Understanding energy balance lies at the heart of nearly all goals in fitness. Which is why I ensure all of my clients are in the know when it comes to energy in vs energy out.
Think of calories as energy. Energy in = calories consumed. Energy out = calories burned.
If: Energy In > Energy Out = Energy excess (gain weight).
If: Energy Out > Energy In = Energy deficit (lose weight).
If Energy in is the same as energy out = energy balance (maintain weight).
First of all an important message to get out there right away is that we all burn in excess of 1,300 kcal every single day just by being alive. This is called your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate).
The other ways in which we burn calories in a day:
-NEAT: (Non exercise activity thermogenesis). Things like walking up the stairs, moving your body, housework, general day to day movement.
-TEE: (Thermic effect of eating). Yep that's right, eating helps us burn calories.
-RMR: (Resting metabolic rate). We burn calories during sleep too!
-Exercise and Purposeful movement: Workouts.
So on average:
-Women burn between 1700-2100kcal per day.
-Men burn between 1900-2300kcal per day.
With regular exercise, an active lifestyle, and a good sleeping pattern, these averages can be well surpassed.
Energy In: This is all related to diet, what we consume in food & drinks dictates our calorie input.
If we consume more energy than we burn, we will gain weight.
If we burn more energy than we consume, we will lose weight.
Balance is key to a healthy lifestyle.
This is the simple way to look at energy balance.
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