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A calorie is a unit of energy. So when you eat/drink something, its a way of describing how much energy your body can get from eating/drinking it.
The basic principle of weight loss is creating a caloric deficit. This can be done by consuming less calories then your daily needs, by burning more calories through exercise or by a combination of both.
1 gram of Protein contains 4 calories, 1 gram of Carbohydrate contains 4 calories, 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories. As you can see, fat contains double the amount of calories than protein and carbohydrates. This does not mean you need to avoid fats! Instead, just make sure to be aware of your overall fat intake. And remember that fats found in oily fish, nuts, olive oil, avocado, eggs and coconut oil can play an important role in weight loss!
While 1 gram of protein contains the same amount of calories as 1 gram of carbohydrate, protein is of more benefit for weight loss. Why?
Simple, the body burns more calories trying to breakdown and digest protein than it does carbohydrates. This is why so many weight loss diets encourage a high protein intake.
It’s important to remember that not all calories are created equally. If you take the above example of protein vs carbohydrates it’s clear as day. Calories from different foods impact on our body in different ways. You will not get away with following a simple “low calorie diet” that puts no emphasis on good quality food.
If weight loss is your goal it is a good idea to start a food log. It allows you to observe eating habits, recognise where things are going wrong and address the issues to make improvements.
