A Guide to Calories

What are calories?

A calorie is the measure of energy stored in food or drink. If we consume more calories than we use up our bodies store the calories as body fat. Over a prolonged period this can lead to an increase in weight. In the UK the NHS recommends that the average man needs around 2,500kcal a day to maintain a healthy weight. The average woman should consume around 2,000kcal a day. In the UK the body mass index (BMI) is used to help track your calorie intake as the values you should consume depend on:

  • Age
  • Size
  • Level of Physical Activity
  • And more...

Balancing calorie intake and outtake

Our bodies require energy, that's why they need calories. By eating and drinking we consume energy. Which is used throughout the day through everyday movements. To maintain a stable weight energy consumed must be roughly equal to energy used. If you consume too much energy one day you should try to consume less over the following days. Knowing the the calorie content can help with this.

NHS - What does 100 calories look like

Healthy weight loss or gain

The key to loosing or gaining weight safely is balance your intake and consumption of calories. This can be done by monitoring the amount of food you consume and the calories within that food. In the UK the calorie content of many shop-bought foods is stated on the packaging.

Loosing weight healthily

When trying to loose weight healthily it is vitaly important that in combination with controlling your calorie intake you also increase the amount of exercise undertaken during your day. Along with speaking to a medical professional.

Gaining weight healthy

Weighing too little can contribute to a weakened immune system, fragile bones and feeling tired. Your diet may be the problem so the best way to gain weight healthily is to switch to a healthy balanced diet that provides the right amount of calories for your age, height and how active you are can help you to achieve a healthy weight.

Try to avoid relying on high calorie foods full of saturated fat and sugar (chocolate, cake, sugary drinks). These foods can increase body fat instead of body mass and increase your risk of developing high levels of cholesterol in your blood.

Recommended Daily Calorie Intake

You need to be logged in to view your recommended daily calorie intake!