A person's daily calorie requirement. How to calculate calories per day to lose weight

Human activity is associated with the expenditure of energy. Its quantity is measured in calories. For normal life, it is necessary to constantly replenish the body with energy, which enters it in the form of food.

The daily calorie intake depends on the gender, type of activity and age of the person. For example, men need more energy per day than women. And active young people, who are still growing and developing, burn more calories each day compared to adults.

Daily calorie intake for men

For active men

• up to 30 years: 3000 calories;
• from 30 to 50 years: within 2800 - 3000 calories;
• over 51 years old: 2800 - 2400 calories.

For men with a sedentary lifestyle

• up to 30 years: 2400 calories;
• from 31 to 50 years: 2200 calories;
• after 51 years, 2000 calories per day is enough.

For men with a moderate lifestyle

• 19-30 years: 2600 - 2800 calories;
• 31-50 years: 2400 - 2600 calories;
• from 51 years old: 2200 - 2400 calories.

Daily calorie intake for women

For moderately active women

• up to 25 years old, it is enough to consume 2200 calories per day for the normal functioning of their body;
• at 25-50 years old the recommended daily intake is 2200 calories
• over 51 years old: just 1800 calories is enough.

With a sedentary lifestyle

• for young girls under 25 years old, 2000 calories is enough;
• for women from 26 to 50 years old, it is optimal to consume no more than 1800 calories;
• After age 51, you need to reduce your intake to 1,600 calories.

With an active lifestyle

• young women 19 - 30 years old can consume 2400 calories;
• women aged 31 - 60 years old need 2200 calories;
• Women over 61 years of age are recommended to have a daily intake of 2,000 calories.

Individual calculation of daily calorie intake

The above daily calorie values ​​are general and approximate. But each person is individual and has his own height, weight, muscle mass and degree of activity. Therefore, scientists have developed formulas that allow us to calculate the daily calorie intake for different people.

First, the number of calories needed by a person in a state of complete inactivity and at a comfortable temperature is calculated. In other words, first of all you need to find out how much energy the body needs for the functioning of its internal organs without physical and emotional stress. Typically, this indicator is measured in laboratory conditions in a supine position and in the absence of violent emotions. To measure it at home, formulas were developed to determine the value of basal metabolic rate (BMR).

Formulas for calculating SBI

• For men :

66 + (13.7 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age in years)

• For women :

655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)

For example:

For a 39-year-old woman weighing 70 kg and height 168 cm, the BVR is calculated as follows:

655 + (9.6 *70) + (1.8 *168) - (4.7*39)=1446.1 calories

Formula for calculating daily calorie needs (DCR)

SPK = activity coefficient x SBI

Determination of the activity coefficient value

• 1.2 - with a lifestyle without physical activity;
• 1.375 - with light physical labor;
• 1.55 - with average, moderate physical activity;
• 1.75 - during heavy physical activity;
• 1.9 - with particularly heavy physical labor.

For example:

With BOO = 1446.1 and with average activity (we take the coefficient - 1.55), the daily norm is determined as follows:

SPK = 1446.1*1.55= 2241.46 calories

It is convenient to use a calorie calculator to calculate your daily intake.

Daily calorie intake for weight loss

Knowing your SPC value, you can solve your problem with excess weight. To do this, you just need to reduce the energy intake into the body from food. This can create a calorie deficit, which will lead the body to the need to use up its reserves - fat.

To what extent is it safe to reduce your calorie intake to lose weight? This is a very important question, because with an incorrectly created energy deficit, the well-being and health of the person losing weight will certainly suffer. To lose extra pounds, you need to reduce the SPK value by 500 - 1000 units. But at the same time, the minimum number of daily calories consumed when losing weight for men is 1800, and for women - 1200. Below these values, it is very dangerous to create an energy deficit in the body.

Content:

The calorie norm is the amount of energy value of food that the body needs for absolute absorption. Determining the calorie content of foods, that is, energy value, occurs by burning food in a calorimeter to measure the heat generated. Calorie expenditure increases with increased physical activity. The most gentle method of fast and effective weight loss is considered to be reducing the daily calorie intake in combination with physical exercise.

