Calorie calculator calculates the calorie intake. Calculation of daily calories and bju

Calorie calculator is a free app that allows you to calculate your daily calorie intake using a large database of food nutritional values, with the ability to add your own. Calorie Calculator does not require a constant Internet connection to work, so this calorie calculator is truly mobile - you can calculate the calorie content of everything you eat during the day when you don't have access to a computer or when you don't have an Internet connection.

Calorie Calculator Features

  • Calculate your daily calorie intake. By searching for a product by the first letters of the name, you can quickly add food to your diet for any day. You can also find a product by scanning its barcode with a camera. To add a product or a recipe to the diet, it is enough to know its weight - the nutritional value of the product (content of proteins, fats and carbohydrates) will be calculated by the program on its own. By scrolling the phone screen left-right, you can select the ration for yesterday or tomorrow and edit it, planning your menu for the future.
  • Find the nutritional value and calorie content of the product you are interested in. The calorie table of products, which is available in the program, contains information about more than 1000 names of products. Plus, the table is regularly updated via the Internet. You can change the information about the nutritional value of foods - the calorie content of the diet for all days will be recalculated automatically. The phone's "Search" button makes it easy to find a product or recipe in the list by the first letters of its name.
  • Calculate the calorie content of dishes. You can add, edit and delete your own recipes. The Calorie Calculator program allows you to automate the calculation of the calorie content of your meals. Meals are added to your diet in the same way as a simple product.
  • Synchronize data with your diet diary.

An online calculator of daily calories and BJU will help you understand what rate is needed to maintain shape, gain weight or lose weight. Specify your options, choose a lifestyle and a goal. The system will make the calculation automatically!

Your height (cm):

Your weight, kg:

Your lifestyle:

Don't know Sedentary, sedentary Light activity (exercises 1-3 times a week) Medium activity (training 3-5 times a week) High activity (high loads every day) Extremely high activity

Your goal:

Daily calorie intake:
on average consumption per kilogram 2600 - 3000;
by the Harris-Benedict formula 2923;
according to the Mifflin - San Geor formula 2410.
Landmarks for:
calorie range 2290 - 2531;
daily protein intake 143 - 221 grams;
the daily rate of fat is 64 - 84 grams;
the daily intake of carbohydrates is 258 - 348 grams.

Proteins, fats, carbohydrates are the most important components of our food. When planning a diet for weight loss, it is necessary to accurately calculate the daily calorie intake to meet the needs of the body and the ratio of BJU. Correctly selected nutrition will allow losing weight:

  • do not feel hungry, lethargy and weakness;
  • provide yourself with enough nutrients;
  • effectively lose weight, keep weight at a certain level, which is especially important for women;
  • for men - choose a diet for gaining muscle mass or for weight loss, prepare the body for drying;
  • get the right ratio and balance of nutrients in the body.

Online calculator for calculating BJU and daily calorie intake

  • specify your parameters;
  • choose a lifestyle and goal;
  • the system will make the calculation automatically.

Why do you need to know this?

The counter will allow you to get answers to questions:

  • How many calories do we need to lose weight?
  • Should the nutritional value of food be increased / decreased?
  • Are we eating enough BJU?

Daily calorie intake for weight loss

How many calories do you need per day to lose weight? How to calculate calories and calorie consumption correctly? An online calorie calculator will help you solve these problems.

Of course, every person who wants to lose weight has his own way of life: someone is more, someone is less active. Accordingly, one needs to calculate the number of calories per day for weight loss and strictly adhere to this plan, while the other needs to decide how much he needs to keep himself in shape.

How to correctly calculate calorie consumption for weight loss

If you decide to lose weight, you need to know your allowable rate and the optimal number of calories per day. To make calculations of calorie consumption and understand what calorie content a particular dish has, use the online calculator.

To calculate your daily calorie intake, you should determine how much you consume in one day.

There is a specially designed Mifflin-San Geor formula:

  • daily calorie intake for men: (10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) - 5 x age (g) + 5) x A;
  • for women, the daily calorie intake is calculated using the same formula, the difference from the male formula in the last coefficient: change +5 to -161.

