The rapid development of scientific knowledge in the field of weight loss is bearing fruit. More and more methods offer their new, radical views on weight loss mechanisms. Many of them criticize calorie counting, although this method was previously considered the main one, was accepted for almost all diets, and was used in many approaches.
How many calories should a person consume per day to lose weight? How to calculate calories per day? How to determine your calorie intake knowing your weight and height? How important are these skills? Let's take a closer look in this article.
Why you should count calories
Calorie calculation is based on the law of conservation of energy - one of the most important, fundamental laws of nature. It always works, which is why it is an important component of the most effective weight loss methods. Knowing and understanding this issue will help you effectively and successfully solve important problems related to weight loss and achieve the desired results.
From a biological point of view, one calorie is the amount of energy required to heat one gram of water by one degree Celsius under normal atmospheric conditions. This value is extremely small, so the daily intake of calories is calculated into a higher value - kilocalories.
Not every person thinks about how much energy the body uses to perform everyday tasks. Scientists have discovered that a woman's body consumes an average of one and a half thousand kilocalories to maintain vital functions. This is why breathing, heartbeat, muscle tone, peristalsis, constant body temperature and other processes that take place in the body are ensured. For men, this value is slightly higher and amounts to 1800 calories. This value has a special name - basal or basic metabolism. To determine this, special formulas or special devices are used - a body composition analyzer and a metabolograph.
The component is the main one, but there are other energy costs besides it. Physical activity also involves burning calories. A light walk consumes about 150 kilocalories per hour, while intense sports can burn much more - up to 400-500. Daily calories are used to sustain human life. All the energy that the body does not use is stored. Therefore, for effective, noticeable weight loss, it is necessary to create a daily energy deficit, the size of which should be around 500-700 calories. To achieve the desired effect, you can count calories yourself or use a ready-made menu.
Expert opinion
Given that the basis for counting calories is the law of conservation of energy – a fundamental law of nature such as, for example, gravity – we can say that calories are outdated or inconvenient, just like gravity. Try to throw a pen or pencil above you - and everything will become clear. The laws of nature are always at work. They are the basis of all effective weight loss methods. Knowing and understanding these rules helps you to be efficient and successfully solve important problems and issues related to weight loss. So what are calories?
1 calorie is the amount of energy needed to heat 1 gram of water by 1 degree Celsius. This is a very small value, so calories are usually measured in thousands - kilocalories, kcal. A woman's body consumes about 1500 kcal per day to maintain vital functions (heart beat, breathing, muscle tone, peristalsis, body temperature and other processes), a man's about 1800 kcal. The amount of energy the body uses to sustain life is called basal metabolism. For a more accurate calculation of this value, there are special devices - a body composition analyzer and a metabolograph.
This part of energy consumption is the main one, but not the only one. Physical activity also consumes energy, but somewhat less. For example, such active sports as swimming and cycling burn only 150-250 kcal of energy in 60 minutes, it all depends on the intensity of training. For noticeable weight loss, it is necessary to create an energy deficit of approximately 500-700 kcal from these figures, that is, women should eat within 1200 kcal per day, men - about 1500 kcal for stable weight loss without harm to the body. and all its systems. And then you can go two ways: count calories directly or introduce indirect calorie restriction through diet and food choices.
Direct calorie counting takes some skill and persistence in the early stages, but for many people it works better than any weight loss diet. How to count calories? To do this, you need to know the mass of the product (after weighing on an electronic food scale), know the calorie content of the product per 100 grams, as well as have paper, a pencil, a calculator and a few minutes of time at hand.
Therefore, the process of losing weight is a change in the balance between input and energy expenditure. The most direct, simplest way, available to everyone, is to limit the caloric content of food by counting calories, which, if the correct caloric content is respected, will guarantee the breakdown of fat, according to the law of conservation of energy. However, the method of direct calorie counting has its drawbacks. First, it does not report anything about satiety: for example, for the same figure of 1200 kcal per day you can be very full and very hungry, it all depends on the diet, the included products 1200 kcal - that's two bars of chocolate or five full-fledged meals from the permitted, healthyfood. Second, with an incorrectly chosen diet on a diet with reduced calories, weight will decrease, but this may be associated with health risks - for example, not only fat, but also muscle tissue may be lost if there is a lack of protein in the diet. And third, you won't be counting calories for the rest of your life; after losing weight you have to develop other mechanisms and habits to maintain them. These and other reasons make calorie intake necessary, but not the only tool in the process of losing weight.
