Are Calorie Counters Accurate?

Calories simply measure how much energy is contained in food. How many calories you need to take in depends on how much energy you are using. Burning calories is crucial for losing weight, however, calorie counters can be inaccurate — and misleading.

• Calories
• Calorie Counters

Tips

• Moderately active women need about 1800 calories a day to maintain their weight and moderately active men need about 2200.
• If you’re trying to lose weight you need to aim for something less than that.
• Moderately active means you get activity such as walking one and a half to three miles a day at about 3 – 4 miles an hour.
• This usually equals out to an activity about 30 minutes a day, you can even break it down to three 10-minute walks.
• Getting your calories from certain foods, like fresh vegetables and fruits and a 100 percent whole grains, keep your gut bacteria levels balanced and healthy and that can help increase your metabolism, steady your blood sugar and protect your heart.
• You’ll have better control over your appetite if you spread your calories out over three meals and also include 2 – 3 snacks a day.