Too Many Calories?
How many calories do you need? That is a loaded question with a lot of variables. Your age, sex, type of work, physical activity, all come into play. There is no one answer for this question.
Currently, experts recommend a 2000 calorie a day diet for everyone, but this could be unrealistic for many of us. There is no reason why you should get too concerned if you go a few hundred or even a thousand over this limit, especially if you are a very active person. Of course, if you go over by 5,000 then you can worry.
Note: Some people do need to be concerned with their caloric intake. For example, people who are on a diet because of heart problems should be very focused on their diet. Also people with sugar problems would fall into this category.
However, if you don’t have a health concern, you need not go crazy watching every calorie you take in. Although, if you are eating from the drive through lane every day, that could be a problem. Basically, just use common sense and understand where your calories are coming from. If you are eating 3,500 calories and they are mostly from healthful foods and you are not gaining excess weight, you’re doing alright. If, on the other hand, your food intake is mostly from candy and deep fried foods, then you should be concerned.
If you are eating 1,500 calories alone of fruits and vegetables, that is better than eating that in fat. Isn’t it all the same? Not really. It isn’t the same because the calories are coming from a good source. They are coming from things that are good for you. The fruits and veggies will help you out in many ways. They will also help you fight off cancer and heart disease. This isn’t true if you are over eating on fats and sweets.
Bottom line: If you are healthy, base most of your diet on good-for-you foods to get the most bang for your calorie buck and you should be alright. If you are looking to lose weight, you’ll find that healthful fruits and vegetables can be very satisfying while low in calories. Junk food and fried fast foods are the dieter’s downfall; avoid whenever possible. Happy eating!
