When a person moves to a new level of development, abandons all diets and begins to correctly understand that absolutely everything can be eaten, as long as it fits into the total calorie content.
Counting calories is not difficult.
Here you do not need to have a lot of brains, as it seems at first glance.
We need a scale to count the calorie content of products!
I remember myself thinking it was very difficult. In fact, everything is easier.
Now we will analyze this process in practice, and you will see that counting calories in products is easy and simple, and most importantly, accessible to everyone.
What do we need?
Mandatory: kitchen electronic scales - any, any company and for any price. The main thing is to work.
I do not advise you to take fancy scales that automatically determine the calorie content of foods, they can lie.
Take an ordinary kitchen scale, here's an assortment for you - choose.
It is inaccurate, and secondly, you do not have enough experience yet to determine the weight of products by eye. Therefore, do not torture yourself, do not guess and take the scales.
Why complicate life?
How to count calories correctly?
We take the product. For example, bagels, croutons or coho salmon (red fish).
We decide how we will weigh: raw (dry) or ready-made, with or without a plate.
We turn on the scales, take a plate, put it down. We need to reset the value of the weighted plate, for this there is the "Tara" function.
We reset, we put the product.
For example, lamb. 5 pieces weigh 173 grams, crunchy crackers - 70 grams left in the pack, and a red fish, almost 100 grams.
To do this, you can use 3 methods:
- Calorie table per 100 grams. A good option, but there is not all the products, but only the most necessary.
- The second way is to look at the product packaging. Also not available everywhere. For example, I took fish by weight, and I have no idea what its energy value is.
- It was for this that a special program (calculator) was developed for counting calories, which I use with pleasure and without the Internet (you can also online).
- There are more than 34,000 products in the database, this is the third way.
I open the program, drive in coho salmon and enter the weight of the product. I get caloric content and BJU, i.e. all the data I need.
There is also a feature to add your products.
For more clarity, I recorded a video.
How to weigh food on an electronic kitchen scale?
As you can see, everything is simple.
Let's say we don't have a program and we want to calculate the calorie content of bagels per 173 grams.
We look at the label and see the composition per 100 grams: 340 kcal, proteins - 9 g, fats - 2.5 g, carbohydrates - 69 g.
To get kcal per 173 grams, we must calculate how many kcal per 1 gram will be and multiply by the weight of the product.
To do this, we divide 340 by 100 and multiply by 173.
We get 3.4 kcal per 1 gram, which means 173 grams is equal to 173 times 3.4 kcal, we get 588 kcal.
We only counted the calorie content, but we need more BJU.
This method will take much more time than the program.
It’s easier there, I opened it, drove in the bagels, found the product, entered the weight of the product, everything was automatically calculated.
How to count calories to lose weight?
If you're looking for long-term results, calorie counting is great.
It is possible to lose weight not only without harm to health, but also to include your favorite foods in your diet.
Moreover, it will be much easier to control hunger and your eating behavior than on various diets.
For example, at 2000 kcal, your weight remains the same.
To start losing weight (losing weight), you should cut your diet by 300-500 kcal from carbohydrates.
Fats need to be cut at the very end, initially they should be 1 gram per 1 kg of weight.
I wrote in more detail about calculating calories for a balanced diet. I advise you to take a look.
And in the end, let's look at popular questions:
- In what form should food be weighed - raw or cooked?
Ideally, raw, but you can also cook if you have a special program.
- How to determine the weight of products without scales?
I don't want you to experience such pain. I will not answer this question, because it is almost impossible to find out how much the product weighs.
Yes, and I don’t understand, is it really so difficult to spend 1000-1500 rubles on a thing that is really needed.
- Do you sell calorie counting software for your computer?
Yes, it's for sale. But not even as a program, .
You get the program as a bonus along with a weekly meal plan that is tailored to your goals (weight gain or weight loss), daily caloric intake, individual data and health problems.
- Kitchen scales with calorie counting, which is better?
- Is there food without calories?
Yes, sometimes. I love Coca-Cola very much, but I always buy only Zero, because there are practically zero calories, and it tastes better.
