Everything You Need to Know About Counting Calories to Lose Weight or Gain Muscle
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Counting calories is a big challenge; however, with the right mindset and discipline, it is possible to put your body into a caloric deficit to lose weight. Another powerful approach to counting calories is through an increase while monitoring levels of health to gain muscle. It is also very important to implement goal planning in your approach to counting calories to lose weight or gain muscle.
If you are looking for really helpful information on how to count calories to lose weight or gain muscle, read on! This article is loaded with tons of nutritional information and great tips to get started. By the time you complete this article, you will be ready to begin a program.
What Are Calories?
By definition, a calorie is just a measure of energy. It covers the actual required amount of energy that will increase the temperature of a gram of water by a single degree (Celsius).
When it comes to our bodies, this specifically refers to the contents of food and how much energy is available for the consumption of our bodies. Our bodies break down the food we eat into very specific components, which are described in more detail below. Within these components, there are both unhealthy parts as well as nutrients that are required for our bodies' natural processing abilities. Each individual has a different requirement for calories based on weight, height, gender, activity level, and several other variables.
What Are Macros?
Protein
Proteins are a critical component for our bodies since they contribute towards building and repairing muscles as well as a plethora of other processes. Amino acids can be utilized to manufacture proteins, and many different sequences will determine structures and functions. Since there are over twenty different kinds of amino acids, there are many combinations and sequences.
Certain foods have higher concentrations of protein. These include meat, eggs, dairy, nuts, beans, grains, and fish. It is important to keep in mind that there are different qualities of proteins that serve our bodies with varying efficiencies. Certain meats have higher protein per gram than others. Beef is highly concentrated in protein but also can have more fat. There are four calories in one gram of protein.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (carbs) are another one of the three main macronutrients. These are the main source of our energy and also contribute towards many of the critical body functions. Carbs can be broken down into two main groups: complex and simple.
Simple carbohydrates are comprised of a few molecules of sugar. The best sources of simple carbohydrates include fruits, milk, and pure sugar. Complex carbohydrates include at least three molecules of sugar and can be found in vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
We break down carbohydrates into glucose which is used as energy by the cells in our bodies. Carbs also contribute to processes that regulate fiber for digestion and blood sugar for healthy blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates are in our food in different forms, and not all are beneficial. It is important to limit refined foods that can create unwanted health issues. It can be a good habit to avoid high-calorie foods that are also high in sugar. There are four calories in one gram of carbs.
Fat
The word “fat” does have some benefits for our bodies. Fats are another type of macronutrient that provide us with energy, insulation, and absorption. They are often referred to as lipids and are water-insoluble while soluble in certain solvents. Glycerol and fatty acids combine to form triglycerides which are also known as fats. If you look at the breakdown of types of fats, you will find saturated, unsaturated, and even trans fats. There are nine calories in one gram of fat.
One important note is that trans fats are typically unhealthy as they are found embedded in processed foods. These “bad fats” raise cholesterol levels and can cause health issues that decrease the quality of our organs.
How Do You Successfully Count Calories?
There are many online tools, websites, and even calorie calculator devices that you can use to determine the necessary daily caloric requirements, which are based on your age, sex, height, weight, and levels of activity. It is important to maintain a documented list of what you eat and drink daily. This is a very critical step to ensure each calorie is included in the quantity. In most cases, the labels on packaged foods give a summary of each of the macros as well as cholesterol, sodium, and, of course, calories. Also, within a certain margin of error, you could find the average number of calories in common foods through online tools.
Determine Your Maintenance Number of Calories
There is a critical measure that can be used to determine your specific basal metabolic rate. This calculation yields the approximate number of your body will burn while idle. The number will vary based on your age, gender, weight, and height.
Once you have determined this base number, try to estimate a daily allowance of the amount of energy you utilize daily. To determine this number, you will need to consider your activity levels. There are specific tools used for this, one of which is known as total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
It is important to be mindful of the fact that the maintenance number may be better utilized through a range rather than a fixed number. After approximately four weeks, you should have a more accurate understanding of this based on the patterns.
Assess Your Goal
If your goal is to lose weight, you should determine a program that ensures your daily regimen requires fewer calories than what you have determined as your daily maintenance number of calories. This same concept can be applied based on the calories that you burn per day.
If you wish to gain muscle, then you will instead focus on eating in a caloric surplus that will contribute to additional muscle mass. Make sure these extra calories come from nutrient-dense foods!
Use a Tracker
A tracker can be like your virtual “food buddy.” There are a plethora of tools that can help you with the details of a specific food, a restaurant. A fitness tracker app offers a ton of features, including goal setting, nutritional analysis, activity tracking, macro tracking, step tracking, calorie tracking, and community support. Many people participate in virtual communities where they benefit from interactivity, sharing of workouts, recipes, and general support.
By recording your meals within a tool like this, you will also get the added benefit of a historical archive of your eating patterns. This can be a nice feature when you discover a trend over some time. If you found that while you were drinking a specific green tea, your workouts became more beneficial. Another possibility is that you find a certain restaurant food causes an increase in your weight. There are certain unknowns that we tend to discover over time based on our own recorded data.
Prioritize Low-Calorie Foods
It is a big adjustment to find lower-calorie foods to substitute for basic items like whole milk, sugar, or even just butter. As an example, one cup of whole milk is 150 calories, while a single cup of almond milk is only 30 calories. That can add up over a day toward the caloric input. By incorporating lower-calorie substitutes, there are significant health benefits, in addition to cutting unwanted calories out of your day.
