Making Calories Work For You

Just as cars require gasoline to function, our bodies are fueled by calories. If you put lower quality fuel into your car, you'll eventually notice. Your body isn't much different... Eating healthier foods in reasonable quantities helps our bodies feel better & achieve our highest potentials.

Everyone has different caloric needs. This is often influenced by many factors like age, gender, activity level, metabolism (calories needed to sustain life), etc. At its most basic, weight is impacted by calories in versus calories out.

- We bring in calories through what we eat or drink. Both choice & amount matters.

- Being physically active is the most controllable & efficient way to increase calories burned.

Weight gain is when we bring in more calories than we burn. When calories in & calories out are balanced, we maintain our weight. So, to lose weight, we need to offset or eliminate calories. Options include choosing healthier foods, eating less food, being more active, or a combination.

*** We strongly recommend choosing a healthy & sustainable approach. Any excessive behavior can backfire, cause health problems, & will be difficult to maintain. Experts encourage eating at least 1,200 calories per day (unless medically supervised) & meeting daily recommendations for the food groups. Physical activity is a key to a healthy weight, but should be increased gradually to avoid injury. If you have health issues, please consult a healthcare provider before starting or changing an activity plan. ***

For more info, check out:

- ChooseMyPlate's Calories (For a personalized recommendation, try the SuperTracker feature.)

- WebMD's Estimated Calorie Requirements

- EatingWell's Diet Meal Plans (offers sample menus for 1,200, 1,500, & 2,000 calories per day plus lots of yummy recipes at or below 500 calories per serving).