Try it, you will like it!
- Can calorie counting not work?
No, he can not. It always works, proven by years of practice. Works for both weight gain and weight loss.
When I was losing weight, I ate sushi, sweets, shawarma, pies, hamburgers. I entered everything into my calorie content and fit nothing, for 3 months there was not a single breakdown. 
Each person is individual, and each formula may have an error. You need to choose the formula that will work for you.
Start with the average, or a formula that approximates the average. If the results are not as effective as expected, try the following value: for weight loss - a lower value, for weight gain - a higher value.
Harris-Benedict equation
Basal metabolic rate according to the Harris-Benedict formula is determined taking into account gender, age and body size. The equation was first published in 1918. The formula is suitable for men and women over 18 years of age.
This formula has a rather large error - according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 90% coincidence of results with real data was recorded only in 60% of cases. That is, in 40% of situations, the equation can show incorrect data, and, mainly, upwards. That is, as a result of the calculation, it may turn out that the need for calories is overestimated and a person begins to consume more calories than he actually needs.
The New Harris-Benedict Equation
Due to shortcomings in the basic Harris-Benedict formula, an updated equation was published in 1984. Rosa and Shizgal conducted a study on a larger group, with data taken from the research papers of Harris and Benedict in 1928-1935.
This formula already takes into account the features that in the old formula led to excess calories and therefore this formula was more often used to determine the basic metabolic rate until 1990.
Mifflin Formula - San Jeora
Over time, the way of life of people also changes, new products appear, the schedule of food, physical activity changes. A new formula has been developed, it does not take into account the muscle mass of the body, and is also calculated based on height, weight and age. This equation is used clinically to determine calories based on basal metabolic rate.
According to research by the American Dietetic Association, the Mifflin-St. Jeor formula turned out to be the most accurate. considered in other sources. that this formula is more accurate than the Harris-Benedict formula by 5%, but can still give a spread of + -10%. But this equation has only been tested on patients in the Caucasian group and therefore may not be accurate for other groups.
Ketch-McArdle Formula
The formula was not derived on the basis of weight, but on the basis of lean muscle mass. Thus, this formula ignores the energy devoted to maintaining fat and its accuracy for obese people is lower than for people with an athletic physique.
If you are in good physical shape, the result of this equation will be accurate enough for you. If you have just stepped on the path of improving your figure, use the Mifflin-St. Jeor formula.
WHO Formula
The World Health Organization formula is based on the Schofield formula (sex, age, weight) adjusted for height and is currently in use. Previously used in US Dietary Guidelines. Based on basal metabolic rate, thermic effect of food, physical activity and thermoregulation.
Based on body area
The formula is suitable for people over 20 years of age. Energy expenditure (or metabolic rate) at rest is proportional to body surface area, usually expressed as kcal per square meter of body surface area per hour (kcal/m2/m). Body surface area can be calculated from your height and body weight
Calorie calculation
Why is it necessary to calculate the number of calories per day?
The answer is simple - to keep, gain or lose weight, you need to know how many calories your body consumes. If you want to lose weight, you need to spend more calories than you consume. You only get calories if you eat or drink something. And you have to spend calories constantly - for the work of the body itself, for physical and mental stress.
Average number of calories per day
Generally, women need 1500-2000 calories to maintain their weight. For men, this value is greater - 2000-2500 calories.
How many calories are required to lose weight or gain mass
With the help of an online calculator, you can calculate the calorie requirement that you need for your existence, and calculate the number of calories for losing weight, gaining or maintaining weight. Calories are calculated by weight, height, age and activity. Based on the data and your desired weight, the calculator will calculate the number of calories you need to consume per day to lose, gain or maintain weight. As a rule, calculations are made by several methods that will show an approximate range. This is done to minimize the error of each individual calculation method.
