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Daily Calorie Requirement for Athletes



It's important to keep track of your daily calorie intake, but you shouldn't become obsessed with it.


Is it enough to keep track of our daily calorie intake to keep our body weight at the parameters we want? I notice that many people give importance to calories regardless of their origin and the fact that our body needs them. Reducing your daily calorie intake is not the answer. You need to be more careful about where these calories come from and how you need your body to consume them all by the end of the day.


We will talk about your daily calorie intake in this article. You will discover what calories are plus many products that help you maintain your daily calorie intake.


Do we need to take into account our daily calorie intake?

I assume you have experience in weight loss and muscle building. This means that you know how important it is to eat the right foods to get the results you want.


Proper macronutrient intake is important for burning fat, building muscle, and boosting your metabolic rate to burn more calories.


However, even if you eat the healthiest foods regardless of how much you eat, it will be very difficult to reach your fitness goals.


For an athlete, a correct diet and more precisely the calculation of the daily calorie norm is just as important as the physical activity he does.


Yes, that's right you can now become known as a Lord of the Rings. But to achieve a successful physical performance, whether it's weight loss or weight gain, experts will tell you that calculating your daily calorie intake is the way to performance.


Calories are used to describe the amount of energy your body receives from what you eat and drink. They are used to nourish the body with energy so that it can perform physical tasks, including breathing, thinking, and heartbeat.


The amount of energy provided by food is recorded in thousands of calories or kilocalories (kcal).


For example, a carrot generally gives you 25,000 calories or 25 kcal. On the other hand, running on the treadmill for 30 minutes generally requires you to use 300,000 calories or 300 kcal.


However, because "kilocalories" is an awkward word to use, people often use the term "calories."


For this article, the common term "calories" will be used to describe kilocalories (kcal).



How does your body use calories?


Daily calorie requirements



If you're wondering what calories matter, here's a quick overview of how your body uses them.


Start with what you eat. Food is where your body gets the calories it needs to function.


During digestion, your body breaks down the food you eat into smaller units.


These subunits can be used to build your tissues or to give your body the energy it needs to meet its immediate needs.


The amount of energy that the body gets from the subunits depends on where they come from:


  • Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram

  • Protein: 4 calories per gram

  • Fats: 9 calories per gram

  • Alcohol: 7 calories per gram

Your body uses the calories produced by the metabolism of these nutrients to feed three main processes, which are listed below.


Basic metabolism


Your body will use most of its calories to perform basic functions, such as providing energy for:


  • brain

  • kidney

  • lungs

  • heart

  • nervous system

The amount of energy needed to support these functions is called the basal metabolic rate. This is the largest proportion of your total daily energy needs.


Digestion


Your body will use some of the calories you eat to help you digest and metabolize the foods you eat.


It is known as the thermal effect of food (TEF) and varies depending on the food you eat. For example, protein requires slightly higher digestion, while fat requires less digestion.


About 10-15% of the calories obtained from a meal will be used to support the body's digestion.


Physical activity


The rest of the calories you get from food ensure your physical activity.


This includes both your daily tasks and your workouts. Therefore, the total number of calories needed to cover this category may vary from day to day and from person to person.



How do you calculate your daily calorie intake?



If you are not sure how to set your daily calorie intake, then I recommend that you start calculating the calories lost from the main activities of your daily routine. This is the daily calorie requirement that you should consume. There are different ways to get the number, but many people choose to use an online computer. Try it too!


Once you know how many calories you need to maintain your weight, decrease the number until you lose weight. If you want to lose a pound every week, reduce your daily calorie needs by 500 calories. If you want to lose two pounds a week, then reduce your calorie intake by 1000 calories a day.


Most women get around 1,200 calories a day to lose weight. Men often get close to 1,800 calories a day to lose weight.


Careful!


If you have an active lifestyle then you need a lot more calories. It also depends a lot on your metabolism.


The recommendations of the specialists regarding the daily calorie requirement are the following:


Estimates range from 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day for adult women and from 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day for adult men.


Once you know how many calories you need, simply count the number of calories in each food you eat. Count the calories in each food you eat and you will soon reach your goal.


What does an athlete eat to accumulate daily calories?

Food is a source of energy for each of us. Without it, overall endurance, power, and performance will be declining. If you want to get the most out of your workouts and athletic abilities, your diet should be a priority in your fitness efforts.


