How Many Calories Should I Eat A Day? Why Is It Important?

It is common knowledge that one should take the right amount of food every day for a healthy and sustainable body. We should have a balanced diet containing proteins and vitamins that is essential for the regular functions of our body. However many of us have no control over our diet which may lead to lifestyle diseases. Hence, it is advisable to know how many calories should we take each day to have a healthy lifestyle.

What Are Calories?

A calorie is a unit that measures the energy of the foods and beverages that we consume. It has a direct relationship with body weight. If you need to lose weight you should eat a low-calorie diet. We must be able to burn the calories that we take each day.

Gaining weight could also be due to other reasons that we may discuss later. 

How To Take The Right Amount Of Calories?

As discussed earlier, for having an ideal weight we should have control over our daily calorie intake. It doesn’t mean that we should reduce our calorie intake excessively. Instead, we should choose a balanced diet to maintain a healthy weight. A balanced diet includes an adequate amount of nutrition that will render us the energy we need for the whole day. It is important to know how many calories to eat daily for having a healthy weight.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for the year 2020–2025, for women, it is recommended to have between 1,600 to 2,400 calories daily. In the case of men, it should be no more than 2,000 to 3,000. However, it can vary according to the individual’s other aspects such as age and height.

Simple Steps To Build A Healthy Weight

Along with an ideal calorie intake, there are certain steps that we can follow to build and maintain a healthy weight. These simple steps besides helping you will fight obesity will also defend you against other lifestyle diseases. Please go through the below points.

✅ Reduce Carbohydrates- Carbohydrates play a major role in providing health however they can also contribute towards weight gain. Especially, those refined ones that apart causing obesity can also lead to insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes. Some common examples of these include white bread, pasta, and white rice. Hence it becomes mandatory for those looking to reduce their weight to cut short their refined carbs intake.

✅ Limit Sugar Intake- Sugar plays an important role in adding up weight to the body. Sugar-sweetened beverages that include fruit juice, soda, and others can be taken occasionally. However, incessant amounts of sugar consumption can lead to diabetes and inflammation in the body. 

✅ Drink More Water- It is important to drink water to keep yourself hydrated to avert many health problems. Water plays a major role in rendering brain health and lowering the risk of kidney stones. It may also offer additional help in keeping you full and eating less calorie-rich food. 

✅ Have Protein-Rich Food- Protein intake can keep you full and reduce food cravings. It can also promote healthy weight and build muscle mass. You can eat eggs, meat, nuts, etc. regularly to gain the benefits.

✅ Eat Less Processed Food- Processed food can be of aid for those leading a busy lifestyle. However, regular intake may lead to obesity and related problems due to its rich calorie content. 

✅ Exercise More- Physical activities and exercises help to normalize body functions and promote weight loss. It helps to maintain blood sugar levels and healthy cholesterols and strengthen metabolic functions.

In A Nutshell

In this article, we had a general introduction to the problem of weight gain and the part played by calories in contributing to it. We had a brief description of calories and also discussed the significance of choosing a balanced diet to maintain a healthy weight.

Further on, we have elaborated on some simple steps that can be taken to maintain a healthy weight and prevent lifestyle diseases.