WHAT ARE CALORIES?
Calories are simply a unit of measurement to calculate energy, just like metres measure distance and kilograms measure weight.
In practice, we know that the human body usually needs about 2,000kcal/day to function (= basic metabolism), plus an additional amount of energy that depends on: physical activity, age, sex, etc. For example, people participating in a cycling race may consume more than 1,500kcal/h.
CALORIES, FOOD AND DIET
In general, calories listed on food packets are an expression of the amount of energy said food can supply the body.
In order to maintain a constant weight, the number of calories consumed via food must be equal to the number of calories burned.
Do you simply need to reduce the number of calories you need In order to lose weight?
Theoretically yes, but not by fasting which can risk causing two problems:
Calories are simply a unit of measurement to calculate energy, just like metres measure distance and kilograms measure weight.
In practice, we know that the human body usually needs about 2,000kcal/day to function (= basic metabolism), plus an additional amount of energy that depends on: physical activity, age, sex, etc. For example, people participating in a cycling race may consume more than 1,500kcal/h.
CALORIES, FOOD AND DIET
In general, calories listed on food packets are an expression of the amount of energy said food can supply the body.
In order to maintain a constant weight, the number of calories consumed via food must be equal to the number of calories burned.
Do you simply need to reduce the number of calories you need In order to lose weight?
Theoretically yes, but not by fasting which can risk causing two problems:
1. your base metabolism might build up a tolerance, which results in lower caloric expenditure in relation to a hypocaloric diet, the result being that weight loss becomes slower and takes longer.
2. when the body is subjected to a diet that is too low in calories, it weakens, inhibiting normal physical activity.
The best results are obtained by slightly reducing the number of calories you consume and making careful decisions about the type of calories you consume. Because they’re not all the same.
CALORIES ARE NOT ALL THE SAME
The same number of calories can be more or less effective in promoting weight loss. In fact, the % of energy expenditure induced by food (TID thermogenesis induced by the diet) in relation to the quantity ingested is equal to:
CALORIES ARE NOT ALL THE SAME
The same number of calories can be more or less effective in promoting weight loss. In fact, the % of energy expenditure induced by food (TID thermogenesis induced by the diet) in relation to the quantity ingested is equal to:
- 20% for proteins and amino acids;
- 10% for carbohydrates;
- 5% for fats.
This does not mean that you need to consume a protein>carbohydrate>fat diet, but simply that, if you’re following a normal and varied diet, i.e. one with more carbohydrates than proteins and fats, you might prefer to:
- reduce total caloric intake;
- reduce the amount of carbohydrate and fat you consume compared to protein.