After performing this simple computational operation, we get data to keep ourselves in shape. In order to calculate the calorie content for weight loss, multiply the result by the indicator of physical activity (A):

  • low (sedentary work in the office + rare walks around the city) = 1.2;
  • small (above + exercise in the gym + swimming several times a week) = 1.4;
  • average (workouts 3-5 times a week) = 1.6;
  • high (daily exercise) = 1.7.

Harris-Benedict formula.

BMR (Basal Metabolism) * AMR (Active Metabolism).

BMR for women: 447.593 + (9.247 * weight in kg) + (3.098 * height in cm) - (4.330 * age in years).

BMR for men: odds 88.362; 13.397; 4.799; 5,677 respectively.

  • Sedentary lifestyle - 1.2;
  • Moderate activity - 1.375;
  • Average (classes 3-5 times a week) - 1.55;
  • Active people (intense loads) - 1.725;
  • Athletes (6-7 times a week) - 1.9.

For gaining muscle mass, AMR = 1.2; for losing weight women and men - 0.8.

Consumption per kilogram depends only on weight and lifestyle:

  • sedentary. 1 kg from x26 to x30;
  • light activity. 1 kg from x31 to x37;
  • average. 1 kg from x38 to x40;
  • high. 1 kg from x41 to x50;
  • extreme. 1 kg from x50 to x55.

Weight loss rate for men and women per day

Nutritionists say that when losing weight, the daily calorie intake for a woman and for a girl should be at least 1100-1300 kcal. This amount of consumption is able to provide the female body with everything it needs.

For weight loss, the daily calorie intake for a man is slightly higher - 1300-1600 kcal. It is extremely important to calculate the calorie content of your food in such a way that it contains not only proteins, but also complex carbohydrates. In no case should you refuse whole food groups. This can negatively affect your well-being.

How to calculate your daily calorie intake for weight loss?

Online calculator of daily calorie intake will help you understand what calorie intake you need to keep in shape, as well as make a calculation and help you understand how many calories per day you need to lose weight. In addition, you can calculate the rate yourself using tables and calorie intake formulas.

For a person, the recommended daily calorie intake for weight loss is 20% less than the result that you received in the above calculations (1200-1400 kcal). For a child (up to 10 years old), the average daily allowance, when losing weight, fluctuates around 1800-2000 kcal, and for a teenager, the recommended daily allowance is 2300-2500 kcal.

The ratio of BJU in the diet

For a long time, doctors, nutritionists, scientists and physiologists have tried to derive the proportional ratio of BJU in order for the human body to function fully, as well as to prevent diseases associated with malnutrition or malnutrition. As a result, they established the following relationship, which is important to remember:

  • 1 g B = 4 kcal;
  • 1 g W = 9;
  • 1 g Y = 4.

On a day, a person should consume food containing 40% protein and carbohydrates and 20% fat. The formulas for the calculation are as follows:

  • B: (2000 kcal * 0.4) / 4;
  • W: (2000 * 0.2) / 9;
  • Y: (2000 * 0.4) / 4.

The results obtained are for you the necessary norm of each substance separately.

Table of proteins, fats, carbohydrates (BJU) products

The last task remains: to find food corresponding to these data.
It is important to take into account its usefulness for the body, the presence of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other useful elements that are directly involved in the growth and regeneration of cells and the proper functioning of all internal organs and systems.

The menu should be varied. If possible, include dairy and dairy products, meat, fish, cereals, fruits, vegetables, flour, nuts, sweets.

When compiling a balanced diet, this table will be an excellent assistant:

