Is it Really That Simple? we Take a Closer Look…
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We all understand the basic principle of energy balance in the body - take in more than you burn and you’ll gain weight, or take in less than you burn and you’ll lose weight. Sounds simple… right? Although the concept is quite simple in itself, there are quite a few things going on in our bodies that determine what our energy in vs energy out actually looks like. Let us explain!
ENERGY IN
Energy in is (you guessed it) what you eat and drink. Our bodies need energy to perform all bodily functions that are keeping us alive, as well as any extra physical activity we undertake. It can be difficult to estimate how much energy someone needs on a day to day basis, as everyone has different energy needs. In food we measure energy in the form of calories or kilojoules. Many of us attempt to count these to get a handle on our intake and lose weight. The problem is, calorie counts are notoriously inaccurate and also, we aren’t very good at keeping up this kind of intense tracking long term (who wants to weigh their food for the rest of their life?). There is also some debate about whether the type of calorie matters - say, are the calories in an ice cream different to those in a veggie stir fry? Research shows that generally speaking, we absorb a little less energy from whole, unprocessed foods than we do from super processed foods. Wholefoods are also more filling than processed foods, which tend to be highly palatable and very easy to over eat. This is why we recommend centering your diet around whole, unprocessed foods and keeping treats to a minimum.
ENERGY OUT
Your daily energy expenditure is made up of four main categories:
BMR - this is your basal metabolic rate. This is the bare minimum number of calories your body needs to keep your vital organs functioning. This accounts for 60-70% of your daily energy output!
NEAT
This stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis and is basically all movement in your day that is not purposeful exercise. It includes things like moving around your home, fidgeting, preparing meals etc. This will use around 20% of your daily energy battery.
Exercise
- this is purposeful exercise of any kind, including going to the gym, walking or running, riding a bike or playing sports. In very active people (like athletes), this can account for up to 30% of your daily energy expenditure. In most people, it’s more like 10%
Thermal affect of food
- this is the heat your body produces while trying to digest and transport nutrients from your food around the body. Interestingly, active people tend to have produce higher amounts of heat compared to non-active people. This process only represents about 10% of your daily energy requirements.
