The interesting fact is that many people watch TV or catch up on social networks while eating. But, unfortunately, that usually leads to overeating because other things occupy your thoughts.

The same condition occurs when a person eats quickly – satiation does not develop. Avoiding such situations will help with losing weight and counting calories.

Calories and Consumption

Calories are the energy that people get from food. After each meal, the body distributes this energy to perform certain functions:

1. Basic (vital): respiratory system, blood circulation, brain function, etc.
2. Physical activity.
3. The construction of tissues, including muscle mass.

What is going on when taking in MORE calories than burning?

When a person consumes more calories than they have spent that day, the rest of the energy is stored in the body. For example, take a person who spends 2000 calories per day. If – out of all the food that enters their body – they receive a value of 2500 kcal per day, there is a 500 calorie difference. 

Accordingly, 500 calories remain in the body in unspent energy, which is converted into fat.

What happens when a person is taking in LESS calories than needed?

Likewise, deficiency occurs when a person consumes fewer calories than they spend.

Thus to lose weight, you need to reduce the calories consumed or increase your physical activity. However, that is not always enough.

In addition to calorie content, the biological value of products should be taken into account: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

Proteins – a building component for muscles and tissues.

1 g of protein = 4 kcal.

Fats are a source of energy in the body and the building blocks of cells. They are also necessary for synthesizing many hormones responsible for the health and condition of hair, nails, and skin.

1 g of fat = 9 kcal.

Carbohydrates – a component responsible for energy and brain activity.

1 g of carbohydrate = 4 kcal

Make your choice

You may eat five pieces of cake a day for a total of 2000 calories, or you can create a balanced menu of meat, cereals, vegetables, and fruits in the same 2000 kcal. The difference will be in the benefits of a product for the body.

Let’s compare cake and baked chicken with rice and vegetables.

The cake is 5% protein, 55% carbohydrates, and 40% fat. As you can see, the cake has an excess of fat and a lack of protein.  Keep in mind that dessert does not bring any benefit to the body and does not contribute to satiety: already 30 minutes after such a meal, you will want to eat again.

Baked chicken with rice and vegetables is 40% protein, 45% carbohydrates, and 15% fat. Therefore, this is a better choice of a good source of nutrients for your body. 

The perfect calorie intake formula for consuming proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

Previously, the generally accepted ideal ratio of essential nutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) was 1: 1: 4. However, specialists of the 21st century concluded that a universal formula does not exist.

Depending on the activity of the person, their age, and their requests (deficit or weight gain), the ratio of nutrients (proteins, fats, and carbohydrates) should be adjusted.

The primary condition is that all three components must be present in the diet:

• Losing weight: Carbohydrates 30%, Proteins 45-50%, Fats 20-25%
• Balance: Carbohydrates 35-40%, Proteins 40%, Fats 20-25%
• Mass gain: Carbohydrates 50-55%, Proteins 30%, Fats 20-25%

Pay attention!

Another mistake people have in calorie counting is the inaccurate counting of food components in the product. For example, the amount of protein and fat in chicken may vary depending on the part of the bird:

Chicken fillet: 110 kcal, protein – 23 g, fat – 1.2 g.

Chicken drumstick: 161 kcal, protein – 19 g, fat – 6.7 g.

Chicken thigh: 190 kcal, protein – 19 g, fat – 13 g.

The same goes for other products.

If you do not consider the variety of fruits and vegetables, you can make mistakes in calculations with carbohydrates. Therefore, it is important to check the product information every time before entering nutrition in your diary.

Calorie Calculation Formula

One of the most popular calculations for calculating calories is the Harris-Benedict formula:

First,  you need to use this formula to calculate your essential calorie consumption during the day (metabolic rate).

Women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 * weight in kg) + (3.098 * height in cm) – (4.330 * age in years);

Men: BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 * weight in kg) + (4.799 * height in cm) – (5.677 * age in years).

*BMR stands for Basal Metabolic Rate 

Second, to calculate the total calorie consumption during the day, the resulting value (Your BMR) should be multiplied by the coefficient of physical activity: (choose one)

• 1.2 – a sedentary lifestyle, little or no exercise;
• 1,375 – weak activity or light physical activity 1-2 times a week;
• 1.55 – moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week;
• 1.725 – intensive training 5-7 times a week;
• 1.9 – professional sport or similar loads

Thus with simple math help, you can calculate the formula of your future beautiful body!