Calories in food provide essential energy, but if you consume too many you will gain weight. These excess calories are stored as body fat. Your body needs some stored fat to stay healthy. But too much fat can cause health problems.

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So how do you make sure that you don't eat too many calories? It's important that you understand your caloric needs. That is the number of calories your body needs to perform basic metabolic functions and daily physical activities. You can calculate your caloric needs using an online calculator.