Calculation of calories per day

Everyone's calorie intake is different. The calculation is based on several criteria - weight, height, age. There are many worksheets available online, but they are not suitable for everyone. The daily dose is determined individually, based on personal data and usual lifestyle. To do this, tables and formulas are used.

First of all, we need to understand what happens to calories when food enters our body. Food products participate in metabolism, that is, they enter into metabolism. This is a so-called chemical reaction that is activated when food enters the body and does not stop until the processed products are eliminated.

There are three popular formulas for calculating calorie intake:

1. Harris-Benedict principle. It was presented to the public back in 1919. Calculation for women occurs according to the following scheme: 655.1 + 9.563 x body weight + 185 x height in cm + 4.676 x age (full years). For men: 66.5 + 13.75 x body weight + 5.003 x height in cm - 6.775 x age (full years). In the first and second options, the obtained result is multiplied by the physical activity coefficient presented below.
2. Mifflin-San Geor system. Improved to take into account the modern rhythm of life and eliminates the 5% error that is inherent in the Harris-Benedict development. The formula is as follows for women: 10 x body weight - 6.25 x height in cm - 5 x number of completed years - 161. For men: 10 x body weight in kg + 6.25 x height in cm - 5 x number of completed years + 5. The results are multiplied by the activity coefficient.
3. Ketch-McArdle formula. Based on research on the effect of lean body mass on caloric intake. The calculation is presented as follows: P = 370 + (21.6 x LBM), where the Latin abbreviation stands for lean body mass.

Counting calories in foods

Let's consider a number of the most useful and least calorie foods per 100 g:

1. Meat products and eggs within 200 calories: eggs, beef, brains, liver, hare and rabbit meat, chicken and turkey, liver and kidneys, veal and pheasant, chicken and beef tongue. Calorie content depends on the method of heat treatment. Fried foods should be avoided: the calorie content increases, the benefits decrease, and metabolism becomes more difficult.
2. Fish and seafood in the range of 150 kcal/100 g: beluga, pink salmon, pollock caviar, boiled squid, flounder, fish cutlets, boiled mullet, bream, smoked and boiled cod, boiled crabs, shrimp, tench, mussels, sterlet, catfish, hake , oysters, pike, hake.
3. Dairy products with an energy value of up to 300 calories: kefir, milk, yogurt, cream, sour cream, goat cheese, cottage cheese. It is worth noting that dairy products in reasonable proportions help improve metabolic processes in general.
4. Cereals and flour products with a minimum energy value of up to 300 units: pancakes, bagels, dumplings, buckwheat and oatmeal porridge, dietary fiber, pasta made from durum wheat and wholemeal flour, oat and wheat porridge, bran, barley in water, dumplings with minced beef, boiled unpolished rice and milk porridge, Borodinsky and grain bread, rye bread, barley milk porridge.

Try to limit your consumption of: light raisins, potato chips, fried potatoes, olives, white beans, dates. Among drinks, it is highly recommended not to consume alcohol of high strength - cognac, liqueur and vodka.

