What Are Calories?

Calories are units that measure energy, commonly used to measure the energy content of foods and beverages. To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than your body burns each day. Simple right?

How many calories should you eat per day?

Daily calorie intake depends on current weight and whether you want to maintain, lose or gain weight. Other factors such as your gender, age, height, activity levels and metabolic health will play a role as well, but to keep it simple, we will use the following calorie chart to determine your daily calorie intake for weight loss:

So if you weigh 200lbs, you would need about 1500 calories per day with our current meal plan guidelines, putting you at a caloric deficit (consuming less calories than you are using) so that you can decrease your weight through a decrease in calorie consumption. This method alone is actually enough to shed pounds without even exercising, but our goal is not only to shed pounds, but to develop a lifestyle that will result in overall wellbeing and fitness.

Our Meal Plan System

STEP 1: To complete our program’s meal plan, you must first figure out which weight category you are in. This will help you determine how many calories per day you will be allotted. Our weight categories range from people who weigh 100lbs to people who weigh over 330 lbs. so there’s a category for most sizes and body types.

STEP 2: Once you find your weight, the next step is to identify the associated number of daily calories that you will be allotted. For example, according to the chart, a 160 lb. person would be allotted 1400 daily calories. If your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks do not total up to your allotted amount of calories for that day, you have extra calories that you can use our 100 calorie snack list to fill in the gaps and get to your daily allotted amount of calories. *Note* These plans are set at caloric deficits, which are for individuals intending on losing weight, and not for individuals seeking to maintain or gain weight.

Portion Control

The key to losing weight fast is to burn more calories than you consume. This doesn’t mean that you will be hungry all the time, a good way to eat less calories and feel fuller is to add more vegetables and fruits to your diet. Making more meals at home and using our meal prep techniques will help you hit the goals that you seek, remember why you’re in this process.

Don't Skip Meals

A common misconception about weight loss is to skip meals or try “fasting”. This is not recommended, in fact, it can cause hazardous effects on your body and mind. Your brain needs glucose to function correctly and without a steady supply, you will start feeling on edge and tired. Your muscles, bones and immune system rely on protein to stay strong and healthy. Skipping meals limits the supply of protein to your body and can leave you feeling low on energy.

Skipping Meals Can Cause You to Overeat

Our system allows for three healthy meals a day and you’ll be making your meals in advance, so you don’t need to worry about what to eat and when. If you skip meals, you are more likely to reach for sweet and high calorie snacks.

Serving Size VS Portion Size

Did you know that serving sizes and portion sizes are actually measured differently? A serving size is the designated “per serving” amount on the label of the food and a portion is how much you actually take. Remember to check the nutritional label. If you buy a bag of pretzels or nuts that says it contains 10 servings, divide the container into 10 equal portions so you won’t be tempted to eat too much. Being aware of how much you are supposed to eat per serving will be KEY in keeping you informed about what you’re putting in your body.

Serving Size!

When learning to read nutritional labels, the first thing to look at is serving size. The serving size is important because all values on the label are based around it. Did you know that some companies will lower serving size to make you think that the food you are eating is healthier than it is? Let’s look at an example. Funyuns, one of my favorite junk foods has a serving size of 13 pieces and serving per container amount of 7. This means that there are 7 servings in this bag at 130 calories per every 13 pieces of Funyuns. To get the total amount of calories for the whole bag, multiply the “serving per container” amount by the amount of calories listed ( 7x130=910) so there you have it! It looks like one bag is 130 calories but it’s really 910!!!

Calories

Calories provide a measure of how much energy you get from a serving of food. Many of us eat more calories than we need and still do not meet the recommended intake for the number of nutrients we need. This happens by eating foods high in calories and low in nutrition such as processed food. If you want to lose weight, look for foods that are low in calories but high in nutrients.

Fat & Cholesterol

The total fat shown on a nutrition label is a combination of three types of fat. They are unsaturated fat, saturated fat, and trans fat. Unsaturated fat, or “good fat,” is found in liquid form at room temperature and offers a variety of health benefits. Foods that contain this type of fat include avocados, nuts, eggs, fish, and vegetable oils. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature. It is often found in meat and dairy and is to be consumed in moderation. Trans fat is the worst type of fat you can consume and should be avoided. This type of fat is man-made and found in most processed foods because it extends shelf life. Common products containing trans fats include baked goods, potato chips, fried food, creamers, and margarine. Trans fat is known to raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol and can put you at risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Carbohydrates (Carbs)

The total carbohydrate count on a nutrition label includes both fiber and sugar. Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body takes a long time to digest. They leave you feeling full longer like hole fruits, vegetables, and grains. Now, let’s look at sugars. Grams of sugar listed on nutritional labels include both natural sugar and added sugar. Added sugars are especially bad and should be avoided if possible because they give you empty calories. Be mindful of “low fat” foods as they may contain high levels of sugar which turns into fat. Don’t be afraid of trying full-fat versions. We advise you to read these labels carefully to see which version of products are best to use.

Proteins

Proteins are very important for maintaining muscle mass. Make sure your meals contain some amount of protein. This will help your muscles rebuild during the Warrior Lifestyle workouts. Lean meats nuts, legumes, seeds, tofu, dairy, chicken, shrimp and fish are great sources of protein.

Vitamins & Minerals

Sodium (salt) has its own line for a reason. It’s in a lot of foods, and many of those foods are UNHEALTHY foods. Try to steer clear of foods with high sodium content. If you have certain health conditions, please consult with your doctor for sodium intake levels. Other micronutrients, like vitamins A, B, and C, can be found in the vitamins and minerals section as well. Choosing a balanced diet consisting of foods high in these vitamin and mineral amounts will help your body TRANSFORM the way you want it to transform.

Percent Daily Value

The column to the right of the nutritional label contains percentages. “The % Daily Value” of an item lets you know that if you ate 2000 calories per day (a standard daily calorie amount), that is the percent of your 2000 calories that would come from that nutrient. Generally, a percent daily value of below 5% means the food is low in that particular nutrient. A percent daily value of over 20% means the food is high in a particular nutrient. We are trying to lose weight and will be below a 2000 calories per day diet so the daily values on the nutrition labels will need to be recalculated to find your correct daily percent value. If you’re feeling a little intimidated, don’t be! We know that starting these habits may require a bit of effort and take some getting used to, but it will be like second nature after some time, and you’ll begin to memorize all of this information. It isn’t easy to change your life, but our goal is to give you the keys so that you can use to unlock the secrets!

TEST YOUR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE