Could You Be Underestimating Your Calorie Intake?

cal·o·rie
ˈkal(ə)rē/
noun
noun: calorie; plural noun: calories; noun: cal.

1. either of two units of heat energy.

                        the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water through 1 °C (now usually defined as 4.1868 joules).noun: small calorie; plural noun: small calories

the energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water through 1 °C, equal to one thousand small calories and often used to measure the energy value of foods.noun: large calorie; plural noun: large calories

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We can all buy into “calories in, calories out”, but does that actually work? It may be surprising but the answer is not as simple yes or no. Per the new England Journal of Medicine’s report Discrepancy between Self-Reported and Actual Caloric Intake and Exercise in Obese Subjects, “…many people underreport their caloric intake, the degree of underreporting is greater in obese subjects.” So, calories in, calories out can work, but not if you’re fibbing about what you’re eating.
 
If your goal is weight loss it’s important to know the calories that you are eating and there are a number of ways to make sure that you’re eating to satisfy your hunger and energy/calorie needs.
 
1. Eat 5 to 6 small nutritious meals a day depending on your goals and needs.
2. Measure your portions. This is a bit of work in the beginning, but it will lead to knowing what a proper portion is.
3. If you’re using an app like MyFitnessPal or LoseIt! it’s easy to misrepresent the portion size you’ve eaten so use the barcode scanner.
4. Remember that when eating out that not every restaurant has correct calorie counts. In the beginning of your calorie tracking it may be best to skip eating out.
5. Avoid distractions that can make you forget the afternoon snack you ate by keeping a food journal.
6. It’s not all about calories, it’s important that you are eating adequate proteins, carbs and fats. For example choosing fruits and vegetables…you’ll get more for less - more satiety, less calories.
7. Start meal prepping for accurate portions.
8. Exercise.
 
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed some quick and easy fixes are eating smaller portions, choose foods that take more energy to burn and avoid sweets, and sweetened drinks.

If you’re still feeling overwhelmed by counting calories so quick and easy fixes are eating smaller portions, choose foods that take more energy to burn and avoid sweets, and sweetened drinks.

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If you are trying those weight and you're not seeing any progress you may have just been underestimating your calorie intake. For guidance Contact Natatia about setting up a proper nutrition plan.