Calorie Diet

 

When you measure your daily food in energy units, you are following a calorie diet.

Each energy unit is a calorie.

This diet is generally used for losing weight.


What Are Calories?


Calories, or Kilojoules, are the recognized measurements of energy produced from the carbohydrate, protein and fat you eat daily. Both terms can be used on food packaging.

Just remember that 1 Calorie = 4.2 Kilojoules = 1 Energy Unit.



When you are advised to eat, for example, 1800 calories a day, you 'measure' the number of calories in all the food you eat, making sure you keep to a daily total of 1800 calories.

The calorie value of any food you want to eat is easily available, and present on packaged food.


By keeping to a particular amount of calories, you feed your body daily the energy units needed for your lifestyle. The energy is then used for daily body functions and during movement of the body (exercise).


For weight loss, you need to use more energy than the energy units (calories) you eat.



The food you eat in any diet which includes all essential nutrients should be in a calorie diet.

This diet is not as simple as it might seem:

  1. If you do not use the energy units, they end up stored as fat and glucose in the blood.
  2. It is easy to believe that, as long as you keep to those 1800 calories daily, you can eat any carbohydrate, protein and fat. This is a false belief.  
  3. You need healthy nutrition when following calorie diets. Healthy nutrition includes Vitamins and Minerals.
  4. 'Empty' food in your calorie diet does not supply essential vitamins, minerals and fibre you need daily.
  5. Highly refined grains, sugars and alcohol are 'empty' calories.
  6. You should plan meals in advance to properly balance calories/energy units between the essential nutrients in your diet.
  7. The energy units you need daily on this diet depend upon your age, lifestyle, body type and whether you are male or female.
  8. Your body needs many energy units (calories), to function properly, so always seek advice from your Dr. or Dietitian before you cut down on calories to lose more weight.
  9. Too few daily calories can leave you feeling weak.
  10. Using the energy you eat in your calorie diet keeps fat at bay.
  11. Exercise uses energy and adds muscle. More energy is used by the added muscle than used by stored fat.



Summary



  • On a calorie diet, make sure you eat healthy carbohydrate, fat and protein to supply all the essential foods you need.
  • If you are not losing weight on your diet, exercise more to use up those energy units (calories), which otherwise turn to fat.
  • Consult your Doctor or a dietitian before reducing calories. 
  • This diet is a popular diet for weight loss, but exercise is also important.
  • The muscle you build during exercise uses more energy, even when you are sleeping, than the fat you store when your daily energy units are not used up.


This was an article explaining the basics of a calorie diet.