Calories

What is a Calorie?

A calorie is a unit of energy. Rather confusingly, the term "calorie" may refer to two types of calorie - a large one and a small one!

Large Calories

The large "calorie" is the amount of energy, or heat, it takes to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram gram of water 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). One large calorie is equal to 4,184 joules. It is commonly used in food energy measurement and appears on food labels as "kilocalories." It may also be referred to a a "food calorie."

Small Calories

The small "calorie" is the amount of energy, or heat, it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit). One small calorie is equal to 4.184 joules. It may also be referred to as an "energy calorie."

Calories are Simply Units of Energy

We tend to associate calories with food, but anything containing energy contains calories. For example, a gallon (about 4 liters) of gasoline contains about 31,000,000 calories!

What is a Kilocalorie?

A kilocalorie is a unit of energy - it's 1 food calorie, or 1,000 energy calories. It's the energy necessary to raise the temperature of 1 kg of water by 1° Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

Kilocalorie = Large Calorie or Food Calorie

A kilocalorie is synonymous with the term "large calorie" or "food calorie."

The Value of Counting Calories for Weight Control

All clinical weight loss studies as well as most nutritionists and dietitians agree that calorie control is essential for weight loss. Above all because losing weight by calorie counting helps to build your knowledge and awareness of the calorie-content of the food you eat.

Calorie Counting Accomodates All Diets and Dieters

In addition, calorie counting is flexible enough for almost any diet, lifestyle and food preference. There are no forbidden foods when you count calories - all foods are allowed - as long as you eat fewer calories than you burn up each day you will lose weight: that's a fact.

Calorie Counting Helps Identify Foods to Avoid

Although all foods are allowed - providing the overall calorie total is under control - some foods are calorie-dense, meaning they pack a lot of calories into a small volume. Candy bars are a perfect example of a calorie-dense or high-density food. Calorie-dense foods may be useful as an energy boost to counteract low blood-sugar levels, but are not ideal for weight loss or for use in a calorie-controlled weight loss diet.

Calorie Counting Helps Track Your Weight

By listing your calorie-intake in a food diary, you can track your weight loss progress and identify your weight loss progress. Such a diary is also a valuable source of information for your doctor or weight counselor.

Calorie Intake and Weight Loss

Generally speaking, the number of calories you need when trying to lose weight depends upon (1) how heavy you are and how much weight you wish to lose. (2) Your height. (3) Your age. (4) Your gender. (5) The amount of exercise you perform. Even so for most people it is advisable to maintain a calorie intake of 1200 plus calories per day.

Guide to Calories Needed When Trying to Lose Weight

Here is a very approximate guide to calories needed if you want to lose weight.
Teens 1200-1800 calories per day
Women (non-active) 1000-1200 calories per day
Women (active) 1200-1500 calories per day
Men (non-active) 1200-1500 calories per day
Men (active) 1500-1800 calories per day

Calories and Weight Control

Here are some general suggestions for how to reduce calories and control your weight.

Keep a Food & Exercise Diary

Weight loss studies show that making a list of calories eaten in food and calories expended by exercise is a big help in sticking to a weight loss program. It increases calorie-awareness, boosts your motivation to keep dieting and helps to identify eating mistakes.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Diet nutritionists say that weight loss is faster and more enduring if we follow a healthy diet. Don't forget there are several vitamins and minerals that play an essential role in metabolism and weight loss. So if you want to burn calories efficiently choose a diet which contains foods from all the food groups and try to maintain a sensible calorie intake between 1200 to 1500 calories per day.

Calories in One Pound of Fat

According to weight loss experts, there are about 3500 calories in one pound of body fat. So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. In order to lose 2 pounds of weight, create a calorie-deficit of 7000 calories, and so on.

Reduce Calories-In or Increase Calories-Out (ideally, both)

The calorie deficit can be achieved either by calorie-reduction alone, or by a combination of fewer calories-in (diet) and more calories-out (exercise).

Foods That Burn Calories

Negative Calorie Foods

The idea of foods that burn more calories than they contain (called 'negative calorie foods') does seem rather far-fetched. That said, certain health experts have been advocating the consumption of generous helpings of fruits and vegetables for years.

These foods, many of which are considered negative calorie foods, are supposedly a great way to naturally speed up your metabolism as well as maintain optimum health and fitness.

Foods That Burn Calories (Negative Calorie Foods)

Asparagus, black beans, broccoli, celery, grapefruit, green beans
lentils, mangos, papayas, pineapple, spinach, strawberries
sweet potatoes, water melon, flounder, sea bass, lean steak.

Food Calorie Measurements

To help you calculate calories and measure your foods more accurately, here are some basic food measurements and their equivalents.

3 teaspoons	=	1 tablespoon
4 teaspoons	=	1/4 cup
8 teaspoons	=	1/2 cup
12 teaspoons	=	3/4 cup
16 teaspoons	=	1 cup
1000 milligrams	=	1 gram
28 grams	=	1 ounce
Liquid Measurements
2 tablespoons	=	1 ounce
1/4 cup	=	2 ounces
1/2 cup	=	4 ounces
1 cup	=	8 ounces