Caloric Intake For Weight Loss

Your caloric intake and usage are what determine your weight loss success. When you are trying to lose weight, you must use more calories than you eat. All of the foods you eat and the beverages you drink contain calories. Any physical activity you do uses calories.

Significance

The number of calories you eat has a direct effect on the amount of weight you lose. The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that a pound of fat is about 3,500 calories. That means that if you want to lose 1 lb of fat per week, you have to use 3,500 calories more during that week than you eat. That equals a deficit of 500 calories each day for the entire week.

Identification

Choosing healthy foods that aren't high in calories is important when you want to lose weight. The Food and Drug Administration notes that a food with 400 calories or more in a single serving is considered a high calorie food; whereas one with 40 calories is considered a low calorie food. Checking the Nutrition Facts Label on food packages will let you know the number of calories per serving.

Types

There are two types of calories: healthy calories and empty calories. Healthy calories are calories that contain nutrients. For example, the calories in a banana are healthy calories. Empty calories are calories that don't contain nutrients. Soft drinks and sugary drinks contain empty calories.

Considerations

While proper eating is the most important part of a weight loss regime, exercise is also important as it will help you to burn more calories. The American Academy of Sports Medicine offers a recommendation of 60 to 90 minutes of exercise daily on most days of the week. However, any physical activity is better than a sedentary lifestyle.

Warnings

Severely cutting calories without being under a doctor's care can have health consequences. Weight Control Information Network notes that gallstones are possible when losing weight rapidly. Other possible effects include nausea, diarrhea, constipation and fatigue.