As your body draws energy through exercise and training, you need to renew those nutrients that can be made by choosing the right foods.


Here are 14 of the best foods for athletes to optimize their performance at the gym or on the field. These foods will help you supplement your daily calorie intake.


Healthy foods that help us build up our daily calorie intake



Peanut butter


Peanuts are high in protein and contain all 20 amino acids that strengthen the immune system and build endurance.


Taking any type of nut butter every day as a snack or with fruit slices does not lead to significant weight gain. But, regular consumption can give you better weight control.


Nutritional profile: For 100 gr- 588.4 calories, carbohydrates 21.6, protein 24, lipids 50, fiber 8.


Fatty milk


Fatty milk is best if you are trying to lose weight or gain weight. When you try to gain weight, you benefit from the healthy fats, minerals, and proteins present in whole or whole milk.


Whole fat milk, with a protein supplement or whey protein powder and fruits (such as bananas or berries), is the best calorie-rich smoothie for weight gain, muscle mass and improves muscle recovery.


Milk-based proteins are better for building muscle mass than soy-based proteins.


Nutritional profile: One cup (288 gr) - 149 calories of energy, 8 g of protein, and 8 g of fat.


How many calories does a banana have?


Bananas are loaded with dietary fiber, potassium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and healthy fats.


You can have a banana with a cup of milk and a few nuts for a packed breakfast or make a smoothie with the same ingredients and have it before you work. Here are some breakfast ideas to gain weight.


A study of male cyclists suggests that eating bananas helps to improve energy levels.


Nutritional profile: Per 100 g - 88.7 calories, 1.1 g protein, 23 g carbohydrates, 358 mg potassium.


Salmon and fatty fish


Salmon and other oily fish are good sources of protein, which helps to increase muscle mass and help to gain weight.


A study found that eating fish with vegetables helps to improve muscle mass but also to accumulate the daily requirement of good calories.


Eat 1-2 pieces of fish a day with leafy greens and nuts to gain weight or grow muscle fast. Include a steak of salmon or oily fish in your lunch or dinner with hot rice to make it tastier.


Nutritional profile: 100 g of salmon provides 142 kcal of energy along with 20 g of protein and 6 g of fat.


Calories in avocado


Avocado is a rich source of nutrients, with half the fruit providing us with 36% of the recommended daily dose of folic acid, 32% of vitamin C, 31% of vitamin K and 24% of vitamin E. In addition, avocado is a portion of tasty food with a creamy consistency, perfect for snacks or salads during the day.


Even if it is a higher calorie fruit, you should keep in mind that these calories come from healthy fats and are good for your health, if you eat them in moderation with a proper diet.


Because it is a high-calorie fruit unlike regular fruit, avocado should be eaten in moderation. A quarter of an avocado eaten daily in a healthy diet will bring many health benefits.


Nutritional profile: for 100 g avocado - 167 calories, 2 g protein, 15.4 g fat, 8.6 carbohydrates, 6.8 fiber.


Low-calorie foods



Do you have a lower daily calorie intake than you want to lose weight? Then you need low-calorie foods. Here are some of them:


Strawberries


Strawberries in Asian countries are called "fruit queens". They are rich in nutrients, with the role of maintaining the proper functioning of the body and preventing various diseases.


A 140 gram serving of strawberries has only 50 calories and about 3 grams of fiber, most of which are soluble, which makes these fruits unbeatable allies for extra pounds. Fiber also helps lower cholesterol and prevent constipation.


Nutritional profile: 100 g strawberries - 32 calories, 0.9 g protein, 0.3 lipids, 7.7 carbohydrates, 2 g fiber.


Carrot


By eating carrots you will never accumulate the daily calorie requirement…. but they have other important benefits.


Extraordinarily sweet and crunchy, carrots are one of the 100% healthy delicacies that should not be missing from your diet. Indeed, these root vegetables benefit from many compounds, such as beta-carotene, vitamin A, minerals, and antioxidants in large quantities.


They are an exceptional source of carotene and vitamin A.


This root vegetable contains mainly large amounts of B-complex vitamins, such as folic acid, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), thiamine (B1), pantothenic acid (B5).


