Lown Cardiovascular Research Foundation

Calories: Know Your Numbers

AARP.com

Of all the diet plans out there to lose weight, they all come down to one thing:  the calorie. Whether it’s calories from protein or carbohydrates or chocolate, at the end of the day it is the number of calories you take in and those you burn off that make a difference in terms of weight loss, weight gain or weight maintenance. Calories in, calories out is the key. But not all calories are treated equal, so you still want to make healthy choices.  Read on….

Are All Calories the Same?

The energy you get from food is measured using calories. Your body requires this energy source to keep you functioning. Energy from calories fuels your every action, much as gasoline powers your car.

The main food energy sources are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. The amount of energy in each varies: Proteins and carbohydrates have about 4 calories per gram, and fats have about 9 calories per gram. Alcohol also has calories, about 7 calories per gram.

Regardless of where they come from, calories you eat are either converted to energy or, if they’re not used as energy, they’re stored in your body as fat. Unless you use these stored calories – either by eating less so that your body must draw on reserves for energy or by increasing physical activity so that you burn more calories – this fat remains stored within your body.

How Many Calories per Day?

Understanding your body's energy requirements can guide your nutritional choices. A number of web calculators can help you determine your daily caloric needs, as well as determine how many calories you are burning through daily activity. Your caloric needs are based on your age, weight, gender and level of physical activity. But be careful. Not all calculators are from reliable sources or use appropriate scientific formulas. A nutritionist or personal trainer can get you the most accurate calculation.

To finish this article, please click on the title link.