Minimum calories per day for weight loss
The calculation of the number of calories is shown in the "Weight Loss" column. "Extreme Weight Loss" will show you the minimum possible calorie values for reference, but it is not recommended to use them. If you reduce the amount of calorie intake below the minimum, then the body will begin to burn not only fat, but also muscle to get energy. The metabolic rate will drop and even a slight excess of calories will be stored by the body. In addition, muscles consume several times more energy than fat cells. Therefore, burning muscles does not lead to positive results.
Zigzag calories
The results of the calculation include a table for calculating calories by day, the so-called "zigzag". It is believed that the best results are obtained if the daily calorie content is slightly varied, observing the average value.
How to count kilocalories
A kilocalorie is a thousand calories. One calorie is how much energy it takes to heat 1 ml of water by 1 degree. But there is also a food or dietary calorie equal to a kilocalorie. On product packages, the calorie content of products can be indicated both "kkak" and "cal", and this will denote kilocalories.
Calorie Calculation Example
Anna, office worker, two children. Does household chores when not at work. He goes in for sports three times a week. Height 163 cm, weight 65 kg, age 35 years. Wants to reduce weight to 57 kg. According to the Mifflin-San Zheor formula, the daily calorie intake will be 1833 kcal, with an average of 1918. To lose weight, Anna needs to reduce her daily calorie intake by about 500 calories per day, that is, consume 1400 kcal.
Should You Eat the Same Number of Calories?
You can stick to the same number of calories per day, or you can move 200-500 calories to the previous or next day from the day of training. Also, if the weight has suddenly stopped (weight plateau), then eating calories according to the Zigzag scheme will help move it off the ground.
Can you lose weight on a diet alone?
You can lose weight, but by reducing the daily calorie intake, a person loses not only fat, but also muscles. Try to lead a more active lifestyle, do exercises, add small physical activity
Weight loss rate
Weight gain rate
Ideal for increasing muscle mass is 1 kg per month for men and 0.5 kg per month for women. A large increase will lead to an increase not only in muscle, but also in fat.
Should you drink water?
Drinking pure water is essential for weight loss.
Warning
All calculations are based on mathematical and statistical formulas. But only a doctor can give an accurate assessment and recommendations. Please consult your doctor before starting a diet or changing your exercise level.
Admit it, for many of you the need to go on a diet is not enthusiastic precisely because you have to limit yourself in everything, both reducing the usual amount of food you eat and narrowing the variety of your menu.
It turns out that you can do without such sacrifices if you keep a simple calorie count: knowing your daily calorie intake and scrupulously counting the calorie content of your menu, you can gradually get rid of excess weight.
Yes, it’s troublesome, but in return we get the opportunity to eat almost all foods (except, of course, obviously harmful ones) and even sometimes the amount of food does not change, you just need to pay attention to the total amount of calories.
Calorie diet: the essence of this method and the necessary calculations
The principle of this diet is simple: you can achieve weight loss by determining the individually necessary daily calorie intake and proportionally reducing it.
Let's figure out exactly what and how to count. The easiest way is with products: there are special calorie tables, it is enough to have them in front of your eyes and make calculations. Nobody forces you to do it on your fingers or in your mind, the calculator will help you, so there is nothing complicated in this part.
Kitchen scales and containers for measuring volume will also be useful, because the tables usually indicate calorie data based on 100 grams of product. Therefore, you will have to weigh and take into account all the products that make up a particular dish. And in order not to get completely confused in these figures, we advise you to start a special food diary.
The calorie diet also has another numerical indicator - this is the maximum calorie intake per 1 day, at which weight loss is possible. It is determined individually, and too many factors influence this:
- gender (you need to take into account at least the fact that men have more muscles, and therefore need more calories);
- age (after 20 years, every 10 years the amount of calories decreases by 2%);
- height (tall people need more calories because they have more body area)
- actual and desired weight;
- intensity of physical activity;
The calculation of calories needed by any person per day can be determined using formulas that take into account all these points.
Diet by calories: important points
Due to the complexity of such calculations, the menu for the day should be prepared in advance.
It is important to stick to 5 meals a day, distributing calories in the following ratio:
breakfast - 25%;
second breakfast - 10%
lunch - up to 30%,
hearty afternoon snack - up to 25,
dinner - only 10%.
