Calorie Intake and Expenditure
The Calorie Equation
Weight gain or weight loss
is determined by the "calorie equation." If calorie-intake exceeds
calorie-expenditure, we gain weight. If calorie-intake is less than calorie-expenditure
we lose weight. If calorie-intake equals calorie-expenditure, our weight
remains static.
Calorie Intake
All foods contain calories.
Our calorie-intake is simply the total number of calories contained in
the food (or drink) we consume.
Calorie Expenditure
Calorie expenditure is made
up of three things. (1) Our Basal Metabolic Rate which accounts for about
60 percent of all calorie expenditure. Basal metabolic rate is the amount
of energy or calories our body consumes while at rest. Basal metabolic
rate varies according to a number of genetic and physiological factors,
including our fat-muscle ratio and the amount of physical exercise we
take. (2) Our Physical Activity. Typically this accounts for 30 percent
of calorie expenditure. (3) Dietary Thermogenesis. This is the calories
we burn as we digest food. It accounts for about 10 percent of the total
calorie we expend.
For calorie details of 2500
Foods, see Calories
in Foods
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