Calories: How to be the exact weight you want to be.
Inches, grams, centimeters, pounds, dollars — these are all units of measure. Some measure distance, some weight, some currency. Calories are a unit of measure for energy.
Just like you should have a budget for the dollars you spend, you should also have a budget for the calories you consume. If you spend too many dollars, you go broke; if you consume too many calories, you gain weight.
Simple as that.
There are real benefits to eating a protein-heavy diet with lots of fresh, whole foods, but when it comes to your weight, the only thing that truly matters is the number of calories you eat versus the number you burn.
How do I know what my calorie budget should be?
The easiest way to find out your calorie budget—or, in other words, your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)—is to go to tdeecalculator.net.
Fill out the information and leave the activity level set to sedentary. From there, you’ll see your maintenance calories, which represent the amount of energy your body burns even if you stayed in bed all day.
How do I gain or lose weight?
You gain or lose weight by eating more or fewer calories than you burn. Eat more than you burn, and your body will store that excess energy—either as body fat or muscle (more on this in another article).
If your maintenance calories are 2,000 and you eat 2,500 per day, you will gain weight.
If your maintenance calories are 2,000 and you eat 1,500 per day, you will lose weight.
If your maintenance calories are 2,000 and you eat 2,000 per day, you will maintain your weight.
How do I find my calorie budget to achieve my goal weight?
If you are trying to gain weight, add 300 calories to your maintenance.
If you are trying to lose weight, subtract 300 calories from your maintenance.
Weigh yourself.
Eat your goal-calorie amount for 1–2 weeks.
Weigh yourself again.
Adjust calories as needed.
Repeat until you reach your goal.
This is simple, but not easy.
There are many nuances and tricks to keeping calories low while still enjoying foods you love. That’s where I come in. I will make you a personal meal plan so you don’t have to worry about the calories or the planning. Click here to buy a personalized meal plan today.
The best time to start losing weight was a year ago. The next best time is right now.
-Nic