Calculation of calorie content of ready meals

• First day. Breakfast: cottage cheese 2% (80 g/82.4 kcal), natural yogurt (100 g/66 kcal), rye bread with butter (80 g/132 ​​kcal + 20 g/149 kcal). Lunch: borscht with beef (250 g / 157.5 kcal), mashed potatoes (150 g / 159 kcal) and chicken cutlet (90 g / 129 kcal), Mimosa salad (120 g / 254.4 kcal), juice tomato (200 ml/42 kcal), Borodinsky bread (20 g/41.6 kcal). Total: 1212.9 kcal/day.
• Second day. For breakfast: oatmeal (100 g/111.5 kcal) and apple (100 g/45.5 kcal). Lunch: vegetable soup (200g/160 kcal), barley porridge (150 g/146.6 kcal) with beef liver stewed in sauce (70 g/122 kcal), grain bread (30 g/69.9 kcal), green tea . Dinner: milk rice porridge (150g/194 kcal) and bagels (30g/100.8 kcal). Result: 793 kcal/day.
• The third day. Breakfast: yogurt 3.2% fat (100 g/64 kcal), boiled egg (80 g/127.7 kcal), almond cookies (80 g/345 kcal). Lunch: pea soup (250 g/165 kcal), chicken pilaf (150 g/162 kcal), cabbage salad with cucumbers (100 g/49 kcal), rye bread (30 g/49.5 kcal), cherry compote (150 g/148.5 kcal). Dinner: okroshka with kefir (130 g/61.1 kcal), crackers with raisins (20 g/79 kcal). Result: 1059.1 kcal.
• Fourth day. Breakfast: muesli with nuts and fruits (45 g/163.35 kcal), black coffee (100 g/2 kcal). Lunch: soup with meatballs (200 g/98 kcal), rice (100 g/344 kcal) and hake fish with sauce (80 g/100 kcal), carrot salad with garlic (50 g/118 kcal), rye bread (30 g/49.5 kcal), dried fruit compote (150 g/90 kcal). Dinner: pumpkin puree (100 g/88 kcal), oatmeal cookies (20 g/87.4 kcal), kefir 1% (100 g/40 kcal). Result: 1180.25 kcal.
• Fifth day. Breakfast: carrot juice (100 g/28 kcal), fruit salad (150 g/69 kcal), white bread crackers (25 g/82.75 kcal). Lunch: light fish soup (150 g/34.5 kcal), buckwheat porridge (150 g/198 kcal) with mushroom sauce (40 g/32.8 kcal) and meatballs (80 g/137.6 kcal), wheat bread (30 g/72.6 kcal), rhubarb compote (150 g/39 kcal). Dinner: cottage cheese casserole (100 g/168 kcal) and green tea. Result: 862.25 kcal.

How many calories do you need to lose weight?

Let's give a few examples and compare the calculation using the formula with the results of the calorie calculator:

• A woman, 30 years old, height - 165 cm, weight - 75 kg. Lack of regular physical activity. To lose weight you need to get up to 1411 kcal/day, 1764 kcal without changes - the result of the calculator. We calculate using the Mifflin-San Geor formula: 10 x 75 kg + 6.25 x 165 cm - 5 x 30 years = 750 + 1031.25 - 150 = 1631 x 1.2 (coefficient) = 1957.5 kcal/daily value.
• The girl is 17 years old, height - 160 cm, weight - 66 kg. Irregular sports activities, maximum 3 rubles/week. Calculator result: for weight loss - 1172 kcal/day, without changes - 1944 kcal/day. We calculate using the Harris-Benedict formula: 655.1 + 9.563 x 66 + 1.85 x 160 - 4.676 x 17 = 655.1 + 631.158 + 296 - 79.492 = 1502.766 x 1.375 = 2066.3 kcal/day - the norm.

Calorie counter for ready meals

You can keep a calorie counter yourself, use online services, a program or a mobile application. Mobile applications are very convenient for keeping a food diary. Another option is to keep records in an Excel spreadsheet. Measure your weight and body measurements weekly, record and analyze the results.

If you like the innovations of progress, it is more rational to purchase a calorie counter for your wrist in the form of a bracelet or buy a jump rope with electronic functionality. Sports bracelets are equipped with a full-fledged interface that allows you to control and analyze your active lifestyle. To control and read data, the bracelet is connected to a smartphone.

Let's take a closer look at the functions and benefits of such bracelets:

1. Pedometer. The device not only counts steps, but also determines the minimum required for you.
2. Activity Analysis. By opening the application, you will find out the exact number of steps taken for the current period. When attending workouts, be sure to include them in your schedule - this will allow you to monitor calories burned and weight loss.
3. Calorie counter. This is perhaps the highlight of the interface. You can select products from a list or scan barcodes and enter the portion of food you eat. The program will determine how many more calories you can consume.
4. Lift function. It won't let you sit too long. It is enough to program the device and set a time period (for example: 10.00 - 20.00, interval - 1 hour), and the bracelet will vibrate, reminding you that it is time to get up and move.
5. Sleep analyzer. It will allow you to determine its quality, see a graph with all phases and periods of awakening.
6. Adviser. Be prepared for the program to give advice several times a day. It is worth noting that they are not at all useless and are based on an analysis of the vital functions and physical form of your body. For example, if the quality of sleep does not reach the norm of 25%, you will receive a notification with a recommendation that you need to alternately breathe through different nostrils before going to bed, as yogis do.

It’s worth noting right away that using the functionality of the bracelet is possible only if you have a special application on your smartphone, which can be downloaded for free.

Food calorizer for Android

If you have Android, install the free app from Google Play. The software add-on contains a table of products with calculating energy value per 100 g. This application will help you think through your daily diet. It works offline, that is, it does not require an Internet connection. All you need to do is download the app and download the product database.

Advantages of the Calorizer application from Google Play:

• Each thematic material viewed is saved in history.
• Important information can be bookmarked by clicking on the star icon.
• “Favorites” and “History” can be edited, moved, deleted.
• Using the design settings, change the themes and graphical presentation of the interface, font and color.
• The “Article of the Day” widget randomly displays on the screen material from the database previously loaded into memory.

Calorie calculators for weight loss

A calorie calculator for your computer or phone helps you control your metabolism and gradually lose weight. The main function of such a program is to count proteins, fats, carbohydrates and analyze the total energy value. Applications for smartphones are equipped with wider functionality: scanning product barcodes, a weight control chart, a meal map, a body mass index analysis function, etc.

Calorie calculators for Android

MyFitnessPal:

1. The most advanced food database with 3 million positions;
2. User-friendly interface with a program for remembering your favorite dishes and nutritional cycles;
3. Synchronous work with the site allows you to keep a diary both from your phone and from your computer;
4. About 400 exercises, statistics on strength and cardio training, the ability to create custom fitness routines;
5. Ability to connect friends;
6. Progress reports, goal setting, support for English and metric measurement charts.

1. Barcode scanner and manual input;
2. Food diary;
3. Exercise diary;
4. Progress Log;
5. Dietary calendar.

• Charts of consumption of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and comparison with the norm;
• Water consumption accounting;
• Nutrition and training plan;
• Protection against accidental deletion by storing data on the server;
• Control of body volume (chest, waist, hips, arms, legs);
• The ability to choose a weight loss program and adjust the schedule.

Calorie calculator for iPhone

All-in Fitness:

• Database of audio-video materials in HD quality on exercises for men and women;
• 100 ready-made complexes from fitness experts;
• Product database with 300,000 items;
• Schedule for taking vitamins and microelements;
• BMI calculator.

• Recommendations from Mifflin-Geor;
• Autonomous functioning of the interface without connecting to the Internet;
• Setting goals (weight, volumes);
• Expanded database of glycemic indexes of foods;
• Quickly search for products by first letter and in real time.

In order for a person to live, be active and feel normal, he needs to get the right amount of energy from food, which we usually count in calories. How many calories do you need to consume in food to stay alert and healthy without gaining excess weight? In fact, the daily calorie intake is individual for each person, as it must correspond to the energy expenditure of the individual. In addition, it is important to take into account not only the calorie content of food, but also its quality, the content of fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and other elements.

If your calorie needs are determined correctly, you can create a menu based on it with the optimal content of all elements and start eating right without worrying about gaining excess weight or any problems with the gastrointestinal tract. But in order to learn how to determine the right amount of calories, it is important to understand what a calorie is.

A calorie is a unit of energy that we use to keep the body functioning. We get energy from food by breaking down fats, proteins and carbohydrates. On average, 1 gram of fat can provide 9 calories of energy, and 1 gram of carbohydrates or protein can provide 4 calories. Most products have mixed content, and the number of calories in them is huge, so kilocalories are usually used in calculations (1 kcal = 1000 cal). The calorie content of most products has already been determined and entered into special tables, so each person can create a menu based on the daily calorie intake and calorie tables.

As mentioned above, each person’s energy needs can vary significantly, so it is important to determine it correctly. What determines the norm of caloric content of food for a person? The amount of energy required depends on its costs. The more a person moves, and the more difficult his work, the more energy he needs to expend. A sedentary person can spend about 1800 kcal per day, and someone who is exposed to heavy exercise can spend up to 5500 kcal.