Product Proteins, g Fat, g Carbohydrates, g Calorie content per 100g
boiled chicken egg 12,7 10,7 0,8 144
buckwheat 12,6 3,3 68,0 335
rice 7,0 1,0 77,3 330
boiled brown rice 2,7 0,8 24,7 116
semolina 10,3 1,0 73,3 328
oatmeal 11,0 6,1 65,4 303
durum wheat 13,0 2,5 66,6 301
wheat bran 15,1 3,8 33,5 191
Hercules 11,0 6,2 65,7 305
pearl barley 9,3 1,1 73,7 320
Dutch cheese 26,0 26,8 0,6 352
low-fat cottage cheese 18,0 0,6 1,8 88
raw cow's milk 3,2 3,6 4,8 64
Mozzarella 21,2 20,7 0,7 264
low-fat kefir 3 0,05 3,8 30
sour cream 10% 3,0 10,0 2,9 115
banana 1,5 0,1 21,8 89
watermelon 0,7 0,2 10,9 38
Apple 0,4 0,4 11,8 45
cherries 1,1 0,4 11,5 50
Cherry 0,8 0,5 11,3 52
pear 0,4 0,3 10,9 42
melon 0,6 0 10,3 38
Strawberry 0,6 0,3 7,2 33
raspberries 0,8 0,3 14,1 42
peach 0,9 0,1 11,3 46
black currant 1,0 0,2 11,5 38
kiwi 1,3 1,0 9,8 52
White cabbage 1,8 0,1 6,8 27
cauliflower 2,5 0,3 2,4 30
corn 3,5 2,8 15,6 101
potato 2,0 0,4 18,1 80
salad 1,5 0,2 3,1 17
carrot 1,3 0,1 9,3 34
onion 1,4 0 10,4 41
Sweet pepper 1,3 0 7,2 27
garlic 6,5 0 6,0 46
tomato 1,1 0,2 5,0 23
beet 1,5 0,1 11,8 42
a tomato 1,1 0,2 5,0 23
cucumber 0,8 0,1 3,8 14
zucchini 0,6 0,3 5,2 23
bell pepper 1,3 0,1 7,2 26
cod 17,1 1,1 0,6 81
pink salmon 20,8 6,8 0,5 147
squid 19,0 2,6 1,3 105
pollock 16,5 1,3 0,6 78
salmon 20,8 10,1 1,3 172
trout 20,3 7,9 0,4 152
tuna 22,5 2,6 0,3 115
chum 21,3 6,1 1,1 140
beef 20,4 12,7 0,5 193
beef liver 18,8 4,2 3,4 125
mutton 16,9 17,4 1,2 219
pork 20,5 11,5 0,04 209
hen 21,3 9,7 1,3 175
chicken breast 23,9 2,9 0,7 124
chicken liver 19,8 6,7 1,1 143
chicken thigh 19,4 11,5 2,0 187
minced chicken 17,7 9,9 0,6 164
turkey breast 20,5 3,2 0,1 111
turkey fillet 20,0 4,1 0,2 117
peanut 26,3 45,2 9,9 551
cashew 22,6 49,0 17,5 606
milk pasta 11,5 2,9 67,1 345
durum pasta 10,4 1,1 74,9 337
spaghetti 9,9 1,4 59,2 293
wheat grain bread 8,1 1,4 45,6 231
black bread borodinsky 6,8 1,3 41,8 207
wheat flour of the highest grade 10,3 1,1 70,6 334
pita 9,1 1,1 56,2 277
green beans 1,2 0,1 3,1 16
beans 21,0 2,0 54,5 292
green peas 5,0 0,2 13,8 73
asparagus 3,8 2,0 4,4 46
chanterelles 1,6 1,1 2,2 20
raisin 1,8 0 72,2 262
dried apricots 3,0 0 68,5 227
dates 2,5 0 72,1 271
granulated sugar 0 0 99,8 379
natural honey 0,8 0 80,3 314
raspberry jam 0,6 0 72,6 275
water 0 0 0 0
black coffee 0,2 0 0,3 2
cocoa powder 24,2 17,5 33,4 380
crab sticks 6,0 1,0 10,0 73
cutlet 15,4 18,1 8,2 248
smoked sausage 17,0 40,3 2,1 431
sausages 11,2 23,9 2,3 256
boiled breast 25,4 3,2 0,4 130
mashed potatoes 2,5 3,3 14,4 96
fried zucchini 1,2 6,6 7,1 96
braised cabbage 3,4 4,0 7,4 66
pancakes 6,1 8,4 27,9 206
pancakes 6,6 7,6 35,3 229
dumplings 11,5 14,0 25,8 265
Pizza 9,3 13,4 24,7 260
pilaf 10,0 9,9 26,5 211
millet porridge 4,9 2,4 25,7 138
boiled rice 3,3 1,7 24,8 130
fried eggs 14,2 16,8 1,2 211
Borsch 2,7 3,1 3,8 56
chicken bouillon 3,2 1,6 1,4 32
cheeseburger mcdonald's 13,9 11,9 28,6 281
french fries mcdonald's 3,2 12,7 31,3 252

To make the consumption of these components even more beneficial, it would be nice to additionally:

  • go in for sports (running, walking, squats, push-ups, press - these are the minimum physical exertion required for everyone);
  • be in the fresh air more often.

