Health & Medical Nutrition

Count Calories?

Although calorie counting can sometimes lead to binge eating (among other things like depression), determining the amount of calories to consume daily relative to your specific goals can be useful.
It's a good number to keep in the back of your mind! In many instances, some people do indeed need to count calories! For example, when trying to lose a significant amount of weight in order to be healthier, sticking to a lower calorie count can help you reach your goals (duh, of course).
The same applies if you are trying to gain muscle mass.
So, how do you determine the amount of calories you need to eat in order to achieve your goals? Not only is your body unique but your workout plan and daily activity patterns are also unique.
That means that your caloric consumption should be unique! IIFYM One tool you can use to determine your caloric intake is the If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) calculator.
This will also help you determine the amount of each macronutrient group you should consume (fat, fiber, protein, carbs) in order to achieve your goals! This calculator takes into account your body weight, height, age, and daily activity patterns to determine your caloric consumption therefore making it unique for you.
After determining your suggested daily caloric intake, you can start shooting for that number everyday! There is no need to change the numbers if you are still progressing towards your goals.
You should adjust these numbers if you start to workout more/less which will affect your daily energy expenditure and therefore calories burned.
Likewise, if you start to see significant weight loss you should also recalculate your caloric intake relative to you new body weight.
This means that you usually need to recalculate your numbers once a month to take into account your new weight or workout patterns.
Wrap-Up Lastly, remember that these numbers aren't concrete! You just need to try to shoot for these numbers; they are a good guide to keep in the back of your mind.
You must keep your diet achievable and flexible in order to keep it sustainable! I wanted you all to be aware of this great tool which can help you along the way and help your strive towards your goals! So calculate your daily caloric intake and let it be a friendly guide on your path to achieving the results you want and deserve!


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