What Are Calories?
A calorie is a unit of energy. In nutrition, calories measure how much energy food provides to your body. Your body uses this energy for everything from breathing and thinking to walking and exercising.
Start TodayCalories come from three macronutrients: protein (4 calories per gram), carbohydrates (4 calories per gram), and fat (9 calories per gram). Alcohol also contains calories (7 per gram) but is not a macronutrient your body needs.
Your body burns a certain number of calories each day just to stay alive. This is your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Add in daily movement, exercise, and the energy cost of digesting food, and you get your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). Eating more than your TDEE leads to weight gain; eating less leads to weight loss.
Gram Fit tracks your calorie intake automatically as you log meals. The daily summary shows whether you are above, below, or right at your target, making it easy to stay on track without mental math.
Common questions
How many calories should I eat per day?
It depends on your age, weight, height, activity level, and goals. A common starting point is 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men, but individual needs vary widely.
Are all calories the same?
In terms of energy, yes. But in terms of nutrition and satiety, no. 200 calories of chicken breast and 200 calories of candy provide the same energy but very different nutrition and fullness.
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Put it into practice
Numbers beat guesswork
Photo-log your next meal and see what it actually adds up to.