HOW MANY CALORIES SHOULD I EAT?

Whatever your fitness goals, you must consume the right amount of calories.

Quite often people tend to not eat enough calories regularly and then have excessive calories at the weekend or late evening.

If you want to lose weight or increase weight or muscle mass you need to eat enough. So, whatever your goals, it is a good idea to track what you eat.

It is certainly true that what you eat and what you think you eat are two different things.

What is a calorie?

In the field of nutrition, calories refer to the energy people get from the food and drink they consume, and the energy they use in physical activity. Calories are listed in the nutritional information on all food packaging. Many weight loss programs centre around reducing the intake of calories. This may be what is required but only when there is a balance with your daily eating in terms of your amount of calories and what you are consuming.

Good packaging can be simple to follow these days with the traffic light system but it can also confuse as large food companies sometimes hide sugars by calling food sugar-free and pack them with similar ingredients.

Calorific intake: Have you got it right?

This is different for everyone as your daily intake of calories should vary depending on age, metabolism and levels of physical activity, among other things. Generally, the recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men.

Before you start trying any ‘diets’ or cutting calories please ensure you are eating a regular amount so your body has balance and the ability to utilise the foods you are consuming.

We have some great videos from Sarah our registered nutritionist offering ideas of how you can get some quality nutrition into your daily diet.

Use a food and exercise diary as shown here and fill it in completely.