You’ve probably heard the saying “Ages before beauty,” and for good reason. Despite what you might think, your senior years aren’t just about making you look great on Facebook. In reality, they’re about staying healthy and active. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean getting a body that completely matches the stereotype of a “grandmother”. It can be challenging to find the right weight for your age, especially if you’ve been undernourished as a child or if your metabolism hasn’t fully developed yet. That’s why it’s best to start young, building up your energy so that you can maintain a healthy weight as you get older. But what’s the right weight for an adolescent? How many calories should you be eating if you want to lose weight? Or, for that matter, how many should you be eating if you want to maintain your current weight? The truth is that it depends on your body size, family history, and other factors. If you’re not sure what to tell your 13-year-old self, here’s a good starting point.
How Many Calories Should You Be Eating If You Want To Lose Weight?
When you’re told over and over again that you’re perfect the way you are, it’s easy to believe that eating healthy is pointless. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Just because you’re not starving yourself doesn’t mean that you should go overboard and eat every single thing that comes your way. There are certain foods that help you lose weight, and there are others that help you maintain your current weight. So which is it?
To shed a couple of those unwanted pounds, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. To do that, you need to reduce your calorie intake to somewhere between 500 and 600 calories per day, depending on your body-type. If you’re a healthy adult and you want to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, here’s a good guess as to how many calories you need to consume per day:
For Regularly Active Women (Between 19 and 49 Years Old)
If you’re a regularly active woman between the ages of 19 and 49 and you want to lose weight, you need to reduce your calorie intake to somewhere between 500 and 600 calories per day. That’s because your body needs energy to function properly. If you consume more calories than you need, you’re setting yourself up for trouble, especially as you get older. Going overboard and consuming more calories than you need will definitely slow down your metabolism, making it harder for you to lose weight as you get older.
If you want to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, you need to focus on eating clean foods and staying active. That means avoiding sugary foods and drinking, and consuming more calories from fresh fruit and vegetables, than from meat and dairy products. Staying hydrated is also key to maintaining a healthy weight. Drink at least 10 glasses of water per day to keep your body in good condition and functioning properly.
If You’re Overweight
If you’re overweight and you want to lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn, whether you’re a man or a woman. For men, it’s a good idea to start by reducing your alcohol intake and replacing it with water. If you’re drinking enough fluids, you won’t be thirsty, and that will make it easier for you to reduce your calorie intake. Plus, alcohol inhibits your body’s ability to metabolize food, which means that you’ll have an easier time losing weight.
If you’re a woman, start by making a list of all of the foods that you enjoy eating, foods that are high in fiber, and foods that are low in fat. Now, it would be great to try every recipe in your cookbook, but that’s not practical, especially if you want to remain active and maintain a healthy weight. You need to pick and choose your foods wisely, eating only those that you know are good for you. If you’re not sure which foods are good for you, consult your doctor or a nutritionist for advice. In addition to eating healthy foods, you need to make sure that you’re exercising every day. Even if it’s just for half an hour or a couple of hours, get out and move around. That will help raise your metabolism and help you lose weight quicker than you would if you were sitting on the couch.
There’s no exact science to weight loss. It’s not like there’s a magical number of calories that you need to consume to lose weight. It’s all about finding out what works best for you individually. But if you’re looking for guidelines, here’s a good place to start.