So that with a decrease in caloric content, the body does not suffer from a lack of any necessary substances, you need to include products from 5 groups in your daily menu: vegetables, proteins, grains, fruits and polyunsaturated fats should always be present in your diet.
Diet 1200 calories: the pros and cons of this method of losing weight
How to use calorie counting for weight loss? It is enough to calculate using the formulas the daily number of calories at your current weight and reduce this rate. But, unfortunately, this figure cannot be reduced indefinitely, there may come a moment when, as a result of a sharp restriction in the number of calories, the body itself will suffer, and irreversibly, exhaustion is possible. Therefore, for safe weight loss, it is better not to cross the line of 1200 calories - the minimum number of calories at which safe weight loss is still possible, but this figure is borderline.
1200 calorie diet
There is a diet of 1200 calories, following which, in a month you can see the first results - minus 3-5 kilograms. You can choose any products, but only carefully calculate so that the overall result does not exceed this norm.
Eating to lose weight doesn't necessarily mean giving up many foods. If you count calories, you can eat everything. This method of losing weight helps to transfer the diet easily and maintain a slim figure after it is over.
Read in this article
Do I need to count calories
The fact that calories are, how their daily amount in the diet affects body weight, has been known since the beginning of the last century. After all, any product has an energy value. And when a person receives fewer calories from food than he spends, he loses weight. And if the energy coming from food is as much as it is spent, it is possible to keep the weight stable. This is what makes calorie counting necessary.
It is important to correctly determine how many units a particular person needs to lose weight. When playing sports or physical labor, the calorie content should be higher than that of those who lead a passive lifestyle. Women need less energy than men.
Pros and cons of mathematics for weight loss
The calorie counting diet has many adherents due to its undeniable advantages:
- You can eat everything without informing others about the diet. After all, there are no prohibited products, there is only the need to limit their number.
- It is easy to calculate the energy value of the most complex dishes. To do this, it is enough to find out the calorie content of each product used. This is convenient for those who are used to eating only self-cooked food.
- Nutritional errors are easy to correct. If losing weight consumed a little more calories at lunch, you can eat something for dinner that does not have a high energy value.
- The need to count calories leads to the fact that a person begins to eat right. After all, the most unhealthy food has the highest energy value.
- Counting calories is easy once you get used to it. Most of those who lose weight already after 10 - 14 days, without prompting, name their number on their plate.
- Limiting the energy value of food does not harm the body. After all, on the table there are all the components necessary for health. Therefore, many continue to count calories even after losing weight, only increasing their number.
- You can choose an individual menu that matches the tastes of losing weight. A unique approach to the preparation of the diet is achieved and the optimal result.
- Weight loss goes smoothly and gradually, without much stress for the body. This helps to avoid such a problem as sagging skin, which accompanies getting rid of a significant amount of excess.
Controlling the energy value of the diet also has disadvantages:
- inevitable reduction in portions, which is not easy for everyone;
- counting calories can seem tedious;
- permission to eat everything can lead to the fact that the weight will stand still (if carbohydrate metabolism is disturbed);
- you can't lose weight quickly.
How to count calories in foods and dishes
Controlling the calorie content of food requires the following rules:
- 100 g of the product is taken as a basis, for this there is a table with averaged values. Knowing the calorie content of such an amount, calculate the indicator of a smaller or larger volume. For example, an egg, a dessert plate of oatmeal on water will be “pulled” by 120 units. A sandwich with cheese, a cutlet, a pie - for 350. And a glass of juice, milk, a plate of vegetable salad - for 100 units.
- Calories are counted at every meal. If the dish is multicomponent, the energy value of the products is calculated separately, added up and a total figure is obtained.
- Calorie content depends on the method of preparation. Cooking does not add energy value to food. And fried food forces you to add 20% to the calorie content of foods.
- Tea and coffee without additives do not contain calories. For other products, you must have a table with you. To make it easier to control the diet, you need to write down everything you eat.
