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What is a Calorie?
Posted February 10, 2010
What is a calorie? This question is far too overlooked. It doesn't matter if your goal is to lose weight, build muscle, or perform better on the field/court, if you do not know what a calorie is it is going to be extremely difficult to achieve your goals. So lets first define it.
A calorie is simply a unit of energy. Yes, when you are eating an apple containing 100 calories you are consuming 100 units of energy. If you eat two slices of cake containing 1200 calories you are consuming 1200 units of energy. So, lets say on a given day you consumed 2700 calories or units of energy and through your daily activities and exercise (and you better be exercising) you burned 2100 calories or units of energy. That will leave you with a difference of 600 calories, agreed? Good!
Note: Energy cannot be created nor destroyed. It can only be transformed from one form to another. Knowing this what do you think happens to the excess 500 calories that you consumed for that day. Plain and Simple - - It gets stored as fat.
Note: One pound of fat is made up of 3500 calories. Knowing this – if you are in excess of 500 calories everyday for an entire week what did you just do? You just gained a pound of fat. 500 excess calories per day multiplied by 7 days in a week equals 3500 calories equals a pound of fat.
Are you getting the idea yet? Let me break it down in more of a long term scenario. Lets say you "on average" are in a calorie excess of 150 calories per day. Some days less and some days more. But on average. This is an extremely easy thing to do. Over the course of a year that amounts to an excess of 54,750 calories (150 calories per day multiplied by 365 days in a year). Divide that number 54,750 by 3500 calories contained in each pound of fat and you just gained over 15 and ½ pounds of fat simply by going over your recommended calorie allotment by 150 calories per day. That is how sensitive the human body is! 150 calories a day- that’s as easy as having an extra apple with a low fat yogurt. That is how simple it is to gain fat. And’ it does not matter where that excess 150 calories come from. It can come from any of the macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) once you go over your calorie allotment for the day those excess calories will be stored as fat!!!
BUT...some macronutrients are more metabolic, or have a greater thermic effect, than others (meaning they stimulate the metablism just through digestion and assimulation). Let's take a look at each:
What are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are caloric nutrients containing four calories per gram. They are the body’s #1 source of energy, especially during exercise. They also help regulate digestion and utilization of proteins and fats.
The end product of ALL carbohydrates you ingest is glucose. How it gets from your plate to glucose is very improtant. Complex carbs are the way to go as the body has to work to break it down to glucose. The same can not be said for simple sugars (as in ice cream) or refined carbohydrates (as in the waffle cone you slap that ice cream on). Not only is the thermic effect of these simple and refined carbs very low, but they also spike blood sugar...something you want to avoid like the plague if fat loss is your goal.
For every 100 calories of complex carbs (oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potatoes, etc.) that you ingest, your body will burn 10 calories just to digest and assimulate.
What are proteins?
Protein, like carbohydrates, is a caloric nutrient containing approximately four calories per gram. Beside water, protein is the most plentiful substance in the body. Proteins are the “building blocks” of the body. They help build in repair tissues of the body. They help provide energy and are involved in preservation of the immune system.
On top of the above mentioned importance, the greatest thing about proteins are their thermic effect. Proteins require a great deal of work as they are made up of chains of amino acids which ultimately have to be reassembled to synthesize cells. For every 100 calories of protein that you ingest, your body will burn 20 - 25!
A warning must be laid out for anyone with kidney issues. Eating too much protein can force the kidneys to over work. And for anyone consuming a high-protein diet - - if you're not careful, it can deplete calcium levels of the body and contributes to fluid imbalance or dehydration. So make sure to take your multivitamins and minerals, consume low-fat dairy sources, and drink LOTS of water!
What is fat?
Fat is a caloric nutrient containing nine calories per gram as opposed to carbohydrates and proteins which yield only four. Fats are a major source of energy, especially for aerobic activity. Fat helps protect the body and helps keep organs in place. It is the major insulator of the body. It helps transport vitamins A, D, E, and K.
BUT...it's thermic effect STINKS! Meals high in fat require very little work, thus, they require a very modest caloric burn. The body easily breaks down fat so for every 100 calories of fat that you ingest, your body will likely only burn 5 to do the work of digestion.
Piecing Together This Information
Overeating any of these macronutrients will result in weight gain. They all play a huge role in human body functions, that is why they are called MACROnutrients. Macro meaning large, of large importance to the body. You need them all.
From a fat loss standpoint, the real trick is eating frequent thermic meals (REMEMBER - thermic means heat-generating and a calorie is a unit of heat). We want to start all meals focused around proteins since we now know that it's the most thermic nutrient, but you also want to make certain you consume a balance of complex carbs for energy, fiber for optimal digestion, and essential fats for optimal health.
Eat a thermic meal every 3-4 hours, avoid simple sugars/refined carbs, and moderate your fat intake and your body becomes quite efficient at burning calories.
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