For keeping a sports diary, calculating the calories of foods on a diet, weight loss applications have been created for Android, which allow you to lose weight rationally and quickly. Thanks to the programs, a person gets motivation to change his figure for the better, accustom himself to proper nutrition according to the required calorie intake and water balance. You can download applications for free on Google Play, some of them are paid, but have advanced features.

Slimming program for Android

Against the background of the general enthusiasm for health, slimness and proper nutrition, applications for losing weight have appeared, which you can download to your phone and monitor your weight. The programs have a lot of built-in information on the calorie content of foods and dishes, BJU norms, steps taken and the consumption of pure water. Such a weight loss trainer for Android will be able to motivate you to go in for sports, daily physical activity and refusal of harmful food.

Calorie counting software for Android

In order to properly lose weight, reduce the calorie content of consumed foods, a program for calculating calories has been created. It is a built-in calculator where you can enter all the food eaten during the day. The program will calculate the calorie content, mark the norm or excess, help you find out the optimal amount of calories that you need to burn to lose weight, depending on gender, age, physical activity.

Popular weight loss apps for Android that have a built-in calorie counter:

  1. Sandwich - created by Russian developers, has a large assortment of products sold in domestic supermarkets. There are functions for compiling a food diary, a reference section on the methodology for calculating the optimal calorie intake, a barcode scanner.
  2. Lose weight without a diet - the user selects from the graphic pictures what he ate in a day, and the program reports on the composition and calorie content. Slimming options: food photography, water metering, body parameters control.
  3. Calorie calculator is a highly targeted application, it counts only calories without BJU, then the values ​​are compared with the ones that are optimal for the user. Opportunities: calendar management, daily limit, amount of food already eaten.

Running app Android

A popular jogging tracker helps the user to keep track of the distance traveled, the number of steps and the calories burned. It must be synchronized with the application for a more convenient and visual display of information. For this, special applications for Android have been created:

  1. Personal running trainer - no personal data input, trainings are held according to the average program. Recording speed, distance, the ability to listen to music while running. The version is free, but it has a number of extensions - Personal trainer, Marathon and others.
  2. S Health is a proprietary Android application for interacting with Samsung smartwatches. In the background, it monitors activity, collects data, processes it. It has a built-in pedometer, thermo-hygrometer, pulse counter, sleep, stress, food consumption analyzer.

Fitness Apps for Android

A smart watch, bracelet or fitness tracker for Android requires a special application to interact and display information. Popular programs are:

  1. Accupedo, Noom Walk, Moves, Steps Mania are accurate pedometers with history storage and graphing functions. You need a GPS to work.
  2. 7 Seven is a sports motivation program for busy people. Includes seven daily exercises to be done for a minute each. The program counts time, shows technique and progress.
  3. Just 6 Weeks is an app for doing simple basic exercises (squats, push-ups, planks) for 10 minutes, three times a week. The result of losing weight is promised in six weeks. Features: training reminder, performance statistics, difficulty levels, description.

Weight control app

Weight control programs for Android will come in handy for losing weight, which will help balance nutrition and tighten physical activity:

  1. Losing weight together - there is a list of dishes for determining calories, a list of diets, a section with demotivators, exercises to keep fit, articles on losing weight.
  2. GymBoom is an electronic workout diary that saves the results of trips to the fitness room, makes a personal exercise program. There is motivation, activity reports, exercise guide.
  3. Endomondo Sports Tracker - suitable for joggers, cycling, walking. Shows the distance traveled, speed, calories burned in real time.