It is necessary to understand that a certain amount of energy is used to maintain vital functions and ensure the continuous functioning of all organs. Therefore, even those who lead a very sedentary lifestyle should not severely limit calorie intake. It is also important to consider a person's age, weight, and amount of muscle mass when determining their energy needs. The larger a person, the more energy he needs to function, so the daily calorie intake for women is usually lower than the daily calorie intake for men.

In general, calculating your daily calorie intake is not difficult. If you want to know how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, you can multiply your current weight by 15 for men, or 14 for women, and divide the result by 0.453. For example, let's take a girl weighing 55 kg.

(55 ×14)/0.453 = 1.699 kcal

This means that a girl weighing 55 kg and doing minimal physical activity will not gain weight if she consumes 1,699 kcal per day. If this girl goes in for sports, then the calorie content of her diet will need to be increased.

Of course, this is a very rough calculation of the daily calorie intake; there are other, more accurate methods, for example the Mifflin-Saint-Geor and Harris-Benedict formulas. The Mifflin-St. George formula is the newest and most accurate formula recognized by most nutritionists. Using this formula, calculating the daily calorie intake looks like this:

daily calorie intake for men - 10×weight (in kg) + 6.25×height (in cm) – 5×age (in years) + 5;

The daily calorie intake for women is 10×weight (in kg) + 6.25×height (in cm) – 5×age (in years) – 161.

10×60 + 6.25×165 – 5×25 - 161 = 1345

This means that our girl, in order to maintain her current weight, needs to consume 1345 kcal daily with minimal physical activity. If a girl plays sports or works a lot, then the calorie intake can be increased. Naturally, the daily calorie intake for weight loss will be much lower.

The Harris-Benedict formula, although often discussed on the Internet today, is used extremely rarely by nutritionists, as it is considered outdated and does not meet modern requirements. According to this formula, the daily calorie intake for women, as well as the daily calorie intake for men, is slightly higher than the actual needs.

How many calories should you eat to lose weight?

If you want to lose weight, you need to force your body to use up internal energy reserves that have accumulated in the form of fat. When will the body start using them? When you feel a lack of energy. This energy deficit can be achieved by reducing the calorie content of food or by increasing energy expenditure.

The easiest way to determine your daily calorie intake for weight loss is to find out your ideal weight and consume the number of calories needed to maintain that weight. Sooner or later your body will reach this weight and stop there. For example, if a 25-year-old girl with a height of 165, weighs 70 kg, and wants to lose weight to 60, then her daily calorie intake for weight loss will be 1345, as for a girl weighing 60 kg.

But, you shouldn’t get carried away with sudden weight loss and severely limit yourself in food consumption. It is believed that the minimum for a person is 8 kcal per 150 kg of weight per day. This means that it would be dangerous for our girl weighing 70 kg to consume less than 1200 kcal per day, as this could lead to poor health and problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

How to properly create a diet based on daily calorie intake

When compiling a diet, it is very important to remember that calorie content is an important, but not the most important indicator. It is equally important to take into account the quality composition of food, because it must provide all the needs for nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Even if you are losing weight, your body still needs protein. Protein is the basis of muscles, and if the body does not receive it in sufficient quantities, it will begin to burn muscle tissue rather than fat, so about 40 percent of the diet should be proteins.

Also, you should not completely give up fats in food, as they are necessary for the proper absorption of many vitamins and the correct functioning of organs. Moreover, fats are necessary, both vegetable and animal. Fats should make up approximately 20% of total calories.

About 40 percent of the diet remains for carbohydrates. Of course, it is very important to take into account the quality of carbohydrates, in our case it should be cereals, vegetables and fruits. Fast carbohydrates, which can be obtained from sweets and baked goods, will bring nothing except a sharp jump in blood sugar.

If you are determined to eat right and adhere to all norms in terms of calories and food composition, then get ready that at first it will be very difficult. All calculations will have to be done daily and often checked and adjusted as your weight changes and decreases. But the reward for your efforts will be a beautiful figure forever and excellent health.

Calculating the daily calorie intake is the first step from which to begin drawing up a successful diet for weight loss or nutrition for gaining muscle mass, since without determining the individual daily calorie intake it is impossible to calculate the optimal composition of your diet for the main macronutrients (that is, proteins, etc.).

