Counting Calories

We have been told often that if you consume more calories than what your body burns, you will gain weight. Calories are units of energy released from the food we eat. Our bodies need energy from food to maintain the organs and systems as well as physical activities. When we consume more calories than what our bodies require, it will be stored in our muscles, hence gaining weight. This is why almost every weight loss program, recommends counting calories as a way to slim.


We need enough calories to give our bodies enough energy to perform all the necessary functions and activities. How much calories each individual needs varies depending on weight, age, activity level and a long list of other factors. Some weight loss diets recommends low calorie intake and they do bring the weight down. However, they also brought  along serious health problems. When the body do not consume enough calories from protein, there is muscle breakdown and this is especially so for the heart. When the heart muscle breaks down, it can lead to serious cardiac problems.

As low-calorie diets usually do not give enough energy to keep organs and systems healthy, they can cause malnourishment. Does that mean that we have keep counting calories on everything we eat in order to stay healthy and slim? Keep counting calories can be very stressful and tedious, there is a simple way to keep track of your nutrition requirements. Just follow these simple rules:

1. Make sure that your daily meal consist of the basic food nutrition requirements namely protein, carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins and minerals. There must be a balance in the quantity of each type. That means that in one meal, you do not eat just a lot of carbohydrates and little of protein or vegetables.
2. Do not eat one type of meat alone. Chicken, beef and fish will each have different types of nutrition.
3. Eat at least two servings of fruits and two servings of vegetables per day. Fruits and vegetables are not only a good source of digestion, which is important for weight loss, they are also high in vitamins. Always eat different colors of fruits and vegetables as they each contain different types of nutrients for the prevention of various types of illnesses.
4. Cut down on fried food and avoid hydrogenated oil.
5. Cut down on your sugar and salt intake.
6. Exercise daily. It can be light exercise such as a daily walk, run or swim.
7. Instead of unhealthy snacks like chips, try fruits instead.
8. Do not starve yourself. Listen to your body, if you feel hungry, you need to eat. It is your body telling you that it need nutrients.

There is no need for counting calories everyday. It is time-consuming and stressful. Just listen to your body, eat what it need to keep you healthy. Make some changes to your habits and diet, you will find that you feel better and look better in no time.