Drink calorie table - When calculating calories, you should take into account your own characteristics. For women, there is a formula for determining the required number of units for weight loss: 650 + (9.6 x body weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age). With a sedentary lifestyle, the resulting figure is multiplied by 1.2, with sports - by 1.4, with a heavy load - by 1.55. For men, the calculation is built a little differently: 66 + (13.7 x body weight) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age). The additional coefficients are the same.
- There should be 5 times a day. This way of eating is the most physiological. In addition, it is easier to survive the reduction in the energy value of the diet, not to break the diet. The last meal should be 3-4 hours before going to bed.
In order for food to be digested without problems, energy was spent, and not stored “in reserve”, you need to eat 25% of calories in the morning, 10% for the second meal, 30% for lunch, 25% for a snack, and 10% in the evening.
- For self-control, you need to keep a food diary. It fixes not only the caloric content of the food eaten, but also spent, that is, the amount of physical activity per day. This includes sports, household chores, moving around the city, etc. For example, 340 calories are spent for 8 hours of sleep, 257 for 1.5 hours of cooking. It is imperative to record success in losing weight. To do this, they are weighed daily in the morning and record the indicators in a diary.
- Every day you should drink 1.5 - 2 liters of water. This also helps to speed up the metabolism, and also helps to get rid of the feeling of hunger.
We make a menu for every day
Ration needs to be thought out in advance. It should contain vitamins in the form of vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, zucchini, spinach, beans, potatoes, etc.). Proteins are required, that is, dairy products, meat, fish, eggs. We need cereals, which means bread and cereals, as well as fruits and. A necessary component of nutrition are polyunsaturated fatty acids, that is, vegetable oils.
What can be the menu for 7 days:
For lunch - yogurt. They have dinner with a vegetable salad (potatoes, lettuce leaves, chicken and a spoonful of natural yogurt). All food will "pull" 1750 calories.
- Tuesday. In the morning they eat an egg, toast with butter, carrot juice. Snack on grapes. During the day they eat pea soup, mashed potatoes with chicken, compote. For an afternoon snack, a salad of radishes and greens is prepared with a spoonful of sour cream. In the evening they eat sliced tomatoes with onions, an orange. The total calorie content is 1600 units.
- Wednesday. In the morning they prepare toast with cheese, slices of tomatoes with lettuce, coffee. Snack on grapefruit. For lunch, they cook borscht with meat, squash puree, fruit jelly. The next snack should consist of yogurt. For dinner, you can eat strawberries. This will give you 1500 calories per day.
- Thursday. Breakfast is oatmeal with milk and tea. For a snack, choose a banana. During the day they eat fish soup, rice with meat, carrot-pumpkin juice. An apple and kefir are enough for an afternoon snack. Dinner is baked fish and boiled potatoes. This amount of food has an energy value of 1400 calories.
- Friday. Breakfast with honey, a cup of coffee. The second meal consists of a handful of dried fruits. During the day they eat lentil soup, stew, juice. Snack on yogurt. For the evening, a glass of kefir and an apple is enough. There are 1250 calories in total.
- Saturday. In the morning they eat with, drink herbal decoction. For a snack choose an orange. They dine with vegetable soup, baked potatoes with turkey, apple juice. Enough cocoa with a piece of cheese for an afternoon snack. In the evening they prepare meat salad, tea with lemon balm. That's all - 1100 calories.
- Sunday. On this day, you can arrange unloading. For example, there are 5 times a day only Menu for 1 day
What should be limited in food
- Sausage, sweet carbonated drinks, chocolate, fast food, canned food, nuts, pastries, sweets, caviar. Sometimes you can afford something from the list. But if you make concessions, then you will have to endure hunger, since the daily calorie intake will be exhausted. This is unhealthy and can lead to a break from the diet.
Prohibited Products - Pepper and any hot spices. The ability of these products to speed up the metabolism, that is, the burning of fats, is known. But at the same time, spicy food increases appetite. And this can be a difficult test for losing weight, because it will have to be restrained.
- Alcohol. Alcohol is very high in calories, even if it is dry red wine. Therefore, you can only drink it and in limited quantities. The calorie content of wine should also be taken into account in the total treasury of the energy value of food.