There are two formulas by which this rate is calculated, but the Harris-Benedict formula is most often used. Any calorie calculator on the Internet, in a smartphone app, in a cardio machine, or in a fitness bracelet will use it. However, this formula has significant errors that no one mentions.

What is a calorie?

The term “calorie” itself is derived from the word calor, translated from Latin as “heat.” In classical physics, calories had nothing to do with food - even a hundred years ago they measured exclusively the energy released during the combustion of fuel (coal, wood), and only at the beginning of the 20th century did food begin to be considered as fuel for the body.

It is necessary to understand that the calorie content of a product is a purely conditional amount of energy that will be obtained when it is burned in a special device. However, in reality, the human body digests food completely differently - in fact, the share of absorbed energy may differ by 20-25% from the figures.

Formula for calculating calorie intake

The direct formula for calculating the daily calorie intake consists of two parts: 1) the most accurate calculation of the basal metabolic rate - the calories needed by the body to maintain life, or the so-called “resting energy”, and 2) the individual activity coefficient of a person, determined most often “by eye” "

It is in this coefficient that the main problem of the Harris-Benedict calorie calculation formula lies. After accurately calculating your basal metabolic rate (for example, 1765 kcal), you need to multiply this figure by your individual activity factor, ranging from 1.2 to 1.9. The final result will be from 2118 kcal to 3354 kcal. The difference is 1236 kcal.

Harris-Benedict formula

As we have already mentioned, first of all, the Harris-Benedict formula determines the basic metabolic rate of a person (basal metabolic rate, BMR) - this is the body's calorie needs for brain function, maintaining body temperature, digesting food and other metabolic processes. However, the formula does not take into account energy for physical activity.

It is also important that the basic level of metabolism depends on a person’s gender, age and build. However, any calculations using this formula are accurate only for average builds - for those who are overly thin, overweight, or even for those, the Harissa-Benedict formula is not suitable, since it does not take into account individual characteristics.

Formula for calculating basic calorie needs:

How to quickly lose fat - a strategy for fat-burning workouts and nutritional recommendations.

Individual activity level

The Harris-Benedict formula for calculating daily calorie intake divides five types of physical activity - minimal level (no physical activity), low level (physical activity 1-3 times a week), moderate level (3-5 days a week), high level ( 6-7 times a week) and very high level (training more than once a day).

In theory, everything looks simple and clear. To determine your total daily calorie and energy needs, multiply your baseline BMR for your gender, age, and weight by a factor based on your average level of physical activity for the current week:

• Minimum level - calorie norm = BMR x 1.2
• Low - calorie allowance = BMR x 1.375
• Average - calorie intake = BMR x 1.55
• High - calorie intake = BMR x 1.725
• Very high - calorie intake = BMR x 1.9

What ratio should you use?

If your professional activity is a lumberjack or miner, use a coefficient of 1.9, if you take care of cows - 1.55. These are precisely the recommendations of the Harris-Benedict calorie formula, obtained back in 1919. Modern professions (especially the “office worker” category) are, of course, not on this list.

By entering your age, height and weight into a cardio machine or advanced fitness bracelet, you get the most accurate figure for your daily calorie intake, but it is not at all clear what coefficient the device uses in the calculation. If you are lucky, it will be within the range of 1.4 – 1.7, and the final error will not exceed 15-20% (approximately +/- 500 kcal).

If you are a man, you are 25 years old, you work in an office and do strength training three times a week, then the recommendation for your daily calorie intake will be from 2600 kcal to 3200 kcal - however, you need to understand that any a more precise figure would be merely a random choice and would not guarantee any reliability or additional validity.

Among other things, calories from food are not absorbed 100%. For example, - but this is never taken into account in the product composition figures. As a result, it is better not to try to calculate the daily calorie intake using a “smart” formula, but simply follow the basic recommendations (1) and listen to your body.