Formulas for counting calories
You can calculate your daily calorie intake for weight loss using the following two formulas.
The Harris-Benedict formula was developed and presented to people in 1919 by the famous scientists Francis Gano Benedict and James Arthur Harris. It has two variants: for men and for women.
66 + [13. 7 x weight (kg)] + [5 x height (cm)] - [6. 76 x age (in years)] - for men;
655 + [9. 6 x weight (kg)] + [1. 8 x height (cm)] - [4. 7 x age (in years)] - for women.
This calculation formula may be inaccurate for modern residents of the metropolis, since the survey was conducted at the beginning of the last century. This nuance should be taken into account when calculating the number of calories, especially for people whose body mass index exceeds the established norm.
The Mifflin-San Geor formula was developed much later - at the end of the last century, in the nineties. Today it is considered the most accurate and the most popular.
Men - [9, 99 x weight (kg)] + [6, 25 x height (cm)] - [4, 92 x age (years)] + 5;
Women - [9, 99 x weight (kg)] + [6, 25 x height (cm)] - [4, 92 x age (years)] -161.
The formula takes into account the specifics of the diet and other characteristics of the modern world. However, it does not take into account the percentage of fat and muscle tissue.
Algorithm for counting calories for weight loss
The ability to properly count calories is the first step to a healthy, beautiful body. This technique does not impose any restrictions on specific products. But if you take into account the whole diet every day, it becomes clear that it is much better to eat a plate of meat salad than a small bar of chocolate or some kind of confectionery. Their caloric content is approximately the same, but their nutritional value differs significantly.
Counting calories is considered an effective way to lose weight and is included in many weight loss systems. This is explained by the following advantages:
- This method provides a reasonable approach to nutrition, without stress or serious restrictions. The body easily tolerates a new diet;
- the possibility of calculating the number of calories consumed allows you to choose a complete diet rich in nutritional components, vitamins, minerals, which distinguishes this technique from various types of diets and fasting;
- Each person can independently determine how many calories should be consumed per day. For this purpose, there is a special calorie calculator for weight loss on the Internet. This can be useful for those people who do not have the opportunity to contact competent specialists or a slimming clinic due to the distance of the settlement from urban centers, various material limitations and life circumstances;
- The calorie counter will allow you to calculate your diet for free, include your favorite dishes and ensure compliance with the proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
The calculation algorithm consists of three consecutive steps: calculation of basic metabolic rate, determination of daily activity, calculation of the final result. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Step 1: Calculate your basal metabolic rate
To begin with, one should use one of the most appropriate formulas for calculating the basal metabolic rate. Example: a woman 170 cm tall, weighing 75 kg, 36 years old should consume at least:
655+9, 6×75+1, 8×170-4, 7×36=1512 kcal
This amount of energy will be enough to sustain life.
Step 2: Determine your daily activity
The obtained value of basal metabolism must be multiplied by the activity coefficient:
- 1. 2 – low activity, complete absence of sports;
- 1. 375 – sedentary lifestyle, light physical activity 1-2 times a week;
- 1. 55 – average activity, enough load 2-4 times a week;
- 1. 725 – active lifestyle, active work, training about 5 times a week;
- 1. 9 – high activity, active work, daily active training.
Let's say a woman goes to the gym three times a week, and then:
1512 kcal × 1. 55 = 2344 kcal
This value is the required daily norm. This is how many calories you should be consuming per day.
Step 3: Calculate the final result
To get the final result, you need to subtract 500-700 kcal from the obtained value - that's exactly how much you need to consume per day to lose weight.
2344 – 500(700) = 1844 (1644) kcal – that's exactly how much the body needs to start losing weight.