Calorie counting program and BJU

If only the determination of the daily calorie content is not enough, the program for calculating the BJU, developed for Android, will help out:

  1. Fat Secret Calorie Counter - helps you quickly find information about the calorie content and nutritional value of a dish, includes a large assortment of brands and restaurant food. Features: a choice of a scanner or manual entry of a barcode, a nutrition and exercise diary, a calendar, a weight tracking table, a progress log.
  2. BMI Calculator Ideal Weight - calculates body mass index, height to waist ratio, body fat percentage.
  3. E-additive - helps to identify if there are harmful components in food, warns of the dangers of additives with the prefix E.

Best Weight Loss Apps

According to the ratings, based on user reviews, the top slimming apps for Android were compiled, which included programs for calculating calories, calculating BJU, water balance and sports training. These programs were downloaded by users over 5-10 million times, which became the reason for their popularity and singling out into a separate category. You can find them in the official Google Play account.

Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal

According to reviews, the best calorie counter for Android is the app of the same name. It was developed by MyFitnessPal, which created the "pocket nutritionist". The Calorie Counter app monitors nutrition, has a nutritional base with 5 million ingredients, a nutrition and sports diary, statistics and reports on menus, nutrients. The program has built-in graphs of dynamics, constructors of dishes, exercises, a scanner of codes, reminders of meals. Of the minuses - intrusive advertising.

My Slimming Trainer app

The application My weight loss trainer on Android is considered motivational. After launch, a virtual copy of the user is created, which changes as a real person plays sports. Functions: control of nutrition, performance of tasks, motivational pictures and quotes, tips, tasks for dealing with obesity, you can use rewards for movement and restrictions in nutrition, carbohydrates.

Runkeeper GPS running, walking

Fitness plan 30 days on Android

The Fitness plan 30 days app will help you lose weight in a month with a diligent attitude to training. It includes simple yet intense bodyweight exercises designed by professional trainers. Opportunities: a gradual increase in the load, taking into account the individual characteristics of the body, a monthly plan, a guide with a video, recording the process and achievements.

App Time to drink water

To maintain water balance, the Water Time program, developed for Android, will help. If you install it, then it helps to restore a healthy habit, sends reminders about taking a glass of water. How to use the Time to Drink Water app: upload your data, set your reminder options, mark each glass of water, coffee or tea you drink. The program will calculate the optimal amount of liquid, tell you about the intake and fulfillment of the norm.

Runtastic

For professional runners, the Runtastic program for Android will be useful. The free application takes into account user data, has a built-in map, on which the distance traveled is marked using GPS. Pros: high functionality, counting of burned calories and distance, taking into account the rise, terrain, built-in player. Cons: there is no Russian-language interface, the functions of measuring the heart rate and sound commands are paid.

Ducan's diet

Those who are losing weight according to a special system will like the Ducan or iDukan diet application on Android. When loading, personalize the data - you need to enter the actual parameters of height, weight, the desired result. The program will calculate the time of weight loss, calorie content in two stages - Attack and Cruise. Nutrition and body parameters are shown every day. Pros: graph of lost weight and remaining extra pounds, plan functions, calendar, diet today, recipes where you can add your products.

Video: Lose Weight without Diet app

Each person is different, and each formula may have an error. You need to choose the formula that will work for you.

Start with the mean, or with a formula that approximates the mean. If the results are not as effective as expected, try sticking to the following value: lower for weight loss, higher for weight gain.

Harris-Benedict equation

Basal metabolism according to the Harris-Benedict formula is determined taking into account gender, age and body size. The equation was first published in 1918. The formula is suitable for men and women over 18 years of age.

This formula has a rather large error - according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 90% coincidence of the results with real data was recorded only in 60% of cases. That is, in 40% of situations, the equation may show incorrect data, and, mainly, upward. That is, as a result of the calculation, it may turn out that the need for calories is overestimated and a person begins to consume more calories than he actually needs.

New Harris-Benedict Equation

Due to shortcomings in the basic Harris-Benedict formula, an updated equation was published in 1984. Rosa and Shizgal conducted a study on a large group, and the data was taken from research materials of Harris and Benedict in 1928-1935.

This formula already takes into account the features that in the old formula led to an excess of calories and therefore it was this formula that was more often used to determine the basal metabolism before 1990.