Daily calorie intake for men:

Daily calorie intake for women:

Daily calorie intake for children and adolescents:

***

The formula for calculating the daily calorie intake can only determine the level of the body's basic energy needs without taking into account physical activity. To determine your total calorie needs, you need to know a unique coefficient that cannot be determined accurately. That is why any devices for calculating calorie norms give an error of +/- 500 kcal.

Scientific sources:

1. Estimated Calorie Needs per Day by Age, Gender, and Physical Activity Level,

Food gives the human body the necessary boost of energy. Depending on individual characteristics, you can calculate how many calories you need to consume per day and select the optimal food products for your diet.

Where do calories go?

Each body needs its own “portion” of calories, which depends on lifestyle, gender and age. When performing various actions, a person spends a certain amount of calories. The stress can be not only physical. Even in a state of complete rest, a third of all energy is spent on generating heat, metabolism, and pumping blood through the vessels. For a cheerful mood and a beautiful waist, you need to calculate calories per day.

Thanks to an active lifestyle and constant exercise, fats and carbohydrates are burned in greater quantities. For example, in an hour of running you can lose 530-540 calories. If you don’t have time for morning jogging, then you need to walk as much as possible. A person should walk at least 6 km a day to stay fit and in a good mood. To overcome this path you will need 220-230 calories and one hour of time.

Overeating threatens not only stomach problems, but also excess weight. The subcutaneous layer of fat is excess energy that the body did not have time to spend. Knowing what caloric intake per day is needed for a particular person, you can not be afraid of a sagging belly and sides.

Learning to count calories

It is better to start getting rid of extra pounds by reviewing what is in the refrigerator and consumed every day. The number of calories per 100 g is indicated on the packaging of all products. For convenience, you can keep a notebook in which you need to record the time, type and volume of what you eat. Producing calculation calories per day, everything is taken into account, even the smallest candy. Using a kitchen scale you need to weigh vegetables, fruits, cereals, and meat. If the product does not have a label containing information about its energy value, then the necessary information can be easily found in online magazines about proper nutrition.

Counting calories in soups or salads is quite simple. Each ingredient must be weighed separately on a scale and the results recorded. Then, using the calorie table, calculate the required numbers. For example, 100 g of raw potatoes contains 77 calories, and 750 g - 577.5. During heat treatment, cereals and pasta increase in weight, so the calculation is based on the dry product.

How to calculate the required number of calories per day?

In order not to harm your own figure, you will need to know how many calories you need to consume. There is a daily norm for each person. Statistics say that 2000 calories is the average requirement, that is, the necessary calories. You can consume no more than the specified norm per day, then your waist will retain its previous volumes. In fact, this figure is not accurate enough. You can determine what caloric intake per day is needed for men and women of different ages and weight categories using the special Harrison-Benedict formula:

Women: 650+(9.6 ×weight, kg)+(1.8×height)-4.7(age)

Men: 60+(13.7×kg)+(5×height)-6.8(age)

The resulting figure must be multiplied by a coefficient, which is individual and depends on activity during the day:

• Rarely playing sports or sedentary lifestyle - 1.2;
• Visiting the gym 2-3 times a week - 1,375;
• Regular physical activity 4-5 times a week -1.55;
• Professional training every day - 1.7;
• Exercises 2 times a day (or heavy physical work) - 1.9.

How many calories should you eat per day to lose weight?

To lose weight you need to reduce the amount of energy consumed in food. But this does not mean that you have to starve! Nutritionists recommend reducing the level of daily replenishment of energy reserves by no more than 20%. For example, if the result of calculation using the formula is 1500, then reducing to 1200 calories per day is safe for health. The menu should be as healthy as possible and contain fresh vegetables, fruits, and protein. Having made the correct calculation of calories consumed per day, an approximate food plan is drawn up.

If your weight is significantly higher than normal, then your diet needs to be radically changed and your daily calories must be constantly monitored. Restricting food at first will make you feel hungry. Gradually, the body will get used to the adjustment, and the extra pounds will go away. At the same time, it is important to give the body physical activity: exercise in the gym, aerobics, running, cycling. If you spend more calories than you consume, the results will not be long in coming.

Menu for 1200 calories per day

This amount is considered optimal for losing weight without causing harm to a woman’s body. The energy received will be enough to maintain the functioning of the body, and the feeling of hunger will not haunt you all the time. When counting the amount of “fuel” eaten, you need to write everything down in a notebook or notepad.

