Certainly you’ve heard about calorie counting. This is a method used to keep track of your nutrient intake of food and drinks in a given day in the form of energy (calories).
In this article we’ll find out more about calories, the recommended amount we should be taking in each day, why it can be useful to count calories, and how doing so can help control us with our weight management.
Calories, what are they?
Calories are a measure of the amount of energy contained in an item of food or drink. We will see the number of calories in an item listed in the food labels normally found on the back of the item’s packaging written as kcal (kilocalories).
The terms Cal, cal, kCal, kcal, KCal and Kcal are often used interchangeably and could depend or where you might find yourself in the world.
Why should we keep track of calories?
When we regularly eat and drink more calories in a day than what our body needs for its regular functioning, our body will be storing all the extra energy as fat. If this continues over time our body weight will start to increase.
So, knowing the calorie content in foods and drinks, and how much we’re having in a day, makes it easier to keep track of our daily intake and how it will be affecting your bodyweight.
Keeping track of calories is not the only way to manage our body weight. Simple things like adjusting our portion sizes and making sure our meals are made up of the correct types of food can also make a difference.
How do we count calories?
Keeping track of the exact number of calories can be rather tricky, but there are some general guidelines that could be helpful for us to have a better idea of the number of calories we’re consuming each day.
Some simple ways for us to keep track are:
Check the nutritional labels on the food we buy
The calorie information in the nutrition label on the back of the food we buy is usually broken down per portion, per 100g or per pack.
Per portion can be more useful than per 100g, but remember than our portion size could be different that the manufacture’s portion and that could make a huge difference to our calorie count for the day.
See this article about Food Labels
Try weighing your portions
This isn’t always possible and ideal, however to begin with it could be useful to weigh the portions we’re having as it should start giving us an idea of the number of calories we’re consuming and if we need to adjust our portion sizes.
Keep a food diary
Having easy access to the number of calories we’re consuming each day can make it a lot easier to keep track of. Try it for a week or two to get used to the idea of keeping track of our daily calorie consumption and continue if you find it useful.
Remember to include the calories in the oils and spreads we cook with, toppings or accompaniments like cheese and yoghurts and sauces such as mayonnaise, ketchup and the cheese sauce on the pasta.
How many calories do we need each day?
The daily recommended amount to be consumed each day is between 1 600 and 2 400 calories for woman and between 2 000 and 3 000 for men. This is specified in a range because it depends on things like our age, weight, height and our level of physical exercise each day.
How many calories do I need each day to lose weight?
When we’re trying to lose weight, it is recommended to reduce our daily calorie intake by 600kcal. This means that for woman the daily calorie intake should be reduced to about 1 400 kcal and 1 900kcal for men.
How many calories do we need per meal to lose weight?
Once we have a rough idea of the number of calories we’re having, try using the amounts below as a general guide to help stay on track.
Women
Based on an average of 1 400kcal per day:
- breakfast – 280kcal
- lunch – 420kcal
- dinner – 420kcal
- snacks and drinks – 280kcal
Men
Based on an average of 1 900kcal per day:
- breakfast – 380kcal
- lunch – 570kcal
- dinner – 570kcal
- snacks and drinks – 380kcal
Remember
Try to include:
- at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables each day, a portion being 80g, though a combination of smaller amounts also count
- at least 2 portions of fish a week (if you eat fish), one of which is oily type fish and a portion is 140g
Munchies4U does not provide professional dietary advice. If you or someone you care for has special dietary requirements, medical needs or an eating disorder, please seek advice from a registered healthcare professional
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