Mifflin Formula - San Geora

Over time, the lifestyle of people also changes, new products appear, the dietary schedule and physical activity change. A new formula has been developed, it does not take into account the muscle mass of the body, and is also calculated based on height, weight and age. This equation is used clinically to determine calories and basal metabolic rate.

According to research by the American Dietetic Association, the Mifflin-San Geor formula turned out to be the most accurate. In other sources it is considered. that this formula is more accurate than the Harris-Benedict formula by 5%, but it can still give a spread of + -10%. But this equation has only been tested in patients from the Caucasian group and therefore may not be accurate for other groups.

Ketch-McArdle Formula

The formula was not formulated on the basis of weight, but on the basis of lean muscle mass. Thus, this formula ignores the energy to maintain fat and is less accurate for obese people than for athletic people.

If you are in good physical shape, the result of this equation will be accurate enough for you. If you just set foot on the path of improving your figure, use the Mifflin-Saint Geor formula.

WHO formula

The World Health Organization formula is based on the Schofield formula (gender, age, weight) for height, currently in use. Previously used in the US dietary guidelines. Based on baseline metabolic rate, thermal effects of food, physical activity, and thermoregulation.

Based on body area

The formula is suitable for people over 20 years of age. Resting energy expenditure (or metabolic rate) is proportional to body surface area, usually expressed in kcal per square meter of body surface area per hour (kcal / m2 / m2). Body surface area can be calculated from your height and body weight

Calorie Calculation

Why do you need to calculate the number of calories per day?

The answer is simple - in order to maintain, gain or lose weight, you need to know how many calories your body consumes. If you want to lose weight, you need to spend more calories than you consume. You only get calories if you eat or drink something. And you have to spend calories constantly - for the work of the body itself, for physical and mental stress.

Average number of calories per day

Basically, women need 1500-2000 calories to maintain weight. For men, this value is more - 2000-2500 calories.

How many calories do you need to lose weight or gain weight?

With the help of an online calculator, you can calculate the calorie requirement that you need to exist, and calculate the number of calories for losing weight, gaining or maintaining weight. Calories are calculated based on weight, height, age and activity. Based on the data obtained and your desired weight, the calculator will calculate the number of calories you should consume per day to lose, gain or maintain weight. As a rule, calculations are made by several methods that will show an approximate range. This is done to minimize the error of each individual calculation method.

Minimum calories per day for weight loss

Calorie calculation is shown in the Weight Loss column. "Extreme Weight Loss" will show you the lowest possible calorie values ​​for your reference, but these are not recommended. If you reduce the amount of calorie intake below the minimum, then the body will begin to burn not only fat, but also muscle for energy. The metabolic rate will drop and even a slight excess of calories will be deposited by the body. In addition, muscles consume several times more energy than fat cells. Therefore, burning muscle does not lead to positive results.

Zigzag calories

The calculation results show a table for calculating calories by day, the so-called "zigzag". It is believed that the best results are obtained by slightly varying the daily calorie intake, keeping the average value.

How to calculate kilocalories

A kilocalorie is a thousand calories. One calorie is how much energy it takes to heat 1 ml of water by 1 degree. But there is also a food or dietary calorie equal to a kilocalorie. On food packaging, the calorie content of the food may be indicated as "kkak" and "calories", and this will mean kilocalories.

Calorie Calculation Example

Anna, office worker, two children. Does household chores when not at work. Go in for sports three times a week. Height 163 cm, weight 65 kg, age 35 years. He wants to reduce his weight to 57 kg. According to the Mifflin-San Geor formula, the daily calorie consumption will be 1,833 kcal, the average being 1918. To lose weight, Anna needs to reduce her daily calorie intake by about 500 calories per day, that is, consume 1,400 kcal.

Should I Eat the Same Number of Calories

You can stick to the same number of calories per day, or you can move 200-500 calories to the previous or next day from the day of training. Also, if the weight suddenly stops (weight plateau), then the use of calories according to the Zigzag scheme will help to get it off the ground.

Is it possible to lose weight only on a diet?