Practice shows that it is difficult to maintain the norm every day. Nutritionists suggest setting a minimum lower and maximum upper limit. This will help avoid breakdowns: if you really want something forbidden, you can eat it. But the next day, reduce the norm a little:
- upper limit: caloric norm + 100;
- lower limit: calorie norm - 200.
In addition, it is recommended to maintain the ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates:
- proteins 10-25% of the daily diet;
- fat – 20-35%;
- carbohydrates - 45-65%.
These ratios may vary slightly depending on the specific goal: weight loss, weight gain, muscle growth.
Losing weight quickly and efficiently at home is not difficult. Counting calories reduces restrictions and allows you to eat your favorite foods. The main thing is to conscientiously keep a diary, write down every product consumed, every cube of sugar. But there is a special technique for weight loss, which is offered in weight loss clinics. It is based on an integrated approach, a combination of nutrition and psychology. This allows you to achieve optimal results and effective weight loss.
Calorie charts
The table of calorie content of foods will help you prepare your daily diet. It contains basic products, which are usually the basis of nutrition. For all other products purchased in stores, the calorie content, protein, fat and carbohydrate content is indicated on the packaging.
Milk products
| Product (per 100 g of product) | protein (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | Energy value (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry cream | 23. 0 | 42. 7 | 26. 3 | 579. 0 |
| Whole milk powder | 26. 0 | 25. 0 | 37. 5 | 476. 0 |
| Skimmed milk powder | 37. 9 | 1. 0 | 49. 3 | 350. 0 |
| Condensed milk with sugar | 7. 2 | 8. 5 | 56. 0 | 320. 0 |
| Cow's milk | 3. 2 | 3. 6 | 5. 1 | 61. 0 |
| Sour cream, 30% fat | 2. 4 | thirty, | 3. 1 | 294. 0 |
| Fat cottage cheese | 14. 0 | 18, | 2. 8 | 232. 0 |
| Cream, 20% fat | 2. 8 | 20. 0 | 4. 5 | 206. 0 |
| Cream, 10% fat | 2. 8 | 10. 0 | 4. 8 | 118. 0 |
| Full fat kefir | 2. 8 | 3. 0 | 3. 6 | 56. 0 |
| Hard cheese | 23. 0 | 29. 0 | 0. 0 | 360. 0 |
| Dutch cheese | 26. 0 | 26. 8 | 0. 0 | 352. 0 |
| Poshekhonsky cheese | 26. 0 | 26. 5 | 0. 0 | 350. 0 |
| Fatted cheese | 22. 0 | 27. 0 | 0. 0 | 340. 0 |
| Brynza | 17. 9 | 20. 1 | 0. 0 | 260. 0 |
| Unsalted butter | 0. 5 | 82. 5 | 0. 8 | 748. 0 |
| Ice cream | 3. 3 | 10. 0 | 20. 1 | 179. 0 |
| Milk margarine | 0. 3 | 82. 0 | 1. 0 | 743. 0 |
| Mayonnaise "Provençal" | 2. 8 | 70. 0 | 2. 6 | 624. 0 |
Bread and cereals
| Product (per 100 g of product) | protein (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | Energy value (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat flour, integral | 10. 3 | 1. 0 | 69. 0 | 334. 0 |