First of all, we “break” 1200 calories into several parts. On the day, the menu is usually divided into 5 meals (every 3-4 hours). Daily diet option:

• Oatmeal with raisins on water - 200 g;
• Tea without sugar

• Cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil - 150 g;
• Low-fat kefir - 200 ml;

• Vegetable soup or borscht (can be made with low-fat broth) - 1 plate;
• Rye bread - 1 piece;

• Apple (banana);
• Yogurt (tea);

• Boiled potatoes (in their jacket) - 2 pcs.;
• Vegetable salad - 150 g;
• Kefir (tea).

Ingredients can be selected according to taste preferences within 1200 calories.

How many calories does the female body need?

The female half of the population pays more attention to the products they consume and their quality than men. Thanks to such vigilance, sagging sides can be avoided and vitamin deficiencies can be prevented. A woman’s daily diet should consist of foods that leave her feeling full for a long time. All calories eaten per day for a woman should not “float up” like an orange peel. You can, of course, allow yourself a piece of cake or a few chocolates, but freshly squeezed juice or muesli topped with yoghurt will bring more benefits. You can create a suitable diet with the help of a nutritionist, who will take into account all the necessary requirements of the body, depending on age and weight.

Girls in adolescence need as many healthy products as possible, from which the energy will be used for the process of body growth and mental work. The norm of calories consumed per day is from 2700 to 2800. After 25 years, the amount of energy required is reduced and the daily diet can be reduced to 1800-2000. Using the calculation formula, you can find out exactly how many calories are required per day for a woman of a certain age and activity level.

Calories and pregnancy

While carrying a child, a woman’s body needs constant nourishment, but “eating for two” is not necessary. The health of the expectant mother and baby depends on the quality of nutrition. Therefore, it is imperative to know how many calories you need to consume per day. The regime in the first months of an interesting situation is not much different from the usual routine. Therefore, calories are burned at the same rate as before. When calculating the daily intake, it is necessary to take into account body mass index (BMI), weight and activity. The mass index is calculated using the formula:

BMI= weight (kg)/height (m2)

The normal value is in the range of 18.5 - 25. With these values, the daily diet of a pregnant woman should consist of 2400-2800 calories. Accordingly, if the index is higher than normal, then the amount of food consumed must be reduced so as not to gain extra pounds. For thin girls with insufficient body weight, you can increase the amount of calories to 3200-3400 per day.

How many calories does a man need per day?

The male body always needs more energy than women. This is due to body weight and fast metabolism. A man's diet should be nourishing and beneficial for the normal functioning of internal organs. The daily diet of a man who goes to the gym 2 times a week should consist of 2500-2800 calories. Depending on the load, this value can change up or down. You can find out how many calories a man should consume per day using the same system.

To lose weight, you need to calculate and reduce a specific daily norm using the Harrison-Benedict formula. Weight loss for a man can be up to 4 kg with a properly designed menu, in which calorie intake per day will be reduced. You will have to give up harmful preservatives and alcohol. The latter, by the way, also contains calories, but there is no benefit from them to the body. Beer, for example, contains 42 calories per 100 g, and vodka contains 270 calories.

Nutrition when drying the body in men

The protein diet is aimed at getting rid of fats and reducing carbohydrates. Due to this, the beer belly will gradually degenerate into abs. To build a muscle corset, you need to include more protein foods in your daily menu. In addition, the body needs vitamins and microelements.

Calculating the amount of the main “building” element is simple: 1 g of protein is needed per 1 kg of body weight. In the morning you need to eat porridge (buckwheat, oatmeal) with water, seasoned with a teaspoon of honey. For fruits, you can eat an apple or a banana. For second breakfast - cheesecakes and a glass of drinking yogurt. Lunch should consist of chicken breast soup and a second dish, for example, stewed potatoes. But the afternoon snack is cottage cheese and tea. Dinner can be made up of boiled (steamed) dietary meat and vegetable salad. The number of calories per day is calculated by weight and age. After just 2 months of a protein diet, the result will be noticeable.