Published on: Nov 04, 2022
How Many Calories Should You Eat in a Day for Weight Loss?
Counting the number of calories for weight loss you eat in a meal or throughout the day can be a very difficult task. It may seem that instead of eating, all you are doing is focusing more on the calories on your plate.
However, with a little time and some effort initially, it will become easier for you to understand the concept of calories for weight loss and know exactly how many calories are needed per day.
In this article, you will find out more about the daily calories for weight loss, how many calories for weight loss are needed for men and women, how you can reduce your calorie intake, and the right amount of calorie intake for weight loss.
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How Many Calories Should I Eat a Day?
If you are always asking yourself ‘how many calories should I eat a day, on a general basis. To lose weight, you must reduce calories based on your initial calorie intake.
The total amount of calories for weight loss that you should have in a day will depend on a lot of factors such as:
1. Your age
How old you are will determine the number of calories for weight loss you need on a daily basis. Children, teens, young adults, and senior members of the family will all have different amounts of calories for weight loss that they need to have in their meals.
2. Your height and weight
Your individual height and weight will also determine how many calories you should have in your meals that will aid in your weight loss routine.
3. Your overall lifestyle
Your lifestyle will also have a key role to play in determining your total requirement of calories for weight loss. For example, whether you work out or not, how often you work out, whether you have a sedentary lifestyle, and so on will all determine the number of calories for weight loss that you can have.
In addition to the calorific requirements for children on a daily basis, make sure that they have a healthy, balanced meal.
Here are a few things that you should keep in mind when preparing a meal for a child
- Make sure that it contains a mix of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Having a mix of different colors on the plate can help you achieve this in an easy and healthy way.
- Add some dairy products or, in case your child is lactose intolerant or intolerant to dairy, add some similar such as almond milk, soy milk, or lactose-free milk and its products.
- Ensure that there are some starchy foods in the meal, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown or roti, millet, and so on.
- Try and add some nuts.
- Include good sources of protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, green leafy vegetables, dal, and so on.
How to reduce intake of calories?
In order to reduce your calories for weight loss, you have to be able to burn a higher amount of calories than you eat.
While initially, it may seem a little difficult to cut down on your calorie intake, here are a few effective ways to cut down your calories for weight loss on a daily basis.
1. Cut down on your store-bought beverages
- Most of the beverages that you buy from the stores, even the ones that are marketed as healthy and no-calorie ones, such as fruit juices and so on, have a higher amount of calories so it will be best if we consume the fruit as a whole.
- Instead of falling into the trap of store-bought beverages, have some homemade fresh beverages such as lassi, nimbu paani, chaas, sattu sherbet or milk, and so on.
2. Reduce the number of helpings you take
- Start by having a little less amount of food than you usually do.
- For instance, if you are used to having 3 rotis in your meal, reduce it and have 2 rotis instead.
- If you eat one bow of sabzi, double the quantity to get more fiber and satiety.
- If you still feel hungry after completing your meal, resist the urge to have another serving and wait for some time.
- You can have a glass of chaas, salad or raita instead if you are still feeling hungry.
3. Reduce at least one calorie-rich food item from your diet
- If you are not able to reduce your calorie intake suddenly, try and cut down at least one calorie-rich food item from your diet.
- For instance, if you love eating chocolates or mithais, and love to have something sweet every day, even if it is a so-called healthy one, reduce the amount you have, or reduce it to only one portion a week.
4. Change your snacks to low calories ones
- If you often like to snack in between your meals, swap your snacks with foods that are low in calorie content.
- Some healthy, filling yet low-on-calorie snacks that you can munch on without the guilt are roasted chana, roasted makhana, grilled tofu salad, raita with vegetables, chicken salad, grilled chicken, and so on.
While it is important to count calories for weight loss, especially when you are trying to lose weight, make sure that you are healthy and do not feel any discomfort once you start cutting down on your calorie count.
If you notice any changes in your mood, overall well-being, or health, speak to your doctor and consult a dietician or nutritionist who can guide you better.
For more ways to cut down your calories for weight loss in a healthy way, you can also follow our blog or website or log in to our app.
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