| Millet grits | 11. 5 | 3. 3 | 67. 2 | 348. 0 |
| Buckwheat | 12. 6 | 3. 2 | 54. 3 | 335. 0 |
| Rice groats | 7. 0 | 1. 0 | 73. 2 | 330. 0 |
| Grits | 10. 3 | 1. 0 | 67. 7 | 328. 0 |
| Barley grits | 10. 00 | 1. 30 | 66. 31 | 324, 00 |
| Pearl barley | 9. 3 | 1. 1 | 67. 5 | 320. 0 |
| semolina "Hercules" | 11. 0 | 6. 2 | 49. 2 | 305. 0 |
| Oatmeal | 11. 0 | 6. 1 | 49. 9 | 303. 0 |
| Wheat bread, whole grain | 7. 9 | 0. 8 | 50. 1 | 238. 0 |
| rye bread | 6. 6 | 1. 2 | 41. 8 | 181. 0 |
| Sugar cookies | 7. 5 | 11. 8 | 74. 4 | 436. 0 |
| Crackers | 8. 5 | 10. 8 | 69. 6 | 398. 0 |
| Pasta, V. S. | 10. 4 | 1. 1 | 74. 9 | 337. 0 |
| Butter bun | 7. 6 | 5. 2 | 56. 8 | 295. 0 |
| a loaf of bread | 7. 7 | 3. 0 | 53. 3 | 235. 0 |
| Yeast | 12. 7 | 2. 7 | 0. 0 | 75. 3 |
Vegetables and fruits
| Product (per 100 g of product) | protein (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | Energy value (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peas | 5. 0 | 0. 2 | 13. 8 | 73. 0 |
| Minced tomatoes | 1. 1 | 0. 2 | 5. 0 | 23. 0 |
| Potato | 2. 0 | 0. 4 | 18. 1 | 80. 0 |
| Eggplant | 1. 2 | 0. 1 | 6. 9 | 24. 0 |
| White cabbage | 1. 8 | 0. 2 | 6. 8 | 27. 0 |
| Sauerkraut | 1. 8 | 0. 0 | 3. 2 | 19. 0 |
| Black onion | 1. 4 | 0. 0 | 10. 4 | 41. 0 |
| Green onion | 1. 3 | 0. 0 | 5. 2 | 19. 0 |
| Garlic | 6. 5 | 0. 0 | 6. 0 | 46. 0 |
| Carrots | 1. 3 | 0. 1 | 7. 9 | 30. 0 |
| cucumbers | 0. 8 | 0. 1 | 3. 8 | 14. 0 |
| Pickles | 0. 8 | 0. 1 | 2. 3 | 13. 0 |
| Pepper | 1. 3 | 0. 0 | 7. 2 | 27. 0 |
| Radish | 1. 9 | 0. 2 | 8. 0 | 35. 0 |
| Turnip | 1. 3 | 0. 0 | 3. 1 | 27. 0 |
| Radish | 1. 2 | 0. 1 | 3. 8 | 21. 0 |
| Salad | 1. 5 | 0. 2 | 3. 1 | 17. 0 |
| Beet | 1. 5 | 0. 1 | 12. 8 | 42. 0 |
| Pumpkin | 1. 0 | 0. 1 | 5. 9 | 25. 0 |
| Spinach | 2. 9 | 0. 3 | 2. 5 | 22. 0 |
| Pears | 0. 4 | 0. 3 | 10. 9 | 49. 0 |
| Apples | 0. 4 | 0. 4 | 11. 8 | 45. 0 |
| Peaches | 0. 3 | 0. 1 | 11. 3 | 43. 0 |
| Apricots | 0. 9 | 0. 1 | 10. 8 | 41. 0 |
| Oranges | 0. 9 | 0. 2 | 10. 3 | 40. 0 |
| Watermelon | 0. 7 | 0. 2 | 7. 9 | 38. 0 |
| Melon | 0. 6 | 0. 0 | 10. 3 | 38. 0 |
| Grapefruit | 0. 9 | 0. 2 | 10. 3 | 35. 0 |
| Strawberrys | 0. 8 | 0. 4 | 11. 2 | 34. 0 |
Dried fruits and beans
| Product (per 100 g of product) | protein (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | Energy value (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dried apricots | 3. 3 | 62. 6 | 30. 8 | 241. 0 |
| Raisins | 2. 5 | 78. 4 | 16. 5 | 296. 0 |
| Dates | 2. 4 | 75. 0 | 20. 5 | 282. 0 |
| Prunes | 2. 3 | 65. 6 | 25. 0 | 264. 0 |
| Fig | 3. 3 | 63. 8 | 30. 0 | 249. 0 |
| Dried apples | 3. 2 | 68. 0 | 20. 0 | 273. 0 |
| Dried pears | 2. 3 | 62. 6 | 20. 0 | 249. 0 |
| Dried peaches | 3. 0 | 68. 5 | 18. 0 | 274. 0 |
| Peas | 54. 8 | 0. 1 | 8. 5 | 298. 0 |
| Chickpeas | 54. 2 | 20. 1 | 5. 0 | 328. 6 |
