Calories
The main reason people become overweight is that we eat too many calories - if we have more calories in our body than we burn up every day (a positive calorie balance), they are stored by the body in the form of fat.
All the fun might be in the flavour, but food is simply fuel for the body; the calories in food provide energy for you to do stuff – that’s it.
One way to prevent a positive calorie balance is to regulate the number of calories we eat. Typically, the average person needs around 2,000 calories per day - although it is very easy to eat too many, or to have enough calories but not enough nutrients. In order to gain sufficient levels of vitamins and minerals, without having a positive calorie balance, we need to maintain a balanced diet.
If we want to lose weight, we must maintain a negative calorie balance - allowing the body to use up stored fat reserves. If we eat 250 fewer calories every day, and use up 250 more than usual through exercise, this would create a weekly deficit of 3,500 calories: the equivalent of 1 pound weight loss per week. To give you some idea of how to burn up 250 extra calories per day, take a look at the activities listed further down the page.
As for how to cut down your calorie intake, take a look at the figures below. They show the calorific content for a range of food types, and will give you some idea of the food you may need to cut down on if you are to achieve weight loss and weight control.
We have also given an indication of fat levels, but don't think that you should avoid it at all costs! Fat is a vital part of a healthy diet - it is the type of fat that you should be aware of. Saturated fats are hard to digest and eaten in excess lead to the clogging of arteries - raising blood pressure and creating potential heart problems. For example butter is 65% saturated fat, compared to 15% in the case of olive oil, and 10% in sunflower oil.
CALORIES IN FOOD
| Dairy Products | Calories | Fat |
| Cheddar Cheese (1oz) | 115 | 9.5g |
| Eggs (each) | 75 | 5g |
| Yoghurt (low fat) | 60 | 1g |
| Whipped Cream | 50 | 5.5g |
| Meat & Fish | Calories | Fat |
| Roast Chicken (1/4 lb) | 170 | 3g |
| Bacon (1 rasher) | 50 | 4.5g |
| Sirloin Steak (1/4 lb) | 440 | 36g |
| Ham (1/4lb) | 330 | 25g |
| Haddock (1/4lb) | 180 | 4g |
| Tinned Tuna (1/4lb) | 140 | 4g |
| Vegtables | Calories | Fat |
| Carrots (each) | 20 | 0.1g |
| Potatoes (1 baked) | 90 | 0.2g |
| Tomatoes (each) | 25 | 0.2g |
| Green Peppers | 24 | 0.1g |
| Fruit | Calories | Fat |
| Apples (each) | 75 | 0.8g |
| Bananas (each) | 95 | 0g |
| Oranges (each) | 70 | 0.3g |
| Strawberries (10) | 35 | 0.5g |
| Drinks | Calories | Fat |
| Beer (1 pint) | 200 | 0g |
| Whiskey (1 shot) | 100 | 0g |
| Wine (1 glass) | 130 | 0g |
| Tea (1 cup) | 1 | 0g |
| Miscellaneous | Calories | Fat |
| Mars Bar | 230 | 12g |
| Bread (white, 1 slice) | 60 | 1g |
| Avocado (each) | 380 | 36g |
| Butter (1 teaspoon) | 35 | 4g |
| Olive Oil (1 tbsp) | 125 | 12g |
| Roasted Peanuts (1 pack) | 250 | 21g |
CALORIES USED DURING EXERCISE
| Activity | Calories Used Per Hour |
| Sleeping | 70 |
| Ironing | 250 |
| Golf | 300 |
| Gardening | 330 |
| Walking | 360 |
| Walking Uphill | 600 |
| Tennis | 600 |
| Football | 600 |
| Running (12 min p/mile) | 600 |
| Running (8 min p/mile) | 900 |
| Running (6 min p/mile) | 1200 |
