.
So here we are - fit and at a desired weight or less than and needing to change. It all works the same. The first thing is to find out what amount of calories will you (and your body) function in a healthy way. Ideally the best way to find this out is to learn to listen to your body and observe. The more in-tune you are to this the easier it is to know what you need and when. This not only applies to calories but to macronutrient ratios too.
But, if you are just starting on your fitness journey you and your body might not be communicating in the same language. This is when certain formulas come in handy to give you a starting point for your caloric intake. Basically you plug in some information and it spits out a number for you. Just remember that this formula is just a general guideline and is not written specifically for your metabolism. Ultimately that is what it comes down to, your metabolism and how it functions.
Here is one formula that you can use but feel free to search out more. They all basically use the same info anyway . . .
This formula will give you your RMR or Resting Metabolic Rate. This is the amount of calories you would need if you were to do nothing but rest for 24 hours.
RMR Calc (click on BMR & RMR Calculator)
Now very few of us are dedicated "resters" so that means we are active during the day. You need to take this into consideration. Your level of activity actually has an assigned number that you need to multiply with your RMR. The calculator I used above will actually do this for you and give you your numbers for each level of activity. * Just look below your RMR results
So there you have it. You now know your RMR and how many calories you need at different activity levels to "maintain" your current weight. Please remember this is just a general formula and everyone's metabolism is different. But for those that are new to this it is a first step. Now start listening to your body and let it tell you what you really need!
Oh yeah, obviously if you want to lose or add weight you just reduce or add calories to your daily meal planning. I strongly recommend that you do not reduce your caloric intake more than 500 calories from your "formulated' Caloric number. Eliminating too many calories at once will slow your metabolism down and you will have a reverse effect and end up either not losing any weight or even gaining some.
Finally remember this - a good calorie and a bad calorie are still calories. What you put in your mouth will all total up at the end of the day. Make wise healthy food choices. Give value to the food you eat not just a calorie number . . .
Coming soon . . . Part II How to know how much your eating - track your calories
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