If you’re looking to shed some pounds, you’ve probably considered trying a calorie-controlled diet, such as the popular Atkins Diet or the Mediterranean diet. But how many calories do you have to eat to lose weight? Is a low-calorie diet really achievable if you follow the right plan? Is there more than one way to lose weight?
To find out how many calories you need to lose weight, we spoke to Dr. Michelle McMacken, a dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. She told us that while there’s no exact science to calculating calories needs, there are some established guidelines that help make the process easy. So without further ado, here’s what you need to know.
Eat To Your Body’s Metabolism
Your metabolism is the internal process of converting food into energy. It’s a little like a car’s engine: the faster you eat, the faster you burn calories. So if you’re looking to lose weight, you might want to eat foods that are higher in calories but lower in nutrients. These types of foods raise your calorie burn, but they won’t contribute much to your health. While a tomato is a great source of nutrients, it also has a high calorie count. So when you eat foods that are higher in calories but lower in nutrients, your body will assume that you’re eating for energy and not for nutrition. This is why it’s important to eat to your body’s metabolism. In other words, you should eat the amount of food that your body needs. If you eat more than your body needs, it may store the extra calories as fat.
Some people believe that the human body can only process a certain amount of food at a time. According to McMacken, this view is incorrect. Your body can process and store calories, but it depends on how much food you eat. For example, if you eat a large meal, your body will store the extra calories as fat, even if it wasn’t that much food you actually ate. This doesn’t mean that you have to count calories or deprive yourself of foods you love. Instead, it means that you have to understand your body’s needs.
Calories Are Useful For Weight Loss
When you’re trying to lose weight, calories are still useful. Just because your body can store calories doesn’t mean that you should avoid them. It’s important to keep track of what you eat so that you can keep an eye on your calories. In fact, many diet plans, including Atkins and the Mediterranean diets, are based on calories. Simply put, if you’re on Atkins, you can eat only 4 calories per day for the first week. After that, you can add some more nutritious choices, such as eggs and salmon, to your diet.
Your body needs calories to function. We all know this, but it’s different when you’re trying to lose weight. When you’re not dieting, your body requires fewer calories to stay fit. But when you have low calorie diets, your body requires more calories to stay active. This is why you have to be careful not to deprive yourself of calories or eat too much of some foods. Otherwise, you may end up with energy levels that are dangerously low and prone to crashes. These are the kinds of situations that lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. So keep your calorie intake in check and you’ll be fine.
Is a calorie-controlled diet the right path for you? If you’re looking to lose weight and keep it off, you might want to consider a low-calorie diet. Just make sure that you’re not throwing away the key to weight loss by depriving yourself of calories. Instead, find a diet that works with your body and meets your needs. You might also want to consider looking into the keto diet, which has been shown to improve cholesterol levels and speed up weight loss.