How Many Calories Should You Eat On Average
The number of calories you should eat per day depends on numerous factors, including your age, sex, height, current weight, activity level, and metabolic health, among several others.
When trying to lose weight, its important to create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you normally do or by exercising more. Some people choose to combine the two, eating a little less while being more physically active .
Still, its important to ensure that youre eating enough calories to provide your body with the nutrients it needs, even if youre trying to lose weight.
The most important part of any weight loss plan is sustainability. This is why many experts recommend small calorie reductions to promote sustainable weight loss.
For example, many fad diets recommend restricting your calorie intake to around 1,0001,200 calories per day, which is not enough for most healthy adults.
Cutting your calorie intake too drastically not only causes several serious side effects but also increases your risk of nutritional deficiencies. It likewise results in metabolic changes that make long-term weight maintenance difficult (
| 1,6002,000 calories |
Calorie needs for women can depend on their age, size, and activity level.
Most women between the ages of 1930 require 2,0002,400 calories per day to maintain their weight.
Women over age 60 generally require fewer calories and typically need to take in around 1,6002,000 calories per day to maintain their weight .
How Much Sugar Should You Eat
The AHA recommends men do not eat more than 9 teaspoons of added sugars per day , and women do not eat more than 6 teaspoons .
Given that this website is called BuiltLean, we really have to take things a step further than these researchers who dont really care about getting lean and toned.
Think about your sugar intake in terms of natural sugars like from fruit and milk, and then manufactured, or added sugars like in soda, candies, and pastries. While it may be difficult, I avoid added sugars like the plague, because they provide calories but have absolutely NO nutritional value, and spark hunger. They are empty calories.
Yes, its hard to avoid added sugars, but Ill give you some more tips and tricks to make spotting them and reducing them easier.
Regarding natural sugars from fruit and milk, just be cognizant that youre eating sugars. Yes, these natural sugars are found in nutritious natural foods and you should eat them, but they do still have a similar affect as table sugar, albeit not as intense of an effect on blood sugar levels.
I didnt include vegetables with fruit and milk because on average vegetables contain very little sugar.
How Many Grams Of Sugar Should You Have To Lose Weight
To lose weight and maintain overall health, follow American Heart Association guidelines of having 25 grams or less of added sugar a day
When it comes to losing weight, calorie intake is more important to calculate than sugar intake. However, it is best to adhere to guidelines from the American Heart Association , which recommends having 25 grams or less of added sugar a day.
- Men: No more than 150 calories a day should be from added sugar
- Women: No more than 100 calories a day should be from added sugar
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans has slightly different guidelines, recommending consuming no more than 10% of your daily calories from added sugars. For example, if a person consumes around 2,000 calories per day, no more than 200 calories should come from added sugars.
Sugar will not necessarily prevent you from losing weight or fat. You lose weight when you burn more calories than you consume. However, since extra sugar is stored in the body as fat, eating too much sugar can lead to weight gain.
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Always Be Aware Of Portions
However, it is important to remember that serving sizes are still important when it comes to foods with naturally occurring sugars, especially when trying to achieve a healthy weight or fat loss. To meet nutrient needs, men should aim for about 2 cups of fruit per day, while women should shoot for 1.5 to 2 cups per day.* When eating whole fruits, one cup includes a large banana, one medium grapefruit, or one small apple.3
For other foods with naturally-occurring sugars like milk and yogurt, it is recommended that both men and women consume about 3 cups per day to receive adequate calcium, vitamin D and potassium.
For cheese, one serving of hard cheeses is 1.5 ounces, and a serving of cottage cheese and ricotta cheese is 2 cups and ½ cup, respectively. Dairy is also a source of protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer, and can aid in weight loss efforts.
But, be mindful of any added sugars lurking in your morning yogurt. Instead of buying fruit-flavored yogurts, opt for plain and add berries or sliced banana on top.4
Its important to note that these recommendations are for individuals who get less than 30 minutes of exercise per day, and those who are more physically active may be able to consume more and stay within calorie limits.
Key Sources Of Added Sugar
Sugary drinks
Sugary drinks are a prime source of extra calories that can contribute to weight gain and provide no nutritional benefits. Studies indicate that liquid carbohydrates such as sugar-sweetened beverages are less filling than solid food, causing people to continue to feel hungry after drinking them despite their high calories. They are coming under scrutiny for their contributions to the development of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions.
- The average 20-ounce bottle of sugar-sweetened soda, lemonade, or iced tea contains about 65 grams of added sugar, often from high-fructose corn syrup. Thats the equivalent of 16 teaspoons of table sugar.
- If you were to drink just one 12-ounce can of a sugar-sweetened soft drink every day, and not cut back on calories elsewhere, you could gain up to 15 pounds over three years.
