Every action you take requires energy. Calories provide the fuel to drive the essential processes within your body as well as the physical activity you take on from exercising or just doing everyday activities. Knowledge of calories burned is an effective way to manage your weight and overall health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that two of three Americans are overweight or obese, increasing their risk of health issues related to excess weight.
Function
The process of burning calories involves the breakdown of the foods and beverages you consume into energy. The body processes intake in different ways. Fat and carbohydrate metabolism is quicker and easier for the body than the metabolizing proteins because of the simpler chemical structure of these compounds. In order to burn one pound, the body must burn 3,500 calories.
Considerations
Several factors influence how calories are burned. The intensity of your activity plays a major role in calorie burn. According to the University of Maryland Medical System, a 150 lb person will burn 95 calories an hour, sitting quietly. Running in place for the same time for the same person will burn 650 calories. The more intense your activity, the more calories you will burn. Weight is another consideration. A 180 lb person will burn 780 calories an hour, running in place.
Weight Maintenance
The purpose of calories burned is to maintain a healthy weight. This means that there must be a balance between the calories you take in and the calories you burn. A 2010 study in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" concluded that middle-aged women must engage in approximately 60 minutes a day of moderate-intensity activity most days of the week just to maintain their weight.
Benefits
Being aware of the relationship between activity and calorie burn gives you an important tool for weight control. If your goal is to lose one pound a week, you know that you must include activities which burn 3,500 calories a week in your exercise plan. You can use this information to plan your workouts, including more intense workouts if you are short on time. Some individuals may find the concrete knowledge which the calories burned guide provides give them better motivation to follow through with their fitness goals.
Prevention/Solution
Weight control is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to calories burned. Your awareness can help reduce your risk for chronic health conditions caused by inactivity and weight gain. You can reduce your blood pressure, explains the American Heart Association. You can also build muscle to prevent osteoporosis. This knowledge gives you the information you need to make informed decisions regarding your exercise plan.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Obesity and Overweight
- "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology"; G. Tortora et al; 2005
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Calories Burned Calculator
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; Physical Activity and Weight Gain Prevention; L. I-Min et al; March 2010
- American Heart Association: Prevention and Treatment of High Blood Pressure
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