Nutritional profile: 100 g carrots - 41 calories, 0.93 g protein, 0.24 g lipids, 9.58 g carbohydrates, 2.8 g fiber, 4.74 g sugars, 33 mg calcium, 12 mg magnesium, 35 mg phosphorus, 320 mg potassium.


How Many Calories Are in Tomatoes?


Tomatoes are considered both a fruit and a vegetable and are part of cuisines all over the world, especially in the Mediterranean region.


Eating tomatoes provides health benefits, along with improving the taste of food. Tomatoes are found in countless different foods, in various beverages, and as an element of flavor, included in food, from breakfast to dinner. They are relatively easy to grow and grow very quickly, making them a source of fast food and a staple food in many countries.


The benefits of tomatoes include stimulating blood circulation, improving digestion, protecting the kidneys, detoxifying the body, and preventing premature aging.


Nutritional profile: A serving of 100 grams of tomatoes - 18 calories, 3.9 g of carbohydrates, 0.9 g of protein, 0.2 g of fat, and 1.2 g of dietary fiber.


Cucumbers


Cucumbers have the exceptional quality of helping to eliminate fat deposits from the abdomen. If you are on a low-calorie diet, these are for you. I'm always hungry for them.


In addition, during a diet, cucumbers can be eaten without limit and satisfy the need to nibble without any caloric complications.


Delicious in the form of salads, or combined with tomatoes, a tablespoon of olive oil, and a little dill.


Cucumbers are one of the foods that you can abuse without any worries and that will help you lose weight nicely and efficiently.


Nutritional profile: per 100 g cucumbers - 12 calories, 0.6 protein, 0.2 fat, 2.2 carbohydrates, 0.7 fiber.


Vegetables and greens


Vegetables and greens are foods that should not be missing from the diet, as they are rich sources of vitamins and minerals, as well as other nutrients, with an important role in the body.


But we must also be careful about how we consume them. While some vegetables need to be eaten raw, others need to be cooked to their full potential.


Nutritional profile: per 100 g - 23 calories, 2.9 protein, 3.6 carbohydrates, potassium 558 mg, 79 mg sodium, 79 mg magnesium.


How many calories do you burn through various exercises?


How many calories you burn depends on several factors, including:


  • duration of the exercise

  • pace

  • intensity

  • your weight and height

  • In general, the more you weigh, the more calories you will burn during physical activity.


Below I will show you a list of exercises, due to which most calories are lost.


Running with your knees up


Running with your knees up is a vigorous cardio workout. It increases your heart rate as you strengthen your lower body. As a high-intensity exercise, running with your knees raised is useful for burning calories in a short time.


To do this exercise:


  • Run-on the spot while raising your knees as high as possible.

  • Quickly pump your arms up and down.

  • Calories burned in 30 minutes:

  • 240 to 355.5

  • Sprints


In general, running is the best calorie-burning exercise. But if you don't have enough time to run, you can shorten your training in high-intensity sprints. Your body will quickly burn calories to fuel your workout.


Before the sprint, warm up by jumping or running on your knees.


Calories burned in 30 minutes:


240 to 355.5


Swimming


Swimming is a low-impact workout that burns energy while improving muscle strength, blood flow, and lung and heart capacity. Thirty minutes of swimming occasionally burns about the same number of calories as 30 minutes of jogging.


However, swimming is less stressful for the body. It can be a good exercise if you have common problems or limited mobility.


To increase your caloric burns while swimming, jogging, or water aerobics.


Calories burned in 30 minutes:


198 - 294


Walking


Walking is the easiest way to burn calories at home. It is also ideal if you are recovering from an injury. You can do it around your house or in your yard, so it is extremely convenient.


If you do your homework while walking around the house, you will burn even more calories per minute.


Calories burned per minute:


3.1 to 4.6


Running


Running is the best workout for burning calories, improving flexibility, and increasing endurance. Because running does not require equipment, it is convenient enough to do it anywhere.


The faster you run, the more calories you burn per minute.


Calories burned per minute:


10.8 to 16


DO NOT FORGET.

It's important to keep track of your daily calorie intake, but you shouldn't become obsessed with it. If you have a selective diet and have an active lifestyle then the problem with calories should not arise.


More important than quantity is the quality of calories. You can accumulate the daily requirement of calories from healthy products or you can consume all kinds of sausages and cakes that are not very nutritious and at the same time, you accumulate bad calories.







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