Be careful to read serving sizes of bottled beverages. Many are sold in 20-ounce bottles, but what is considered one serving of that beverage may still vary among manufactures. For example, a popular cola drink may list the whole 20-ounce bottle as one serving containing 65 grams of added sugar. Another 20-ounce bottle of lemonade may seem a better choice, showing only 27 grams of added sugar per servingbut the label states that one bottle contains 2.5 servings! Therefore, guzzling the whole bottle would give you almost 68 grams of sugar.
Cereals and other foods
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How Much Of Natural Sugar You Should Eat Daily To Lose Weight
As I mentioned earlier, natural sugar refers to the natural or organic resources which contain sugar. There are many fruits like grapes, apples, sugar cane, oranges and banana that contain plenty of natural sugar along with other nutrients and Vitamins. Honey is another source of sweetener, but it is not harmful as sugar. You can have these fruits, and also honey in your daily diet. Fruits have several health benefits they take care of all the bodily functions.
Glucose is important for your body too, and to encounter the glucose, there is insulin which is naturally produced by the pancreas in your body. In case the insulin production is not enough for the high level of glucose, then this can lead to several diseases like diabetes. The foods with natural sugar are as follows:
You must be wondering what kind of daily diet you must follow to check the sugar intake. In order to lose weight, it is essential that you avoid sugar as much as possible.
But that does not mean you have to eat bitter tasteless foods during the course of your weight loss regime. If you are having a glass of milk coffee with creams, cereals, milk, canned fruit juice etc then you are consuming heavy sugar. You have to eat in a way by which you can limit the intake of sugar. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss the daily meals in details.
How Much Sugar Should You Eat Per Day
According to the USDA, on average, an American adult eats 17 teaspoons of added sugar per day. This amount is more than the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines, which recommend limiting calories from added sugars to less than 10 percent per day. That’s 12 teaspoons or 48 grams of sugar if following a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet.
The American Heart Association has stricter limits and recommends that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons or 24 grams of added sugar per day and men stay under 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of added sugar per day.
While you might not be eating dessert every day, remember that added sugar can be found in foods and beverages you enjoy. A flavored coffee, a store-bought yogurt parfait a green juice are some potential sources of added sugar. You may also find hidden added sugar in sauces, salad dressings and many more, putting you over your daily recommended consumption.
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Harm: High Blood Pressure
Usually, salt gets the blame for this condition, also called hypertension. But some researchers say another white crystal sugar may be a more worrisome culprit. One way they believe sugar raises blood pressure is by making your insulin levels spike too high. That can make your blood vessels less flexible and cause your kidneys to hold onto water and sodium.
Monitoring Sugar For Weight Loss
If youre trying to lose weight, reducing your sugar consumption is one simple way to make progress. The research is clear: Excess sugar intake, especially from foods with added sugars , is linked to obesity and related diseases.
However, its worth noting that becoming hyper-focused on sugar can have detrimental effects to your relationship with food. Plus, eating sugar-free or low-sugar foods wont always improve your health. Many foods with those labels use artificial sweeteners, which may not agree with your body, or make up for the lost sugar by adding fats or other ingredients for taste.
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Best: Share The Sugary Stuff
OK, so you’re drinking water instead of soda and attempting to be more selective with foods that contain sugar. Now, for the pièce de résistance: You can still have your cake and eat it, too. âEnjoy dessert,â says Gans. âJust halve it and share with a friend — or a few friends.â Sharing will not only mean enjoying a decadent treat, but you wonât do nearly as much damage on the sugar front. Make added sugars special-occasion-only, and youâll be on the right path to cutting your sugar intake.
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Carbs Are Not The Enemy
In todays world, we are surrounded by foods that contain highly processed carbs, which makes it challenging at times to identify healthy options. But the answer isnt necessarily to swear off carbs altogether because they are an essential part of our diets. They provide fuel for our bodies and contain fiber, which helps you digest foods. The trick is to eat more whole carbohydrates, such as vegetables, beans, potatoes and whole grains. Eat refined carbs less frequently, including white bread, pastries, pastas, sugary soft drinks, pizza and other fast foods.
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Creating A Calorie Deficit
Calories are energy that your body needs to carry out physiological functions, and that you need to power through your day and a workout. But when you eat more calories than required, your body can’t use them and they are stored as fat, reports the Cleveland Clinic. To lose weight, you need to reverse the process eating fewer calories than you need each day will force your body to stop storing fat and use stored fat for energy.
Most people need fewer calories than they think â especially when the goal is weight loss. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the average moderately active female between the ages of 26 and 50 needs 2,000 to maintain her weight. But to lose weight, the calorie requirements are even lower. In fact, many women will lose weight on a diet including only 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day.
