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Healthy You Archives |
Eating Healthy
All About Calories, Your Body's FuelYou take them in and burn them off—how to strike a good balance?
They're Not Equal! 1 gram of protein= 4 calories 1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories 1 gram of fat = 9 calories Put simply, calories are your body’s gasoline. “Just as your car needs about a gallon of gas to drive 25 miles, you need a certain number of calories to generate enough energy to make it through the day,” says registered dietitian Mildred Bentler of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. How many you need depends on your age and activity level, but for most adults the answer is between 1,500 and 3,000 calories daily. Active people need more, because their bodies “drive” farther. As we all know, some types of gasoline are more high-powered than others, and the same is true of the calories in food. (A 200-calorie veggie omelet acts very differently in your body than a 200-calorie candy bar!) There are calories in protein, carbohydrates and fat, and you need all three to keep your engine running smoothly—but it’s important to get the right mix: Protein should make up about 20 percent of your calorie intake. Your body needs protein to repair cells. Good sources are lean meats (such as chicken and fish), beans, lowfat dairy products and eggs. Carbohydrates should make up about 50 percent of your calorie intake. Carbohydrates fuel your daily functioning. Healthy sources are whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Fat should make up no more than 30 percent of your calorie intake. You need it for energy storage and to insulate your tissues, among other things. Healthy (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) sources include canola, corn, flaxseed and olive oils; avocado; nuts; and fatty fish such as salmon (see related story on page 1). Now that we’ve fueled up the car, it’s time to look at performance. Whether you’re a jalopy or a Jaguar, you burn off calories all the time. But the rate (see chart at left) depends on many factors, including your weight, gender, muscle mass and how much you exercise, says exercise physiologist Eric Witzel of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. Surprisingly, your body does most of its calorie-burning (about 60 percent) at rest. It’s called “basal metabolism.” The work you do digesting food accounts for another 10 percent, and physical activity the remaining 30 percent. Calories loom large when you’re trying to lose weight, and it all comes down to a simple equation: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. If you burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight. To maintain your present weight, keep the two numbers equal. “Women need to consume about 12 calories for every pound they weigh and men 14 to 15 calories per pound to maintain weight,” Bentler says. For example, a 180-pound man who wants to stay there needs 2,520 to 2,700 calories daily. To lose a pound a week (a safe rate of weight loss), you’ll need to trim 500 calories a day. You can either consume less or exercise more. The best strategy, say Bentler and Witzel, is to do both.
Want to Know More about metabolism and burning calories? For information on metabolism testing and a detailed chart of calories burned in 32 different activities, call 610-402-CARE or click here. Calorie MakeoverAlice wants to lose 20 pounds and become more physically fit. Dietitian Mildred Bentler revamped her diet (see below). Between that and a new exercise program, Alice will trim 500 calories daily—enough for a healthy weight loss of one pound a week.
Want to Know More? For Alice’s exercise program and another diet makeover—this one for Mike, who’s athletic but a poor eater—click on the links or call 610-402-CARE. How Many Calories Are You Burning?
This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
ARTICLE TOOLS:
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 March April 2005 Eating Healthy
Staying Fit
Caring for Mind and Body
Just for Women
Just for Men
Raising a Family
Heart of Healthy You
Protecting Your Health
Coping with Illness
Aging Well
Keeping Up to Date
Weight Control
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