Counting food calories is not necessarily effective for diets & bull; hello healthy

Ideal body weight is everyone's dream. But of course having an ideal body shape can't just rely on hours of exercise in the gym. The daily food intake must also be considered. On the other hand, carelessly reducing food portions can have a negative impact on your diet program. So that the diet effort is not in vain, try to start counting the calories in each of your meals.

You can easily check it on the nutrition labels on the food packaging, or use a calorie counter app on your smartphone. But, why is doing this important for the "safety" of your diet?

How many calories should be needed each day?

In general, healthy men's calorie needs are approximately 2,500 kcal per day while women are advised to meet 2,000 calories per day to meet the body's energy needs.

But daily calorie fulfillment can also be determined by several factors such as age, weight, physical activity, height, metabolic health, and others. Apart from using calorie counting calculators that are now widely available on the internet and in app stores, you can also calculate how many minimum calories your body needs with the Harris-Benedict formula.

Why do you need to count food calories?

Food calories function like fuel for a vehicle. Your body needs to be filled with calories to be able to carry out all activities and to support bodily functions. But too many and too few calories that you get certainly have an impact on the body.

The purpose of calorie counting is to increase your awareness of what you eat, especially when you are dieting. By knowing all the calories from the food you consume, you can be more careful in choosing your food and limit your portions in a healthier way.

However, not everyone is suitable for this diet method

The reason calorie counting techniques are common is that they are easier to implement. To gain weight, you only need to consume more calories in than calories out and vice versa. However, in reality it is not that easy, and not everyone fits this way.

1. Counting calories can trigger someone to diet too much

The purpose of calculating food calories is to control what you eat each day. But for some people, when they know their ideal calorie requirement in a day is (for example) 1200 kcal, this unconsciously triggers them to just not eat / drink below the recommended standard. They may think that the faster they reduce food calories than recommended, the faster they will lose weight.

On the other hand, some people may feel so constrained by these eating restrictions that they may not be completely satisfied. As a result, you will feel awkward if you eat and drink more or less.

This over time can lead to eating disorders such as binge eating, bulimia nervosa, and anorexia. It is also possible that once you get the weight you want, you will return to your old eating habits

2. Make exercise lazy

If you thought cutting calories from your dietary needs would be good, think again. According to one study, 95% of those who wanted to lose weight by reducing calorie intake and exercising excessively were unsuccessful over a 3 year period. This method actually tells your body to lower its metabolic rate, which can trigger a yo-yo effect in your diet.

While some people may think that exercising while dieting will increase the number of calories. The reason is, regular exercise also requires adequate food intake. This thinking makes them deliberately cut out from routine sports or other physical activities, for the sake of concerned with controlling calories from food.

In fact, there is no need to worry about sports or other physical activities because these activities can burn 60-70% of the total calories that enter.

3. Calories are not just calories

When it comes to the human body, calories are a tricky thing. Everything from protein to fat and carbohydrates is processed differently. So that a simple calculation is not enough and must involve the biological side as well.

When you have to choose between 5 avocados or 5 servings of ice cream, of course, avocados are healthier apart from the fact that they contain fat and calories.

An alternative method that can be done besides counting calories

Of course counting calories is not something that is prohibited, this method can still be used to see a picture of your diet. In addition to counting calories, there are several ways that you might take into consideration such as eating when you are already feeling hungry, eating smaller portions, choosing foods that use more calories for storage and metabolism such as foods rich in fiber and protein, and make sure the food you eat is appropriate, healthy, and not only judged by the number of calories.