When starting a weight loss diet, it is important that you consider the amount of calories you consume according to your age and nutritional requirements. Keep in mind that the calories needed for a teenage woman are not the same as those of an adult woman or older adult, so it is necessary to adjust the calorie intake.
In general, a simple mathematical formula will help you estimate the calories needed, but it is not an accurate formula. For a calorie estimate in a woman between 25 and 64 years old, multiply the weight in kilos by 30, if your age range is lower or higher, other factors are considered.
In the case of children, it is different, depending on age they require an approximate amount of calories. 2-year-old children require an intake of 1000 calories; from the age of 6, 1400 calories are recommended and when they reach adolescence the energy demand is higher.
10-year-old girls should consume between 1,600 and 2,000 calories per day, while boys have a requirement of between 1,800 and 2,600 calories, which allows them to grow properly. When they are 15 years old, girls need between 1800 and 2400 calories, while boys need 2200 to 3200 calories.
When you reach 20, caloric intake can reach 3200 to 3500 calories, since it is the time of life in which the caloric intake is higher. From this age balance is essential for optimal health.
Women between 20 and 60 years old should consume an average of 2,200 calories, while men in the same age range require 3,000 calories. And when reaching the third age, the caloric intake should be reduced to 2200 calories up to 69 years and those over 70 only require 1800 calories. Therefore if you need to lose weight, you should moderate your calorie intake and gradually reduce them depending on your age and your life rhythm.
According to Dr. Maritza Landaeta Jiménez, specialist in nutritional food planning, magical diets without distinction of sex and age do not work, their effectiveness is null and can be counterproductive, so it is necessary to maintain a balanced diet, complementing it with a regular physical activity.
Also the specialist states that the restrictive diets and those that promise to reduce weight quickly, are not adequate because they do not fulfill the minimum nutritional requirements and alter the metabolism causing damages to the organism. In addition, they do not hold up over time, since they do not incorporate changes in habits, but they are products of transitory changes with the sole purpose of losing weight. Therefore it is advisable to adjust to the caloric requirements according to your weight, age, sex and physical activity.
Dr. Landaeta recommends modifying eating habits and maintaining a constant physical activity to lose weight in an effective way and to achieve that the results are maintained over time.
ALFA