Do you know what calories are?
Don’t let calories fool you. Remember they’re just a way of measuring things, like ounces and inches. They’re used to measure the energy in a given food or drink based on the carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and alcohol they contain. Calories are the fuel the body uses to carry out its daily activities, like working and playing, even resting and sleeping; the body does all the work without you being aware of it. Your heart uses energy for every beat, your bowels work while you sleep, and your body keeps a constant temperature regardless of how cold or warm it is outside.
As foods and beverages contain different amounts of calories and nutrients, it’s important to always balance them properly when choosing what to eat or drink: the right amount of nutrients is necessary, but any excess calories will be stored as body fat and will lead to weight gain.
So how many calories do you need? Your custom meal plan tells you exactly how many calories you need to maintain or lose weight, depending on what your plan counselor recommends. Our app offers healthy a la carte choices tailored to your own calorie intake needs, as well as useful tips on how to eat better.
While we’re on the subject of calories, you may have been wondering if reduced or low-fat foods also contain fewer calories. The answer is ‘not always’, because sugars also have plenty of calories. The key is to look for the calorie amount on the product nutrition label, or to check the app for foods that don’t have one.
Another common question deals with physical exercise: ‘Can I eat whatever I want as long as I work out?’ The answer is NO. Although exercise involves burning calories, excess calories will lead to weight gain. It’s a matter of simple math: If I consume more calories than what my body can burn, I’ll put on weight; fewer calories means slimming down.