You can lose weight, but with a decrease in the daily calorie intake, a person loses not only fat, but also muscle. Try to lead a more active lifestyle, do exercises, add small physical activity

Weight loss rate

Weight gain rate

Ideal for increasing muscle mass is considered to be 1 kg per month for men and 0.5 kg per month for women. A large gain will lead to an increase in not only muscle, but also fat

Should I drink water?

Drinking clean water is essential for weight loss.

A warning

All calculations are based on mathematical and statistical formulas. But only a doctor can give an accurate assessment and recommendations. Please consult your doctor before starting a diet or changing your exercise level.

Our calculator is designed for those who are on a flexible diet, or just want to switch to this nutritional system.

The basic tenet of a flexible diet is that you can eat almost anything, provided the following conditions are met:

  • you need to adhere to your individual level of daily calorie intake;
  • the correct ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates is observed.

That is, you must provide your body with a stable supply of the correct amount of calories and the required ratio of protein-fat-carbohydrate (FFA), but the sources of these elements and energy can be represented by an infinite number of foods and dishes.

When using a flexible diet, you not only count the total number of calories consumed, but you also need to manage the ratio of BJU.

For example, you can spend your entire calorie budget on a pancake breakfast, but remember that you need to provide the right amount of fat and protein. And do not be surprised that by lunchtime you may feel tired - you have used up all the carbohydrates and now you have no energy left.

Use this calculator to calculate the required daily calorie intake and the optimal macronutrient ratio for your age, height, weight, gender and physical activity level. Use these results for a flexible diet to lose weight, maintain weight, or build muscle.

Physical activity level

Higher levels of physical activity are accompanied by higher calorie expenditure. To accurately control the calories consumed, (and therefore calculate the daily calorie intake required for consumption), it is necessary to determine how many calories you burn in sports: for this, use our.

Excessive physical activity combined with low calorie intake can lead to muscle catabolism (breakdown of muscle tissue), which in turn slows down metabolism and weight loss. Metabolism usually starts to slow down after 3 days on reduced calories.

Weight loss and fat loss do not always mean the same thing: weight can be lost due to loss of muscle mass, while the amount of adipose tissue remains the same. To prevent this from happening, it is important to calculate the optimal ratio of macroelements - BZHU.

Incorporating regular exercise into your new lifestyle helps you maintain muscle levels even when you're in a calorie deficit.

But remember:

  • The body spends 5-25% of the total energy consumption on physical activity, and this is not only special fitness classes, this also includes walking, doing our daily activities, etc.;
  • about 10% of energy is spent on digesting food;
  • about 60-80% of the energy is spent on the basic vital functions of the body.

Therefore, physical activity will certainly help in the process of losing weight, but, nevertheless, the most important thing is to limit calorie intake.

Moreover, it should be borne in mind that the body can spend a limited number of calories per day, it cannot work indefinitely, even if we constantly throw new energy into it. Therefore, if today you spent a lot of calories on sports, the body will optimize the daily expenditure of calories and use fewer calories for other processes. As a result, the total daily calorie expenditure of this day will not be much more than yesterday's.

Physical activity is very important in itself, for both physical and psychological health, but with the help of it we can regulate a maximum of 5-25% of our daily energy expenditure.

What happens if there are too few calories? And is it possible to lose weight only through diet?

With an ultra-low calorie intake, muscle catabolism begins, muscles melt, and, accordingly, the body begins to spend less energy on its basic vital functions. That is, your base metabolism decreases. This means that as soon as you return to your regular diet, you will not only regain your weight, but also gain more. Therefore, it is very important:

when losing weight, it is imperative to introduce physical activity, this will help not to lose muscle mass while reducing calorie intake or even increase it, and therefore increase the base metabolism. This will help you lose weight much more effectively and prevent you from gaining weight when you return to your regular diet.

Macronutrients: proteins, fats and carbohydrates

Protein

Protein is important for the growth of new tissue as well as for the repair of damaged tissue, which is what happens when you exercise.

Protein must be your best friend if you want to gain or maintain muscle mass.

But protein isn't just muscle, it's also a feeling of fullness that will help you stay on track.

Protein Sources: eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, meat, fish, nuts, beans, peas, lentils, soy and other legumes.

