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How Counting Calories Helps You Lose Weight

Do you know the basic formula for weight loss? 

Basically, you should consume less calories that you expend on a daily basis. 

To give you a very simple explanation, your body burns calories for energy so that it can keep you alive and doing things on a daily basis, from going to work to playing sports to making dinner. If you burn more calories each day than you take in through food and drink, your body will turn to stored fat and burn that for energy instead. And, voila – weight loss! 

One of the easiest ways to ensure that you’re consuming less calories than you’re spending is to know roughly how many calories your body needs – and to count the calories you’re taking in. That’s not all counting calories does for you – read on for five ways that counting calories contributes to your weight loss journey. 

Understand Your Body’s Needs

One of the first things that counting calories does for you is open you to a whole new world of knowledge and understanding. You can determine the average amount of calories you should be consuming per day based on your age, weight, activity level, and other factors. Once you have a working knowledge of your number, you can more easily design a nutritious diet around that daily calorie goal. Knowledge is power, and this knowledge empowers you to make better decisions about your body’s daily food intake. 

Increase Your Awareness

Once you’re counting calories – and doing it the right way, by measuring and portioning your food correctly – you’ll find yourself naturally considering what you eat more carefully. Is that donut really worth the 200 calories it’s going to deduct from your daily allowance? Especially when you’re just going to be hungry again twenty minutes later? 

As you pay more attention to what you eat and how and when you eat it, you might just find it’s easier to adapt yourself to more nutrient-dense foods that fill you up more completely, won’t slow you down, and don’t leave you feeling guilty. 

Gamify Your Weight Loss

One of the fun things about counting something and having goals is that you can easily turn the process into a game. Games are fun: you can challenge yourself, and embrace the thrill of victory once you succeed. You can focus on your personal bests, and exceed them as you continue to improve your diet, eat better, and lose weight. Winning at games can even release endorphins, giving your brain and mood a boost. 

Create Manageable Goals

The other great thing about having something to count is that it allows you to set goals – and, since calorie counting is a daily activity, you don’t have to focus on the big weight loss picture. Sometimes looking at the long-term can be discouraging and we wonder how we can ever get there. The truth is, though, that you get there one step at a time, one day at a time. Focusing on daily calories rather than the number on the scales five months from now can keep you focused and your commitment firm. 

Set Up A Rewards System

Once you’ve gamified your weight loss through calorie counting and set up your daily goals, you can also set up a rewards system to motivate you throughout the coming weeks. Avoid food rewards, of course, but feel free to buy some new music, get that new book, or indulge in some extra screen time once you’ve stuck to your goals at regular intervals. Bribing yourself really can take you a long way! 

Are you ready to turn counting calories into a game that makes your goals manageable and keeps you motivated for the future? Now that your eyes are open to the use of calories and the benefit of counting them, the road of your health journey should be that much better. And when you need a helping hand, don’t forget to reach out to your nearest Bee Healthy Clinics location

| Food, Nutrition
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