Plan Ahead
There are significant benefits to the concept of planning your meals out for the week. Not only is it nice to come home with a plan for a meal, maybe even one that’s already been cooked, but you will also be able to anticipate your calories for the day. This provides flexibility with scheduling your week.
For example, if you are invited to lunch in a restaurant which may require an adjustment to your daily caloric intake, you can accommodate based on your pre-planned dinner ideas. Although this may seem overwhelming at first, try and follow a few suggestions.
Plan on cooking enough for several nights and re-use meals, also known as “leftovers.” Focus on recipes that you will feel comfortable with while avoiding ones that are too complex or require more time than you can allow. By researching recipe websites, you will find plenty of options to meet your needs. Creating a grocery list system is extremely helpful. There isn’t one definitive approach to this. The best list is one that will be easy for you to keep up with.
Is Counting Calories the Best Way to Lose Weight?
While counting calories is a great way to lose weight and improve some of the health functions of our bodies, it may or may not be the best way to lose weight. There are so many approaches to losing weight. Some include high-intensity exercise programs which burn a high amount of calories. Using fasting has become more of a common focus lately, while others stick to a low-carb regimen. It is important to research excessively and, if necessary, work with a health professional to ensure you are following all of the necessary steps to remain healthy.
What is a Good Calorie Count Per Day to Lose Weight?
In researching a good calorie count per day to lose weight, there are a few important factors to consider. First of all, there are 3,500 calories in a pound. Using this as a gauge and incorporating your goals of weight loss, you should calculate a range that works well for you. There is no single answer for each individual, only what works best. Some studies have finite calorie counts based on gender. Again, it is best to do some benchmarking along with documenting and using the data to make this determination.
Can Calorie Counting Help With Gaining Weight or Muscle?
By monitoring calories per day, you can benefit from gaining weight, not necessarily muscle. To maximize your increase in muscle mass, some resistance/weight training may be required, in addition to ensuring that the majority of your added calories come from protein.
Additionally, not all digested calories are healthy ones and may not contribute towards the growth of muscle. Muscle growth is challenging, and there are a lot of important concepts to understand before digging into a regimen.
Other Factors That Play a Role in Health Goals
Diet, exercise, stress, sleeping habits, genetics, and lifestyle are just a few of the variables that play a huge factor in your health goals.
It is important to ensure that your diet is balanced and healthy with the essentials that our bodies require to function properly and efficiently. If you need a list of foods that will support your fitness goals, check out our Healthy Transformation Grocery List (affiliate link).
Physical activity is extremely important to improve our cardiovascular health, flexibility, strength, and general fitness level. We all need adequate sleep to repair and rejuvenate our bodies.
Some of the genetics we have inherited create challenges that are frequently out of our control. For example, dealing with a high cholesterol issue may require medications regardless of diet because of what we inherited from our parents. The most important factor in our health is our lifestyle. This includes the way we live, the air we breathe, when we eat, what we eat, and the amount of stress we place on ourselves.
Gender
Males and females are constructed differently, and each gender has different requirements based on the differences in composition.
Age
As we get older, processes begin to slow down in our bodies, and we do not recover as quickly, nor are calories burned at the same rate. There is no hardline as to the exact age when processes begin to change, but they will inevitably occur.
Weight
As the ratio of muscle to fat changes, there are additional challenges that can be presented.
Exercise
Exercise is great for our physical and mental health and offers benefits that burn more based on our calorie intake, which leads to weight loss. How often we exercise and at what intensity are big factors when it comes to achieving fitness goals.
Genetics
Genetics plays a huge role in certain pre-determined characteristics of our bodies, including metabolism. Certain individuals will have a very challenging time losing weight because of their genetic variations.
Food Quality
Better quality foods frequently have more nutritional value through the increase in vitamins, minerals, and fewer calories. These foods help promote feelings of fullness and can reduce cravings for additional extraneous calories. One effective method to ensure you have good meals in advance for the week is to engage in meal prep.
Who Should Not Count Calories?
Counting calories is not necessarily healthy for everyone. Certain people suffer from eating disorders and should try and avoid this type of practice as it could trigger unhealthy behaviors that may lead to regression of symptoms and create serious health hazards. Those individuals who have medical conditions that require a change in their diet should try and avoid this technique. As another example, individuals with kidney diseases or diabetes should find healthy methods that are best suited for these challenges.
Final Thoughts
Counting calories that you burn is not necessarily beneficial for everyone. It is essential to perform extensive research and, if necessary, consult with medical professionals to avoid causing any significant health hazards. Other components are important for us to maintain a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you count calories correctly?
It is very important to ensure that you are not putting your health at risk by counting calories. If you have no medical issues that would prevent you from this practice, it is advisable to find the magic range of calories that is your sweet spot and plan accordingly based on your intake, burn rate, and targets.
How many calories a day to lose weight?
There is no magic number that determines the limit of calories per day to lose weight. This number is dependent upon a multitude of factors, including age, gender, height, weight, and levels of activity. In addition to calories, there are other items that can be included in your diet to help with better calorie burning. One of these is green tea.
How do I calculate how many calories I eat?
The best answer to this question is to use an app that you can either download to your smartphone or even access via the web. Many of these applications can be used to track calories and fitness and modify goals.
