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At its basest form, calories are simply a unit of measurement used to calculate energy. However, because of the popularity of dieting and exercise, calories have become so much more than just an energy calculator- they have become the subject of much misunderstanding and good and bad information alike.
The food energy that comes from calories is like the fuel that makes a car run. Your body needs this fuel everyday in order to function. If you put too much gas in a car, it will run over and out of the tank.
If you put too many calories into your body, it also runs over- in the form of fat. Being overly fat or obese is a major epidemic in the US and many other highly-developed nations.
The way to combat the obesity from too much food energy is to reduce the amount of food energy you intake and increase the amount of exercise you do. The balance of the two will help you lose weight and become healthy.
Of course, simply reducing your food intake and exercise is not enough. You must also watch where that food energy comes from. For instance, there is fats, proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, veggies and other foods that can all be eaten, but in a balanced and moderated way. Combining all of these and counting how much food energy comes from them is the best way to keep yourself slim and healthy, or to help you lose weight so that you can become slim and healthy at some point.
Reading labels and asking for the nutritional content of dishes on a restaurant menu are vital to keeping track of food energy and how it can affect your life, so shop and eat with knowledge and a little caution for good health.
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