​Just How Many Calories Does Your Body Need?

How much calories do we really need? So many factors play a part in deciding each person’s optimum requirement Read rest of article …

​Just How Many Calories Does Your Body Need?


The human body, at different stages in life, requires an optimum number of calories if it is to operate at peak performance levels.  If the human body receives too many calories, there is the risk of anything from heart disease to mobility problems;  if the human body receives too few calories, the body’s metabolic rate slows down in its attempt to conserve energy, and the body actually begins to store fat in anticipation of not being properly fed.  Researchers believe this is why many who drastically cut their calorie intake as part of a weight-loss diet but fail to take part in calorie-burning exercise eventually reach a plateau and stop losing the pounds.  In addition, those who do so risk suffering from low blood pressure, anemia, heart rhythm abnormalities, dizziness and depression, among other things.
 
Asking how many calories the human body needs is like asking how long is a piece of string, because so many factors play a part in deciding each person’s optimum requirement.  Age, height, natural metabolic rate and normal activity levels are all relevant, as is whether the individual wants to gain, lose or maintain his or her current weight.  Beware of guides that indicate the ideal number of calories without taking all of these factors into consideration, and only use reliable online or offline sources of information; otherwise, you could find your health regime or weight loss diet going awry.