Are you getting enough calories each day?

Jul 27

Mark SingleyHealth and school, Nutrition , , , No Comments

Food is by and large the main source of calories for us all, and therefore, if we care about our weight, we should be paying at least some attention to what we eat and how much, as well. The reason being that our body handles calories by storing any excess as body fat.

This procedure is much influenced by our metabolic rate, which in turn is affected by how active we are and our genetics. Some people can eat a lot and yet not easily gain weight while others are not so fortunate. Nonetheless, it still helps to know and be mindful of the calorie content of foods, at least for common ones.

The amount of calories needed per day is also a factor, and finding out how much is an optimal calorie intake for your needs can help you in planning your daily meals better. This calorie intake is not fixed and depends a lot on individual needs.

An athlete may need 3000-4000 calories a day, depending on how intense their training is. It is said that a swimmer like Micheal Phelps needs more than 10,000 calories a day! A normal person would not need more than 1800 calories, but again this is highly subjective.