To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn.In theory, this sound simple.However, managing your food intake in the modern food environment can be tricky.Calorie counting is one way to tackle this problem, and is commonly used for weight loss.This is a detailed guide about counting calories, explaining everything you need to know.

What are calories?

Calories are a measure of energy, normally used to measure the energy content of foods and beverages.Technically speaking, a dietary calorie is defined as the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1 degree Celsius.You use the calories that you eat and drink for essential functions such as breathing and thinking, as well as day-to-day activities such as walking, talking and eating.Any excess calories you eat will be stored as fat, and consistently eating more than you burn will cause weight gain.

How many callories you shoud eat?

How many calories you need depends on factors like gender, age, weight and activity level.For example, a 25-year-old male athlete will need more calories than a 70-year-old woman who doesn't exercise.If you are trying to lose weight, you will need to create a calorie deficit by eating less than your body burns off.