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In order for our bodies to function we need to consume food, since food contains calories which provide us with the energy we need. The recommended daily calorie intake for women is 2,000 calories and for men it is 2,500 calories, although other factors should be taken into consideration such as size, activity levels, and age in order for individuals to establish the right number of calories they require on a daily basis. Obviously a person who runs marathons regularly is going to need more calories than someone who barely does any exercise in order to maintain a healthy weight. Indeed, the main reason for counting calories is to enable people to either gain weight, remain at their current weight or to lose weight. Staying on top of the calories you consume isn't always that easy, though, which is perhaps why so many people struggle to control their weight.

Individuals who are attempting to lose weight often find themselves noting down everything they eat and how much they eat so that they can see the impact their diet has on their weight. To lose a pound of weight you have to burn 3,500 more calories than you consume, which is why every last calorie has to be accounted for. In order to ascertain the number of calories you have to get used to looking at the nutritional information on food packaging, as well as measuring out your portion sizes rather than just relying on your skewed perception of what a 'normal' portion size is. There are also plenty of websites which inform you about what a balanced diet should comprise of and the number of calories contained in different foods.

Indeed, the internet can be a useful way of determining how many calories you need. If you do a lot of exercise there are lots of calculators available to tell you how many calories you burn doing various activities, depending on your weight, and the intensity and duration of the exercise you do. If you are trying to lose weight it helps to know how many calories are needed to maintain your weight so that you can adjust your diet and exercise plan to burn enough calories to lose at least a pound a week. However, it is advisable for women not to go below 1,200 calories and men 1,500 calories, as otherwise the body goes into starvation mode affecting your metabolism and body fat composition.

Whatever your aims are counting your calories can be a good way to help you achieve them, particularly if you are trying to lose weight, since keeping track of your calories means you are able to establish what your calorie requirements actually are and adjust them according to your needs.

Learn more about this author, Michelle Wilkinson.
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