We’re told more often than not, that if we want to lose weight we should count our calories. This isn’t necessarily the case. When we rely solely on counting calories, we miss the opportunity to listen to our body’s hunger signals which can be instrumental in helping to keep off unwanted pounds. However, it is still true that consuming fewer calories than you burn will lead to weight loss.
According to the Harvard Medical School Healthbeat, “it can be more useful to have a general idea of how many calories you require to reach your goal and which foods are more likely to help you get there.” It’s more of calorie awareness than calorie counting.
Every person is different and requires different caloric needs. It depends on age, body size, metabolism and activity level. Most women need between 1,600 to 2,000 calories per day to maintain their weight while most men require 2,000 to 4,000 calories per day.
A great way to limit calories is to practice portion control. When starting out on one’s healthy eating journey, you can practice measuring until you get to a place where you pretty much know what your body needs and responds best to.
Keep in mind that all calories are not created equal. A diet that is low in carbohydrates will help achieve weight loss. Eliminating simple sugars will also help.
The bottom line is if you want to lose weight without worrying about counting calories, limit your portions and simple sugars, increase your vegetable intake and consume fewer calories than you burn.
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