You’ve probably thought about how many calories are in the food you eat and how they impact your health and fitness journey. When I started my fitness journey, I felt the same about calories. I did not understand why they were and why everyone checked nutrition labels to gauge how many calories were in each food. But one thing was clear – calories MATTERED a lot, and if I wanted to shed the extra pounds, I would have to change what I ate. If you are in this boat and are wondering what calories are and how many calories you should consume, please keep reading:
WHAT ARE CALORIES?
I’ll break down calories in the simplest way possible. Calories are merely the ENERGY STORED IN FOOD. Some sources may describe them as units of energy or something close to this. But that is as simple as it gets.
So, what is the definition of a calorie? It’s plain energy. That energy fuels your body, allows you to do what you like, and keeps you alive. So, while touted as a good option, a diet low in calories has its limits on how low it should be. After all, how else would you move around or even breathe if your body lacked the energy to do so?
Now that we are on the topic of calories, let us cover some of the most common calorie questions you may have come across or may have. For example, below are some of the frequently researched questions online:
- How many calories are in an egg?
- How many calories are in a banana?
- How many calories are in an avocado?
- How many calories are in chicken breast?
- How many calories are in an apple?
- How many calories are in a sweet potato?
- How many calories are in strawberries?
Is this something you have ever looked up or thought about? You’re probably expecting a straightforward answer to these calorie questions, but there is none. Why? Take the example of an egg. One large boiled egg contains 78 calories. The same egg, when fried, gives you 90 calories. And when you make it into a simple omelet, it goes up to 94 calories. So, what happens when you poach it? The calorie content goes down to 71 calories! That is the same egg cooked in different ways.
That means that if you have two large poached eggs, you will consume 142 calories, yet someone who has two large fried eggs will consume 180 calories. So, there is not a simple answer to how many calories are in the food you consume based on two factors:
- How you prepare the food, e.g., fried foods will have more calories than boiled or grilled foods, and
- How much you eat: If you consume a small egg, your caloric consumption will be much less than that of someone who eats a large egg.
Can you see how a question such as how many calories are in X or Y can be confusing? So, let’s get some of the math out of the way.
HOW MANY CALORIES SHOULD YOU CONSUME?
It is much easier to gauge the calories in food and how they fit your health and fitness goals when you know where to cap your limit. So, how many calories does the average human need?
Since working with clients, I have gotten this question a lot. Sometimes, a client comes to me and says that they found this meal plan that follows a 2,000-calorie diet and wants me to create something like that. But guess what? The number of calories you should consume is not standard as it depends on several factors. Which are they?
- Your Age: Children and teens generally need fewer calories than adults as their bodies have fewer fuel needs. So, while the average adult female may need 2,400 calories a day, a teen female will likely need less than this.
- Your Gender: Men’s bodies generally need more fuel than women owing to their reduced fat deposits. Men are mainly muscle, while women have a higher body fat percentage, thus reducing women’s caloric needs.
- Your Body Size: The bigger you are, the more energy you need to fuel your body, hence an increased need for caloric intake.
- Your Lifestyle: Active people need to take in more calories compared to sedentary people.
- Your Fitness Goals: If you want to lose, maintain, or gain weight, you must follow a meal plan designed to meet your health goals. That’s why someone who needs to lose weight goes on a caloric deficit and why someone maintaining their weight must stick to their maintenance calories.
You will notice that I have not used absolutes but terms like generally and likely. That’s because health and fitness are not standard. One person may be okay with taking 2,500 calories, while another could need only 1,700 calories. So, before you decide how much and what type of food you need to consume, you must understand how many calories can help you reach your goal.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT CALORIES
But to sum this up, calories are energy stored in food. The higher the energy in the food, the higher the calories. This energy keeps you alive and aids you in performing various tasks. I should also add that you will gain weight if you consume too many calories and exceed your body’s needs. So, if you’re trying to lose or maintain weight, that would be detrimental to your progress.
The number of calories you need depends on your fitness and health goals. So, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for everyone.
Do you know how many calories you need to consume to reach your health and fitness goals?
Check out this guide if you want to jumpstart your weight loss journey with a 28-day metabolism plan. And if you want a consultation on your caloric intake, you can reach me via dee@deemanded.com or by dropping a contact form. Also, I am on Instagram and always checking my DMs. Find me here.