To always remain vigorous and energetic, a person needs fuel. This, of course, is about food, not gasoline or coal. It should be noted that in this case, more does not always mean better, and there is even a daily calorie rate for men and women.
What is calorie?
In physics, the word "calorie" is a unit of heat. In other words, it is an indicator of how much energy can transfer one body to another. In the case of food, everything is very similar - any product has a certain composition and its corresponding energy value. The ratio will look like this: 1 gram of proteins and carbohydrates corresponds to 4 calories, and one gram of fat - 9 calories.
Modern Homo sapiens do not have an urgent need to chase their prey to get full. Most people, on the contrary, work in a "sedentary" position, lead an inactive way of life, and buy products in a supermarket that is within walking distance of the house. That is why the health problems associated with excess weight today come to the fore, and if you continue to express yourself figuratively, the question of how much fuel you need to fill up has become one of the most urgent.
Daily Calorie Rate
For men and women, the amount of energy that must come with food is somewhat different. This is due primarily to the physiological characteristics. Men who have always played the role of hunter-getter tend to have a larger muscle mass, and its maintenance requires a lot of energy.
In addition, the amount of calories a person can absorb depends on his age and genetic predisposition to fatness or leanness( the so-called "somatotype").An important factor for determining the optimal ratio of energy, obtained with food and necessary for life, is the lifestyle of the individual. If physical activity takes place during the day, the metabolism spins up, and the body needs much more energy.
Calculate the daily calorie rate for a particular individual is quite difficult, but there are so-called "averaged" values. They correspond to the needs of most people, and it is worth focusing on these figures.
So, according to numerous scientific studies, the daily calorie rate for men should be at the level:
- 2000-2400 calories per day with a sedentary lifestyle;
- 2400-2600 calories per day with a moderately active lifestyle;
- 2600-3200 calories a day with an active lifestyle.
For women, these indicators will be as follows:
- 1600-1800 calories;
- 1800-2200 calories;
- 2200-2500 calories.
The correct ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates
After the daily calorie intake for men and women was established, nutritionists noticed that some people who strictly adhered to it, still gained weight or felt bad. In fact, this is not surprising. After all, every nutrient, whether protein, fat or carbohydrates, has certain functions. So, the main function of fats is to provide supplies of nutrients, carbohydrates - to provide the body with energy, proteins - the production of enzymes, hormones and the construction of new cells.
That's why not only the norm of daily calories for men and women should be taken into account, but also the qualitative composition of the food consumed. In the diet, it is desirable to adhere to the following ratio: 10-15% protein, 25-30% fat, the remainder should be occupied by carbohydrates. At the same time, depending on whether the goal is set( weight loss or, conversely, mass gain), you can change the amount of consumed components.