What is a Calorie?
We all know that food contains calories, and we all seem to count them when we are dieting. But what is a calorie? Simply put, a calorie is a unit of energy. Calories are the measurement of energy contained in food, which is the main fuel source to keep bodies moving efficiently.
In order for people to stay healthy and function properly, a certain number of calories must be consumed per day. The main sources of calories in our diets come from fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Caloric counts vary a great deal depending on the types of food consumed, but generally speaking fats have about nine calories per gram, while protein and carbohydrates have about four calories per gram. Regardless of the source, all calories, are either immediately converted to energy and burned, or stored in the body, which can lead to a build-up of fat. To get an idea of how quickly calories are burned, consider this general rule of thumb: for every one-mile you jog one hundred calories are burned.
Calories are burned and used by the body through a metabolic process. This process uses enzymes to break down carbohydrates into glucose and other sugars, protein and fatty acids into amino acids, and fats into glycerol. These components are then carried through the bloodstream and are either absorbed by cells for immediate use or stored for later energy use.
That being said, you may still be wondering what happens if you take in too many or too few calories for your body to burn throughout the day. You will either gain or lose weight depending on the total numbers consumed and burned. An extra 3,500 calories consumed converts itself to one pound of stored fat, while an extra 3,500 calories burned converts one pound of stored fat into energy, thus causing a loss of one pound.
There are three factors to consider when determining the amount of calories that should be consumed each day. These factors include: your base metabolic rate (BMR), the thermic effect of the food, and your physical activity level. The thermic effect of food is the amount of energy your body uses to digest food. To determine the calories your body burns during the thermic process, simply multiply the total number of calories you consume per day by ten percent or 0.10. Physical activity throughout the day uses the greatest number of calories and includes everything from working out at the gym, to cleaning your house. The number of calories burned during physical activity varies depending on your exertion level and your body weight. The key issue to keep in mind regarding exercise is that it increases your overall metabolic rate. The more you exercise, the better your metabolism functions and it will enable your body to continue to burn fat and calories for up to two hours after you have stopped working out.
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