Does Calorie Count Really Work Help You Lose Weight
Before getting into the sauce of it all, let's first understand what exactly is meant by 'Calorie' and 'Calorie Count'?
A calorie is a term used to define the amount of energy absorbed from the food consumed by our body and used in various activities, be it breathing or regulating our heartbeat. Carbs, protein, and fat are all macronutrients that together form calories.
Even the digestion and metabolization process requires part of the calories consumed, which later goes on to help our kidneys, brain, lungs, heart, and many more.
'Calorie Count' is the meticulous noting of people's amount of calories intake to lose or gain weight. A lower calorie input leads to weight loss, while a higher consumption is denoted to weight gain.
According to studies, people have a vague understanding of the number of calories they consume, often missed by a large difference.
The History of Counting Calories
A contemporary idea originated in the 20th century by Wilbur Atwater; it became a renowned phenomenon after one of his experiments. He noticed that by burning food into ashes in the machine' bomb calorimeter', he measured the energy released from the food and thereby consumed it. From here, the idea raged, and people started measuring the amount of energy devoured and, in turn, burned.
However, the question arises, Does Calorie Count Work?
Pros: Why Calorie Counting is the Best Diet.
- Most diet experts have a clause to create a calorie deficit while suggesting weight loss plans.
- By undergoing a calorie-counting diet, one steps down to the exact calorie amount their body needs. For instance, a person of 75KG can not be healthy if he/she consumes 2000 calories a day. Hence, this change of lifestyle creates a moderate balance between your needs and wants.
- The practice of calorie count highly avoids Over-eating. By eating a moderate quantity of meal at every sitting, it refreshes your digestive system, making it feel lighter.
- Also, with this diet, you are bound to eat healthy as eating fast food or greasy food will hike up your calorie levels. For instance, if you have Fries and Burgers as your lunch, you won't get the allowance to have anything the entire day, as per the count.
- An App is all it takes to keep track of your calories if it is seems too difficult to measure. There are many calorie-tracking apps present and active today where you can add your weight, age, and similar details and avail of a free meal plan along with the ideal count.
- At the end of the curve, Calorie Counting can be motivational. With increased energy and weight loss, your behavior may be inclined to the positive and instill confidence. Exercising would also be motivated by such a diet as going the extra mile would appear to be comparatively easy after making so much effort.
Cons - Why Calorie Count is Not Necessary?
- Drawing out the calorie tracking app and the intricate noting of numbers regularly whence eating is a dangerous and self-deprecating activity. You cease to enjoy any food that passes through your lips and focus too much on numbers. Especially, several dieticians believe it may lead to an eating disorder among people who may be markedly harmful to health.
- Calorie Count is a systematic process for which knowing your metabolic rate is important. The amount of energy your body burns every day should be noted before going on such a diet. Moreover, food types may range greatly, and keeping a recorded track of their energy content is a task. For instance, cold coffee may differ from hot coffee, while black and milk have a significant difference.
- If, by chance, you're one of those people who read the calorie count mentioned on snack packs, you should know that there is a marked margin of error over them. With authorities allowing around 20% of an error on the details mentioned on packaged products, the calorie which shows 200 maybe 270 or 300, hindering the accuracy of your weight loss journey.
- Often, while undergoing such a technical diet, hunger and the stomach's demand take a backseat. If you've gone over the accounted number, you can not have any more food, while if it's not had enough, then people might have more than their digestion allows.
- Apart from the undeniable physical aspects, calorie counting may be detrimental to your mental health. It may lead to anxiety, depression, and restlessness when not run according to the plan.
- Also, breaking a diet based on numbers is difficult. The habit of eating freely without a buggy conscience is stolen away from you, and it may even cause health problems when you finally loosen up from a strict regime.
So if you're still wondering if Calorie Count works, then Yes! It most definitely does, and it is an effective method for weight loss. Though several cons support its process, a few guides have to be taken care of when participating in such a diet.
A few things to take care of when undergoing a Calorie Count Diet
- Make sure you're having a minimum of 1200 calories per day. If anyone suggests lesser, consult a professional dietician.
- Avoid sugar, especially in drinks like Coke, or adding it to tea or coffee beverages.
- Consume proteins and vegetables with your meal. Try to have vegetables and dip instead of chips and dip.
- Drink water before your meal but avoid it for half an hour after. This allows a natural digestive procedure with no foreign interference.
- Beware of sauces. They don't seem like much but contain a lot of calories. Even salads have high-calorie dressing spread all over them, at times, so calling them on the side ensures control over its quantity.
- Attempt intermittent fasting, which means not eating anything for 14-15 hours a day, replacing it with all meal ingestion within 8-9 hours.
- Have a set sleep cycle. Reports have stated that a lack or excess of sleep creates weight fluctuations.
When taking care of your health or undergoing weight loss by following a diet regime, the ultimate value is whether it suits you. Irrespective of it being Keto, Calorie Count, Vegan, Low-Carb, or some other variety of diet, what matters is how you adapt to it. If you think you can responsibly carry on with a certain regime, then carry forward on that route. It is cardinal that you consult a registered dietician or a professional in this field before commencing with such a habit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many calories should I eat daily if I want to lose weight?
The explanation is determined by various criteria, such as your gender, height, natural weight, degree of exercise, and immune function, among others.A common scenario while attempting to shed pounds is to consume 500 fewer calories than what your body requires to sustain your present weight, and it will assist you in losing around 1 pound (0.45 kg) of your body mass every week.
To retain current weight, a reasonably healthy woman between the years of 26 and 50 requires around 2,000 calories each day and 1,500 calories each day to shed 1 pound (0.45 kg) each week.
To keep his weight, a generally healthy male between both the ranges of 26 and 45 requires 2,600 calories every day and 2,100 calories a day to shed 1 (0.45 kg) pound each week.
How do you count calories for beginners?It can assist you in identifying food habits that need some change, allowing you to stay on track to meet your dietary objectives.
Is it safe to eat 1200 calories a day?How many calories should I eat a day to lose 2 pounds a week?
Setting a reasonable target weight might seem a little self-evident. But do you truly understand what is authentic? It's a good idea to shed up to one to two pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogram) per week in the big scheme of things. To reduce 1 to 2 pounds per week, you must expend 500 to 1,000 calories per day, markedly more than you ingest with low-calorie meals and frequent exercise.
Authored By: Ankita Agarwal
About Author: Ankita Agarwal is a Health & Wellness Coach from Siliguri, India
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