Keys To The Ideal Intake Of Calories According To Your Needs
The journey towards fitness begins with your plate. The basic needs of every human being are the same. But not in the case of the daily calorie intake. It varies according to age, weight, height, metabolic health, activity level, and even gender. And we feel confused about having the correct diet and the right amount of calories we should eat a day.
The Ideal Calorie Intake In General
The word calorie implies the measure in which the amount of energy in food or drink is estimated. Generally speaking, a woman needs 2000 calories in a day, but for a man, the recommended per day calorie intake is 2500 calories. But for some cases, it may vary.
Here are the factors that determine how much you should eat in a day.
- Age: different age groups have different calorie needs. Just like a growing child who needs to enrich his diet with nutrients and enough calories to support his own growth.
- Weight and height: either be overweight or underweight, you need to watch out for your diet and eat according to your need. You also need to maintain a normal BMI, and your height is the main factor to determine it.
- Activity level: if you indulge in more physical activities every day, you have to increase it. Whereas, a person who does less physical activity should not overeat.
- Some health conditions: like pregnancy, breastfeeding, or any kind of disease. In all these cases, calorie intake will be far different from the general recommendation.
The Variations In Calorie Intake To Achieve Different Fitness Goals
Following the same diet to achieve every fitness goal is not practical. In the same way, the number of calories a person should eat a day has to be according to his fitness needs. This means the ideal calorie intake for a bodybuilder doesn’t ever match with that of someone who aims to lose weight.
To Lose Weight
If you think you are overweight and your BMI also says the same, you have to lose some extra pounds to stay healthy and stay fit. For this, you have to reduce your daily calorie intake. If you are a woman, you can cut it down to 1500. But in case you are a man, you can cut it down to 2000. This way, you could gradually get rid of the fat build-up in your body. Here, in order to compensate for the daily calorie need, your body will start using the stored fat to fuel itself. Hence, fat will start to melt and within a couple of weeks, you will notice the difference. Also, try to include foods that are rich in nutrition and less in calories, this will benefit you more and keep you full.
To Build Muscles
Reaching the gym, we do some strength training and lifts to enhance our muscles. Not only men, but some women also target to gain muscles nowadays. And hitting the gym is an inevitable part of gaining muscles too. But, in the same way, your diet also needs to be enhanced with enough protein and other nutrients, and you will have to increase your daily calorie intake, as well. A man whose weight is 180 lbs needs to take 3600 calories per day to enhance his muscles. Which means for each pound in his body, he has to eat 20 calories. Whereas a woman who aims to add some muscles into her physique has to take 2500 calories per day approximately.
To Tone Your Body
Your goal might be to tone your body and maintain fitness. In that case, considering their daily needs men can try having a per day diet of 2300- 2500 calories. At the same time, a woman who moderately engages in physical activities can aim to reduce 1500 calories from her diet per week to tone up herself.
To Gain Weight
Perhaps, you may be underweight or your BMI shows less than 18.5. You immediately have to increase your daily calorie intake, much more than your daily requirement. But ensure that you are gaining weight in a healthy way. There is no compromise with healthy and nutrient-rich foods. Get an appointment with a nutritional expert to seek the right advice on what to include as well as exclude from your diet. Besides, there are several reasons that lead you to be underweight. You have to know what puts you in trouble, and only an expert physician can help you with that. So, before bringing any changes in your diet, it is ideal for you to consult a physician.
Both men and women have different per-day calorie needs. Even though there is a generally recommended scale in it, you cannot solely depend on it. Since everyone has different needs, regarding various factors, it is better to know what is the right amount with the help of a highly accurate scientific calorie calculator. Moreover, paying a visit to an expert nutritionist will let you improve your diet in the right way.
