Why counting calories?

Translated from the Latin word "calorie" means "heat." In physics, the caloric measured thermal energy, one kilocalorie - is the amount of energy required to heat 1 liter of water by 1 degree Celsius.

Our food also provides the body with energy that is released during the decay eaten on individual nutrients. Some received calories   constantly going to maintain basic functions - thermoregulation of the brain and the entire nervous system, digestion, heart function, etc. Part of the costs, so to speak, on our initiative - the physical labor or sports, for example. The higher the energy of man - the higher the calorie content of its diet. And vice versa.

What happens if a person gets from food less energy than it spends? If a person was an excess of body weight, the body first uses these same excesses - and this is definitely good. But if the negative energy balance will be maintained and further, the body begins, literally, "has himself" - to cover the deficit of energy will be used a protein found in muscle tissue, and it is very dangerous.

If a person consumes more calories than you are able to spend, formed a positive energy balance. This can often be seen when people often overeat or significantly changing the way of life (for example, first in sports, then dropped), does not change their eating habits and portion sizes. Or even more familiar example - a high percentage of women, after accustomed to heavy loads at work, and then went out on leave for child care, very fast fattening "home" life is less energy intensive, but women themselves often feel that they are constantly " swirling around the house. "

In general, people of almost all the "sedentary" professions - accountants, teachers, writers - are at risk on the development of obesity. Knowing this, it is reasonable to find as soon as possible in your schedule at least a little time for physical activity or sport. It does not matter how you spend those calories - running through the forest, digging potatoes, or dancing in the disco: it is important that they are "burned".

For more accurate determination of your personal "calories" you can use the method of determining the basal metabolism (GS) for the Harris-Benedict formula:

GS (men) = 66, 5 + (13 7hMT) + (5hR) - (6 8hV)

GS (female) = 65, 5 + (9 5hMT) + (1 8hR) - (4 7hV)

Where MT - body weight in kg, P - height in centimeters, in - age years.

Obtain the desired figure, we begin to count daily caloric .  To do this, a calculated value of basal metabolism added value of the actual energy consumption, which is the sum of the energy cost of digestion of food (up to 10-20%), type of activity (operating gain), and physical activity .  For this TOE multiplied by the coefficient 1 to 4, with a low degree of activity at 1, 6 - with the average, to 1, eight high- .  What happens in the end - is the optimal calorie daily diet of your personal .  However, it is absolutely accurate in terms of real physiology and can not be considered .  The fact that the basal metabolic rate is largely dependent on the composition of the body - in other words, on whether a person has the bone structure, body type, what percentage takes fat and muscle tissue .  To find out the composition of the body may be using bioimpedance analysis, having been to the doctor, nutritionist or a sports physician to visit a sports club .

Once you have found the optimum calorie your daily menu, you need to learn how to "count calories" - that is competent to perceive information about calorie, indicated on product packaging, to be able to determine the size of the portions - so as not to "overdo it", as well as a critical attitude toward " low calorie "treats.

• Use our calorie calculator

Counting calories, in fact, must become a daily, routine habit of paying attention to what and how much you eat. so you can learn to relate to eating consciously, which can not but have a positive impact on your diet and lifestyle.

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Pischeblog Yulia Goncharova

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