Useful math: how do you count calories?

Surely you have heard the phrase “in order to keep yourself in shape, you need to count calories”. But few people talk about how to do it, and the fact that there are different calories is a great universal mystery. Let’s try to understand how many calories a person needs a day and what is the difference between quality and empty calories, and tell you how to count them and why to do it.

What are calories?

The term “calorie” (from Latin calor – heat) was introduced into scientific circulation by French chemist Nicolas Clement-Desorme, although some kind of “calorimeters” appeared long before that. Such devices were used to measure the amount of heat released in various physical, chemical and biological processes. And in 1780 French scientist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier found out during experiments on a guinea pig that our organism has three most important functions: respiration, nutrition and evaporation of water. Since then, it has been talked about that food is burned in the body.

Only in the early twentieth century, the American physician Lulu Hunt proposed to use the term “calorie” in order to determine the energy value of food. Now under the caloric value of food means the amount of energy that the body receives when it is fully digested.

How many calories do you need and why count them?

For each person, the norm of calorie intake is individual. It is determined depending on gender, weight, height, level of physical activity, age and other features. Calories should be counted if you want to lose weight, gain or even maintain weight. In the case of weight loss, you need to artificially create a calorie deficit so that the body draws the missing energy from fats, i.e. consume about 20% less than the norm. For weight gain, on the contrary, we consume more calories and create a surplus.

According to nutritionists, you do not need to count calories only if you have already lost or gained weight and eat according to a completely familiar scheme that suits you. Most likely, you already know your usual set of foods that will keep your figure in perfect shape.

How do I count calories?

The two most popular methods of calculating your calorie intake are the Mifflin-San Géor and Harris-Benedict calculations. Both are mathematical formulas. They allow you to calculate the number of calories your body expends for basic metabolism.
Mifflin-San Géor formula:

• Women’s formula: 10 x weight + 6.25 x height – 5 x age – 161;
• Male formula: 10 x weight + 6.25 x height – 5 x years + 5.
• Harris-Benedict formula:
• Female formula: 655.1 + 9.563 x weight + 1.85 x height – 4.676 x age;
• Male formula: 66.5 + 13.75 x weight + 5.003 x height – 6.775 x age

Important: you can see the exact individual daily allowance by multiplying the final result by the physical activity index. This value is 1.2 at the lowest level of activity, 1.9 – at the maximum, characteristic of athletes. With an average load, it is equal to about 1.4.

To calculate the calories in your diet, you will need two of the most important tools. The first is a kitchen scale that allows you to accurately determine the amount of food consumed. The second – calorie tables and a notebook where you will record the amount you eat, or a special application for your smartphone

Quantity or quality?

What is the difference between quality and empty calories? This question is clearly answered in her “instagram” fitness blogger Lucy Mountain.

We all remember that different substances are digested at different rates. It is this difference that is largely embedded in the understanding of calorie quality. The nutrients that are found in food make a big difference. For example, eating 2000 cal (on average) worth of chocolate around the clock is unlikely to make you gain weight, but the quality of the food will surely affect your stomach. Let’s imagine that for a day or two or three you eat only chocolate.

Where will your body get other vitamins and minerals from? The same goes for eating only greens and yogurt. Sometimes, allowing yourself a tasty “forbidden” food, you not only reduce the risk of breakdowns, but also regulate the amount of BGU (proteins, fats and carbohydrates) and amino acids. So is it quantity or quality? The answer is simple: both.

Quality calories contain:

• whole grains
• vegetables
• fruits
• berries
• mushrooms
• nuts
• seeds
• legumes
• fish
• lean meat
• fermented dairy products
• honey

Remember that balance is the foundation of good nutrition. Calories are responsible for your weight, and your BGU is responsible for your health. Don’t neglect either one.