What does a calorie counter calculate and how does it help you lose weight? Diets are booming, and there is hardly anyone who has not followed strict dietary rules to lose excess weight. Most diet concepts promise great success in the shortest possible time. However, very few can deliver on this promise. One reason for this is that many diets ignore a very important aspect of successful weight loss. Instead, they sell one-sided and unpromising concepts. Yet the theory behind weight loss is quite simple. In this article, you will learn what calorie calculators have to do with it and how they can help you lose weight.
Calculate your calorie needs here!
How many calories does my body need?
How many calories do I need to maintain my weight? What can I eat to lose weight? And how much is too much? These are questions that each and every one of us asks ourselves at some point. However, there is no general answer to these questions because every body is different.
The basal metabolic rate
Your daily calorie requirement is calculated based on your basal metabolic rate and active metabolic rate. The basal metabolic rate describes the energy that your body needs at complete rest. These calories are therefore the absolute minimum needed to maintain all vital bodily functions.
The active metabolic rate
On the other hand, the active metabolic rate is the energy that you burn during physical activity. This primarily includes everyday things such as speaking, walking or working. But sporting activity is also taken into account in the active metabolic rate. With the free calorie calculator from VERIVAL, you can easily determine your daily calorie requirement.
It is important to emphasize that it is by no means sufficient to only take in the calories of your basal metabolic rate. Your body absolutely needs the additional energy of the active metabolic rate to stay healthy and productive.
What is important when losing weight?
Countless diets claim to have cracked the formula for getting rid of unwanted kilos. Low carb, high carb, cabbage soup or blood group diets – all these concepts promise quick weight loss if you follow the rules. However, in most cases these approaches are very one-sided and by no means suitable as long-term forms of nutrition. Frustration sets in quickly, the diet is abandoned and thanks to the yo-yo effect, the lost weight is quickly back on the ribs.
Healthy weight loss with a calorie deficit
The theory behind successful weight loss is quite simple and can be explained in just two sentences: if you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you consume fewer calories, you will lose weight. In short, you simply need to have a calorie deficit to lose weight. This raises the following question: when are you still in a deficit and when is it too much? We have the answer.
This is how the calorie calculator can help you lose weight
The first step is to find out what your personal daily calorie requirement is. To do this, go to our calorie calculator, fill in all the fields and get your daily requirement calculated with just one click.
Now you know the number of calories you should not exceed to maintain your weight. However, keep in mind that this is only an average. On days when you are particularly active, your daily requirement can be significantly higher.
In addition, slight deviations are possible depending on the muscle and fat composition of your body. Muscle cells burn more energy than fat cells. Your genes and eating habits can also influence your actual daily requirement. However, the deviations are negligible.
How large should the calorie deficit be to lose weight healthily?
Next, we determine the calorie deficit needed to lose weight. It depends on how quickly you want to get rid of the extra pounds. To lose one kilogram of body weight, you have to save a total of 7,000 calories. Most studies recommend not saving more than 300-500 calories per day to lose weight sustainably and healthily.
This way, you will lose about 0.3 to 0.5 kg per week. But before you get carried away and end up with a calorie deficit that is too high and possibly permanently disrupt your metabolism, remember: the road to your dream weight is a marathon, not a sprint.
To help you keep track of how many calories you consume each day, nutrition trackers can be helpful companions, especially at the beginning. Many of them are available as convenient smartphone apps. By recording your meals, you will learn a lot about your eating habits. You will be amazed at the calorie traps hidden in your daily food.
Especially at the beginning of your weight loss journey, it can be useful to record your meals in a tracking app.
A healthy breakfast for a feel-good weight
Now that you know the strategy for achieving your ideal weight, we have one more tip for you: start the day with a nutritious and healthy breakfast. The aim should be to stay full for a long time and have enough energy to last until lunch without snacking. A secret trick for saving calories, so to speak.
Porridge is particularly suitable. The oats in warm breakfast porridge contain a large amount of dietary fiber and provide your body with long-chain carbohydrates. In addition, the cereal swells in the stomach and thus ensures a long-lasting feeling of satiety.
Healthy organic porridge from VERIVAL - try it now!
Basic recipe: oatmeal
Ingredients
- 250 ml milk or a plant-based alternative for vegans (oat milk, almond milk, soy milk,...)
- 50 g oatmeal (grams of oatmeal)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tsp agave syrup optional
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon of your choice
Preparation
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Boil the oatmeal with the pinch of salt and the sweetener of your choice in the milk or plant-based drink (preferably with constant stirring). Cooking the cereal flakes only with hot water is also a possible variant.
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Let the porridge steep for 3 minutes.
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Empty the porridge into a bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.
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Enjoy!
