Whether you exercise every day or eat healthy, the bottom line when it comes to weight loss or weight maintenance is the same: calories in, calories out. If you are eating more calories than you use up during the day, this leads to weight gain. If you use more calories than what you take in, this is what leads to weight loss. But simply counting calories each day does not make you a healthy individual; you also need to consider from where you are getting your calories, and how it is you use them up.
Daily Caloric Intake
The American Dietetic Association states that "the number of calories you need each day depends on your age, gender and activity level." A non-active woman's caloric need is of 1,600 calories per day. A moderately active woman needs 1,800 calories per day, and an active woman needs 2,000 calories each day. On the other hand, sedentary men need 2,000 calories per day. Moderately active men need 2,200 to 2,400 calories per day, and an active male needs somewhere between 2,400 to 2,800 calories per day.
Nutritional Value
When picking your foods throughout the day, think about nutrient-rich foods. The Surgeon General states that "balancing physical activity and a healthful diet is your best recipe for managing weight and promoting overall health and fitness." The majority of your food choices should be packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients, and should be lower in calories. Choose foods that are high in nutrients to help support your body throughout the day.
Tracking Calories
A good way to track your calories throughout the day is to keep a small notebook where you can write down everything you eat throughout the day. If you are unsure of the nutritional value of what you are eating, write it down and then look it up online at home through various calorie counter sites.
Calorie Expenditure
According to the numbers given by the ADA, a woman burns 1,600 calories just on supporting her body trough daily activities, and a man burns 2,000 calories. These calories are needed for weight maintenance. For optimum health, you should not only think of finding a balance between calorie control and physical activity. According to the Calorie Control Council, walking slowly at 2 to 2.5 miles per hour burns 210 to 230 calories, jogging at 6 miles per hour burns 315 to 480 calories, playing tennis for an hour burns 315 to 480 calories and an hour of aerobic dancing burns 480 to 625 calories, as does swimming.
Weight Loss
Track your calories for several days to figure out your average caloric consumption. Pick an activity that you will enjoy doing at least three days a week for at least 30 minutes. According to Natural Physiques, 3500 calories spent equal 1 lb. of weight lost. If you keep your caloric intake the same, but burn 500 calories a day through exercise, after seven days you will have lost one pound. If you change your diet to eat healthier and consume fewer calories, say 500 less calories, you will lose 2 lb. every week in a healthy manner.
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