| Soy | 34. 9 | 17. 3 | 17. 3 | 364. 0 |
| Beans | 21. 0 | 2. 0 | 47. 0 | 298. 0 |
Meat
| Product (per 100 g of product) | protein (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | Energy value (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pork | 11. 7 | 33. 3 | 0. 0 | 491. 0 |
| Beef | 18. 5 | 16. 0 | 0. 0 | 218. 0 |
| Mutton | 15. 6 | 16. 3 | 0. 0 | 209. 0 |
| Rabbit meat | 21. 1 | 15. 0 | 0. 0 | 183. 0 |
| Beef liver | 17. 9 | 3. 7 | 0. 0 | 105. 0 |
| Beef heart | 16. 0 | 2. 8 | 0. 0 | 86. 0 |
| Pork stew | 14. 9 | 32. 2 | 0. 0 | 349. 0 |
| Beef stew | 16. 8 | 16. 0 | 0. 0 | 220. 0 |
| Chickens | 18. 2 | 18. 4 | 0. 7 | 241. 0 |
Sausages
| Product (per 100 g of product) | protein (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | Energy value (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amateur sausage | 17. 3 | 39. 0 | 0. 0 | 420. 0 |
| Semi-smoked sausage | 16. 5 | 63. 6 | 0. 0 | 376. 0 |
| Milk sausages | 11. 0 | 22. 8 | 1. 6 | 266. 0 |
| Doctor's sausage | 12. 8 | 22. 2 | 1. 5 | 257. 0 |
| Sausage var. separately | 11. 0 | 21. 0 | 0. 0 | 240. 0 |
Eggs
| Product (per 100 g of product) | protein (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | Energy value (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raw chicken egg | 12. 7 | 11. 5 | 0. 7 | 157. 0 |
| Melange | 12. 9 | 11. 6 | 0. 8 | 160. 0 |
| Egg whites | 10. 5 | 0. 0 | 1. 0 | 50. 0 |
| Egg yolks | 16. 7 | 30. 8 | 1. 7 | 358. 0 |
Fish and seafood
| Product (per 100 g of product) | protein (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | Energy value (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cod liver (canned in oil) | 4. 20 | 65. 70 | 1. 20 | 613. 0 |
| Salmon | 23. 0 | 12. 0 | 0. 0 | 206. 0 |
| Prawns | 18. 9 | 2. 2 | 0. 0 | 95. 0 |
| Pollock | 17. 6 | 1. 0 | 0. 0 | 79. 0 |
| Perch | 19. 9 | 3. 6 | 0. 0 | 112. 0 |
| Salmon | 20. 0 | 8. 3 | 0. 0 | 153. 0 |
| Tuna | 26. 0 | 1. 0 | 0. 0 | 115. 0 |
| cod (liver) | 16. 0 | 0. 6 | 0. 0 | 136. 0 |
| They are rustling | 18. 5 | 4. 5 | 0. 0 | 114. 0 |
| Squid | 18. 0 | 4. 2 | 0. 0 | 110. 0 |
| Sardines in oil (canned) | 16. 0 | 17. 7 | 0. 0 | 223. 0 |
| Mackerel Blancheer. In oil | 13. 1 | 25. 1 | 0. 0 | 278. 0 |
| Flounder in tomatoes (canned) | 12. 6 | 5. 4 | 6. 0 | 125. 0 |
Sweets
| Product (per 100 g of product) | protein (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | Energy value (kcal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yam | 0. 4 | 0. 2 | 74. 5 | 286. 0 |
| Waffles | 8. 2 | 19. 8 | 53. 1 | 425. 0 |
| Hematogenous | 6. 2 | 2. 8 | 75. 5 | 352. 0 |
| Marshmallow | 0. 7 | 0 | 75. 5 | 295. 0 |
| Iris | 3. 1 | 7. 7 | 81. 2 | 384. 0 |
| Jam | 0. 0 | 0. 2 | 77. 1 | 289. 0 |
| Honey | 0. 6 | 0. 0 | 80. 5 | 312. 0 |
| Sugar | 0. 2 | 0. 0 | 99. 6 | 377. 0 |