Fats

Fat is often mistakenly demonized.

Fats can be very helpful in achieving your body shaping goal, they also affect hormones - too little fat can harm your body.

25% of all calories on a flexible diet are allocated to fat. This can be adjusted later, but this is what the initial proportion looks like.

Sources of fat: olive oil, coconut oil, natural peanut oil and other nut oils, avocado, almond, walnut, cashew, red fish, mackerel, egg yolks.

Carbohydrates

Your body uses carbohydrates to produce glucose, which is our body's preferred fuel or energy. It is they who give us the opportunity to stay active.

Fiber, which is important to watch out for if you want to stay healthy, is also a source of carbohydrates, but it also contains no calories.

Sources of carbohydrates: To rupees and cereals, bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes, fruits, vegetables, flour products.

Carbohydrates are simple and complex.

Complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are absorbed more slowly, which means that the energy released during their processing is distributed by the body evenly for its vital functions, without turning into fat reserves. And what is more important, the energy from complex carbohydrates is evenly released within 3-4 hours, which means that all this time the body will have enough energy and it will not require additional food.

Usually, foods containing complex carbohydrates are darker in color than simple ones.

Examples ofoats, brown rice, starchy vegetables, whole grain bread.

Simple carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are absorbed too quickly, the body does not have time to use them up and they go into fat reserves. In addition, the body receives energy in the form of a short burst, and then a breakdown occurs.

Examples ofwhite rice, white bread, biscuits and sweets.

Serving frequency and size

A large portion for one meal, even if the daily calorie intake is observed, can trigger fat storage.

This happens according to the principle similar to the assimilation of simple carbohydrates: a lot of calories and a lot of energy enter the body at once, the body may not have time to use all of it, and then part of the energy can be deposited in the form of fat.

If the daily ration is divided into a larger number of small portions, then each meal will receive fewer calories, which the body is more likely to absorb. Also, in this case, the load on the digestive organs is reduced - the stomach, pancreas, etc.

In addition, it is recommended to eat before any active activity (physical: for example, before a walk, or just before going to work, or even mental - with increased mental activity, the body also spends more energy). But do not lie on the couch or sleep after eating.

Calories to Reduce Fat Mass

It is believed that a pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories, so a daily deficit of 500 calories should help you get rid of a pound of fat per week.

In fact, this is not entirely true.

In general, the body's energy expenditure gradually decreases as a person begins to lose weight. This means that you will inevitably find yourself at the plateau stage - stopping weight loss. The amount of food that previously led to weight loss will one day lead to its maintenance. From which the warning follows:

Always try to aim for a "Weight Loss Normal" daily calorie burn.

The level "Extreme rate of weight loss" is the most extreme and dangerous for health. Do not try to switch to it immediately in the hope of a quick effect. Ultimately, the result may be the opposite of the desired one. This option provides the lowest calorie intake that can be considered. It should be taken as the exception rather than the rule. It is healthier to burn fat than to get rid of it through fasting.

Weight loss plateau - why when you decrease your calorie intake, weight stops falling

Over time, the body adapts to the reduced calorie intake.

The body begins to use energy more efficiently - it slows down the metabolism, so it burns less fat. This is why many reach a plateau (stop) weight loss.

At this stage, the only option is to speed up your metabolism by:

  • increasing cardio loads, strength training,
  • the use of "deceptive" food (ie periodically introduce high-calorie foods into the diet);
  • periodic changes in the number of calories (the so-called "zig-zag" diet - used in our calculator, in a detailed calculation of calorie consumption by day); Link
  • changes in the proportions of macronutrients.

Important:

Only a decrease in the number of calories, in the absence of physical activity, will slow down the metabolism, and the moment you return to the "normal" diet, the weight will return again. Try to pay more attention to your exercises.

Learn to Eat Slowly - Research shows that people who eat fast tend to be overweight.

Zig-zag diet

For more effective weight loss, it is recommended to follow a zig-zag diet, that is, it is necessary to alternate days according to the level of calorie consumption - either less than the norm, then more than the norm, leaving the calculated amount of calories on average. This prevents the body from adapting to the lowered calorie intake and slowing down the metabolism.