What is Energy, How does the body produce energy?
The power needed by the body to move and maintain its heat is called energy. Energy comes from the three main nutrients carbohydrates, protein, and fats, with carbohydrates being the most important energy source. Proteins turn into amino acids, carbohydrates into glucose, and fats into fatty acids, and they produce energy for our body.
When the amount of carbohydrates we need is too much, the body stops producing energy. Excess glucose is sent to the liver, where it is converted to glycogen and stored. Glycogen; It is our reserve energy store stored in the liver. The glycogen store here is used when the body cannot take carbohydrates and when the body needs urgent energy.
The nutrients you take into your body turn into energy, but after meeting the sufficient energy need, the excess calories turn into fat molecules and cause the body to become fat. Whatever your body goals, energy will determine whether you will gain weight, lose weight or stay the same.
What is Calorie
A calorie is a measure of energy. They refer to the amount of energy in foods and beverages, or the amount of energy you burn exercising. In science, it is expressed as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1 degree Celsius. Knowing the calorie content of foods can help you make sure you’re not consuming too much.
Nutritionists usually talk about large amounts of calories, and hence, it is more useful to consider kilocalories. However, in food science, kilocalorie is also called a Calorie abbreviating as ‘kcal’ or ‘Cal’.
- Energy: Kcal – Cal
- 1 gr. Carbs = 4 calories
- 1 gr. Protein = 4 calories
- 1 gr. Fat = 9 calories
- 7700 Calorie = 1 Kilogram
There are 7.700kcals (kcal=calorie) worth of energy in 1kg of fat. That means in order to burn 1kg of fat, you must have a calorie deficit of 7.700.
How many calories should I eat a day
The information about energy and calories that we have explained above is for you to understand the logic of losing weight. The most important thing you need to do to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit. If the amount of energy you take, that is, calories, is more than the amount of energy you burn, you start to gain weight. If the amount of calories you take is less than the amount of energy you spend, you start to lose weight. So, in order to lose weight, you need to reduce the calories you take and increase the amount of energy you spend.
Reducing your daily calories does not mean starving yourself. A few simple diet and lifestyle changes can help you lose weight, such as exercise to lose weight, drinking appropriate amounts of water, increasing your protein intake, and reduced carbohydrate intake.
The exact amount of calories you need will depend on a number of different factors, including your gender, age, weight and activity levels. Use the calculator below to calculate your daily requirement. The daily calorie intake calculator will help you calculate the number of calories you should consume in line with your goals. If your goal is to lose weight, calculate the number of calories you should consume by selecting the weight loss section. If your goal is to build muscle, choose the muscle building part.
DAILY CALORIE CALCULATOR
BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)
Find out how to understand your BMI
- If your BMI is below 18.5: Your BMI is considered underweight. Keep in mind that an underweight BMI calculation may pose certain health risks. Please consult your healthcare provider for more information about BMI calculations.
- If your BMI is between 18.5 – 24.9: Your BMI is considered normal. This healthy weight helps reduce your risk of serious health conditions and means you’re close to your fitness goals.
- If your BMI is between 25 – 29.9: You’re in the overweight range. You are at increased risk for a variety of illnesses at your present weight. You should lose weight by changing your diet and exercising more.
- If your BMI is above 30: Your BMI is considered overweight. Being overweight may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Consider making lifestyle changes through healthy eating and fitness to improve your health. Individuals who fall into the BMI range of 25 to 34.9, and have a waist size of over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women, are considered to be at especially high risk for health problems.
BODY FAT INDEX
BODY FAT PERCENTAGE CATEGORIES
| CLASSIFICATION | WOMAN (% FAT) | MEN (% FAT) |
| Essential Fat | 10-12 % | 2-4 % |
| Athletes | 14-20 % | 6-13 % |
| Fitness | 21-24 % | 14-17 % |
| Acceptable | 25-31 % | 18-25 % |
| Obese | 32 % | 25 % |
Burning calories / Weight Loss
Your body converts the food you eat into energy in order to fuel both basic and complex functions like breathing or moving. This process is called metabolism. Metabolic Rate is the rate at which the body burns up calories. The number of calories one burns in a day without doing any exercise is known as the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Simply put, the BMR is calories consumed to sustain your biological functions at rest while your RMR is calories consumed while awake but sitting doing nothing. This is the amount of calories you burn just by being alive – even when you are lying down, doing nothing. BMR accounts for approximately 60% of the calories burned for an average person.
Exercising is essential for a healthy life as well as creating a calorie deficit. When you support your diet with an exercise program, you can accelerate fat burning and increase your physical strength.
- do strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least 2 days a week
- do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week
- spread exercise evenly over 4 to 5 days a week, or every day
- reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity
A body that consumes 2000 calories a day, and burns 2000 calories a day will stay at the same weight. A body that consumes 2000 calories a day but burns 2500 calories will lose weight at the rate of about 1 lb per week.
Safe Weight Loss Tips
Losing weight often involves certain sacrifices, so determine if it is really necessary for health or performance and then make full commitment to the goal.
Tip 1
You must use weight training to build muscle mass and increase metabolism and you must exercise consistently. The energy expenditure will help develop a negative caloric balance.
Tip 2
Base your success on how you feel, how your clothes fit, and how well you perform in your sport/activity, NOT on how the scale reads.
Tip 3
Do not starve yourself. The body may shut down its metabolism and it becomes extremely efficient in saving/storing energy. Eat nutritious meals spaced evenly throughout the day to maintain the metabolism and provide energy for exercise. Reduce any unnecessary food intake.
Tip 4
Remember you are trying to eat fewer calories then are needed to maintain weight. Aim to reduce the calories by a maximum of 20% (i.e. 200-400 per day), BUT/ never go lower than 1400-1500 total daily calories. Reducing the amount of fat in your diet greatly helps in reaching a calorie deficit (because each gram of fat has 9 calories).
Tip 5
Do NOT eat “fat-free” foods in excess. Remember the aim is a calorie deficit! There are no magic OR forbidden foods. Some are better than others BUT very few items need to be fully excluded from a diet. Allow yourself at least the occasional treat.
Tip 6
Try to reduce calories with your health in mind by reducing the foods with least nutritional value (i.e. processed foods, sugary drinks, excess sauces, and sugar). Choose water as your low-calorie fluid source, unless you need the nutrients that are provided by a glass of milk OR juice.