That doesn’t leave a lot of room â if any â for nonnutritive, sugary foods. If you are on a 1,400-calorie weight-loss diet and you drink a can of soda at lunch that provides almost 200 calories entirely from sugar, you’ve just consumed nearly 15 percent of your daily calorie allotment and gotten no nutrients in the bargain. It’s going to be very hard to get the nutrients you need and feel full and satisfied without going over your calorie budget.
How Much Sugar Is It Ok To Eat Daily
So, what is meant by the phrase, in excess?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that you consume less than 10 percent of your calories per day from added sugars. For example, if a person consumes around 2,000 calories per day, it is recommended that no more than 200 calories be from added sugars.
However, this recommendation is not given because the sugar itself causes weight gain.
For most peoples energy needs, there are simply not enough calories available after meeting the recommended nutrient needs from whole food groups. In other words, if youre trying to eat a healthy number of calories to maintain or lose weight, and also receive adequate nutrients, only a small part of your calories should come from added sugar.2
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Cutting Out Sugar For Weight Loss
Sodas, chocolate bars, ice cream, cookies and other sugar-laden foods all have one thing in common: They offer little nutrition relative to the calories they contain. Sugar is a carbohydrate â by itself, it doesn’t contain any more calories than any other carbohydrate, gram for gram. But it doesn’t offer anything else: no protein, no healthy fats and no vitamins or minerals, according to data from the USDA National Nutrient Database. It’s the definition of “empty calories.”
Sugar also offers no satiety. You can eat a tablespoon of sugar or a small egg for the same number of calories however, that egg provides protein and fats that help promote a feeling of fullness. Protein and fat also digest more slowly than sugar, according to Merck Manual, which means that you retain that feeling of fullness, which can help you control your calorie intake.
Sugar wreaks havoc on your blood glucose levels. As a simple carb with a simple structure, your body digests it quickly, and it surges into your bloodstream all at once. This gives you a fast shot of energy that quickly dissipates, leaving you feeling fatigued. It can also affect your mood and make you crave more carbs, according to Dr. Mark Hyman, author and director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine.
Achieving Your Fitness Goals With The Right Macro Ratio
The ratios for fat loss and muscle gain are explained in laymanâs terms. The protein content of fat loss and muscle gain is 40 percent, 30 percent fat, and 30 percent carbohydrates. It is critical to follow a specific macronutrient ratio in order to create a healthy and effective diet. For fat loss, the majority of adults should consume 45-65% Carbohydrates, 10-35% Protein, and 20%- 35% Fat. To calculate how many grams of each macro you should eat per day, divide your total daily calories by 0.4 grams for protein and 0.3 grams for carbohydrates and fat. Following that, the protein and carbohydrate figures are divided by four and the fat figure is divided by nine. After losing weight through a diet that is high in carbohydrate, protein, and fat, you will gain muscle and be able to stay fit. You will be able to reach your fitness goals more quickly and efficiently as a result of this.
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Be Mindful Of Your Entire Plate
Although fruit is part of a balanced diet, you shouldnt overdo it either. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend adults consume 2 cups of fruit a day. If you have insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, though, be sure to should speak with your healthcare team about how much and which types of fruit you should consume, along with your overall diet.
At each meal, focus on building a healthy plate that includes quality, lean protein, like poultry and fish, a moderate amount of healthy fats, like avocado and olive oil, and foods that have naturally occurring fiber, like green, leafy vegetables and whole grains. Aim for foods that have 3 grams of fiber or more per serving. All of that helps slow down the rate at which your body breaks down and uses it for energy, Lemond explains. Focus on what to put on your plate instead of what to leave off your plate.
Ways To Reduce Calories
1. Exercise
Participating in regular exercise is very important. The American Heart Association recommends for adults to get about 150 minutes of moderate exercise or about 75 minutes of intense exercise throughout the week .
Exercising will keep you fit and burn excess calories, reducing your overall calorie intake. It can also be just as beneficial to incorporate incidental exercise throughout your day.
Change your everyday habits
This is a great way to offset some of the calories you take in through your diet:
- Choose the stairs rather than the elevator.
- Get off the bus, tram or subway a stop earlier and walk to your destination.
- Park your car at the far end of the carpark when doing your weekly shopping.
- Walk to the corner store for milk and bread rather than driving.
- Walk to the next office to speak with colleagues in person rather than sending an email.
Intense targeted workouts
Choose to 3-4 intense targeted workouts per week. Some good choices include swimming, circuit, cycling, running and weight training.
Another way to include high intensity, high calorie burning exercises into your week is to join a team sport which includes competition as well as training weekly.
Finally its important to stay motivated. Reducing your calorie intake is hard. Take some time to look at your motivation. By writing down your motivation and your goals, you are more likely to stick to your calories and lose weight.
There are two important factors in reducing calories through diet.
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