Calories...We count them and consume them every single day so what exactly are they. Whenever we talk about exercise or food the topic of calories is always mentioned. But if asked, not many people know what a calorie is, and often think they are an ingredient in food.
A calorie is basically a unit of energy, or more accurately, a unit of heat. It was defined by a french physicist Nicholas Clement in around 1824. Originally a calorie was used as a way to measure heat which has now been replaced by the joule. A calorie is now referred to as a unit of food energy. This is where the term "burning calories" come from.
There are two different types of calorie. A small calorie which is the energy needed to increase 1g of water by 1 degree centigrade, and a large calorie or food calorie (Kcal), which is the energy needed to increase a Kg of water by 1 degree centigrade.
Although calories are used when talking about food, they could also be used to discuss the properties of a gallon of gasoline which contains roughly 30 million calories
We all have something called our Resting Metabolic Rate, which is the minimum number of calories we need to have to survive. This will vary from person to person and will change with age. It does not take into account daily activity. The average adult has a RMR of between 1000-1400 calories just to survive.
If you increase your food intake thus your calorie intake the additional calories will get stored as glycogen and fat.
This brings us on nicely to the caloric balance which looks at calories in and calories out. To be in perfecr caloric balance we need to burn the same amount of calories that we consume per day. If you have a negative caloric balance then you are burning more calories that you are consuming and will lose weight...simple
Another factor that can play a significant role in calorie balance is exercise. Your RMR does not include activity or exercise levels. If you increase your activity levels your energy level requirements will increase and can have a big effect on your caloric balance and your RMR.
A calorie is basically a unit of energy, or more accurately, a unit of heat. It was defined by a french physicist Nicholas Clement in around 1824. Originally a calorie was used as a way to measure heat which has now been replaced by the joule. A calorie is now referred to as a unit of food energy. This is where the term "burning calories" come from.
There are two different types of calorie. A small calorie which is the energy needed to increase 1g of water by 1 degree centigrade, and a large calorie or food calorie (Kcal), which is the energy needed to increase a Kg of water by 1 degree centigrade.
Although calories are used when talking about food, they could also be used to discuss the properties of a gallon of gasoline which contains roughly 30 million calories
We all have something called our Resting Metabolic Rate, which is the minimum number of calories we need to have to survive. This will vary from person to person and will change with age. It does not take into account daily activity. The average adult has a RMR of between 1000-1400 calories just to survive.
If you increase your food intake thus your calorie intake the additional calories will get stored as glycogen and fat.
This brings us on nicely to the caloric balance which looks at calories in and calories out. To be in perfecr caloric balance we need to burn the same amount of calories that we consume per day. If you have a negative caloric balance then you are burning more calories that you are consuming and will lose weight...simple
Another factor that can play a significant role in calorie balance is exercise. Your RMR does not include activity or exercise levels. If you increase your activity levels your energy level requirements will increase and can have a big effect on your caloric balance and your RMR.
