Our brains are programmed that the average diet should be around 2,000 calories per day. It seemed so easy, right?
However, each body is slightly different. If he’s tall or has a lot of muscle mass, he may need more than 2,000 calories a day, but if he’s a little smaller, he may need fewer calories.
Plus, if you exercise a lot, you’ll need more calories than a sedentary lifestyle.
You may have been told that if your goal is weight loss, you need to be on a calorie deficit. Simply put, this means eating fewer calories than your body needs to perform its functions. This is true. If you want to lose weight, you’ll want to reduce your calorie intake so your body can use its own body fat to get what it needs.
But healthy eating is more than just comparing calories consumed to calories burned. We explain everything you need to know about healthy dieting.
How do you know if you are in a calorie deficit?
As mentioned above, the recommended 2,000 calorie diet is only an average estimate and is not adjusted for body size or activity level. Some nutritionists prefer to use Mifflin-St. The Jeor equation for determining the optimal calorie deficit for an individual. This equation takes into account gender, weight, height, age, and activity level to determine your resting metabolic rate.
can check out this A calculator to help you determine your resting metabolic rate and how much calorie deficit is beneficial.
What you need to know about calories
Being on a calorie deficit doesn’t mean you’re automatically healthy. Eating 1,500 calories worth of brownies can also help you lose weight. However, you may not get the essential nutrients your cells need for health.
Dr. Julie Chen, a physician at Kaiser Permanente in Gaithersburg, Maryland, says making smart food choices is paramount to losing weight safely.
Here are her tips:
- Include a variety of whole grains, vegetables, fruits and dried beans for essential nutrients and fiber.
- Limit high-calorie, low-nutrition choices such as sweets, energy drinks, and sodas.
- Choose water instead. Try flavoring it with fruit or mint for a refreshing drink.
- Reduce fat, especially from processed foods and snacks.
- Use less butter, margarine, salad dressings, and mayonnaise.
- Add fresh garlic, pepper, lemon, or herbs for extra flavor.
- Choose lean or low-fat meats and dairy.
- Watch out for non-fat treats that are high in sugar and calories. Please be moderate. ”
What about diet?
Blanca Lizaola Mayo, M.D., a liver transplant specialist (liver doctor) and medical director of the Mayo Clinic Liver Transplant Center in Arizona, is a specialist in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). I’m an expert. The first line of treatment for these diseases is lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise.