- Salt. If possible, it's best to avoid it altogether. Salt retains fluid in the tissues, that is, it slows down the breakdown of fats. If you can’t completely forget about it, you should at least put it in ready-made dishes. This will reduce the total.
Do not expect a quick effect from a low-calorie diet. Changes will become noticeable after 4-5 days. But this diet is one of the most reliable, safe ways not only to lose weight, but also to maintain health.
Useful video
About what calories are and how to keep a food diary, see this video:
Counting calories to lose weight was invented back in the 20s of the last century. And most nutritionists are sure that this is the most effective way to reduce the energy value of your own food, and lose weight naturally without completely giving up tasty foods, health disorders, eating behavior. Scientists have repeatedly conducted experiments with counting calories and restrictive diets, excluding, for example, carbohydrates. So they were better tolerated, weight loss on them was more uniform, stable than weight loss due to the exclusion of certain products. But perhaps you still doubt the usefulness of all this “math” ... Let's weigh the pros and cons.
How to count calories to lose weight: the pros
First of all, you can really eat whatever you want. Calculate yours - that is, how many kilocalories your body spends per day at rest. Most nutritionists recommend starting a weight loss program with the numbers that determine your basal metabolic rate. Thus, the nutritional norm for most women is in the corridor of 1200-1900 kcal. With a proper diet, no one will go hungry.
Counting does not mean giving up going to cafes and having dinner together with your family. You lose weight when you eat less than you spend. This simple rule is the basis of a calorie-counting diet, and you can choose the dishes yourself. Most modern restaurant chains publish their ingredients on their own websites, so the calorie content of your plate will not be a secret at all. Well, if you cook on your own, it will not be difficult to calculate the calorie content of the finished dish.
You can learn how to count calories to lose weight in just a couple of weeks. But this skill will help you control portions for the rest of your life. The diet of most people consists of a more or less stable set of products, so over time, the calculations will occur in an "automatic" mode. Well, if you have tried something new, you can always find the calorie content of the product on the Internet or in special reference books with tables.
And the most important plus of caloric mathematics is that it will really help you control your weight on your own, eat your favorite foods, and improve your diet. Calorie counting will force you to give up false beliefs about your own body, you will be able to find out the real reason for weight gain, the real "cure" for it. This is much better than jumping from one trendy diet to another. Well-being during nutrition with individual calculations, a set of dishes will be better than during the next forced hunger strike for 600-1000 kcal.
Counting calories for weight loss
Many health and fitness professionals, meanwhile, consider counting to be an ineffective tool for losing weight. Supporters of losing weight on low-carb diets blame obesity not on overeating in itself, but on the wrong balance of proteins and carbohydrates. In their opinion, disturbed carbohydrate metabolism provokes weight gain, and to reduce it, it is easier, more convenient to remove it than to reduce portions of regular food.
It is very fashionable today to focus on losing weight on hunger and appetite, and not on the calorie content of dishes. Supporters of this theory think that counting means “not listening” to your own body, and you can lose weight simply by learning to distinguish between hunger and appetite and satisfy the first,.
There are widespread estimates “by quantity” of products. They are also aimed at reducing calories and “balancing” nutrition, but instead of calorie tables, you will use natural landmarks. The size of your own fist, for example.
Techniques "by quantity" of products are widespread. They are also aimed at reducing calories and “balancing” nutrition, but instead of calorie tables, you will use natural landmarks. The size of your own fist, for example.
Of course, you can lose weight without counting. But in this case, the success of the event will still depend only on the calorie content of the diet, or rather, on its proportional reduction. Most modern diets offer a diet, the energy value of which will be in the range of 1500-1600 kcal, that is, it will be lower than the average person's expenditure. It turns out that it’s easier to figure it out with the calculation than to “jump” from one diet to another. How to make friends with "mathematics" in the easiest way?
Counting calories and losing weight: theory
Consider everything that is eaten - be sure to lose weight.
Counting Diets:
Especially for fitness trainer Elena Selivanova.
