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Calories Burned

Posted on 09.17.08 12:36PM under Health and Fitness

Many americans have a misconception of how calories are burned. The importance of knowing how calories are burned is very important in the fight to stay health and in shape. Expend more calories than you consume and there will be a weight loss. The body burns calories three ways. Resting metabolic rate (RMR), energy expended with exertions either from exercise or daily activities. And the thermic effect of food. Resting metabolic rate is the most important of the three.

Resting metabolic rate account for 60-75% of daily caloric expenditure . This means you burn the most calories while at rest. The faster your Metabolic rate is the more calories you burn. People a high percentage of lean body mass (fat free mass) burn calories more while at rest. This means it is important to not only lose fat but to gain muscle in the process. It is also important to eat enough calories during the day. Restricting calories will lower you Metabolism rate this is why it is important to have a good healthy diet plan.

Energy expended with exercise or daily activities account for 20-30% of your daily caloric output. When you can determine the amount of calories you burn according your workout and intensity. A typical exercise session will burn about 300 calories. It is important to do some type of exercising because daily activities alone may not burn enough calories.

Thermic effect of food accounts for about 10% of calorie expenditure. If you eat a 400 calorie meal about 40 calories are used for digestion and absortion. This is another reason it is important to eat enough calories throughout the day. 10% of your calories burn actually comes from eating.

To understand about burning calories you must understand about fat itself. You have to burn 3500 calories to lose one pound of fat. Fat comes in many forms and fat is even good for you when eating the right kind in moderation.

Fat is a nutrient that helps the body function in various ways: For example it supplies the body with energy. It also helps other nutrients work and, when it becomes fatty tissue, it protects organs and provides insulation, keeping you warm. But the body only needs small amounts of fat. Too much fate can have bad effects, including turning into unwanted excess pounds and increasing cholesterol in the bloodstream.

There are different types of fat, and they have different effects on your risk of heart disease. Knowing which fat does what can help you choose healthier foods.

Total Fat. This is the sum of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats and transfatty acids in food. Foods have a varying mix of these three types.

Saturated fat.

This fat is usually solid at room and refrigerator temperatures. It is found in greatest amounts in foods from animals, such as fatty cuts of meat, poultry with the skin, whole-milk dairy products, lard, and some vegetable oils, including coconut and palm oils. Saturated fat increases cholesterol in the blood more than anything else in the diet. Keep your intake of saturated fat low.