Caloric Deficit, Metabolism and Weight Management

Jun 17, 2011

Written by Drew Schultz, NC Personal Trainer and Kinesis Instructor at O2 Falls/540

Hi there, it's Drew from Falls again!

Last time, we discussed the huge calorie burn created by the Kinesis workout. If you are looking for a way to keep track of your calorie burn, you have several tools at your disposal.

Take your bodyweight, and add a zero to the end of it. If you weigh 150 lbs., then 1500 calories is what you would need, on average, to maintain your bodyweight. If you burn 500 calories in one day, you have just created a caloric deficit- meaning you body has to make up those calories from somewhere. Guess where? Bodyfat.

Remember your multiplication tables?  7 x 5= 35. We already looked at 500 calories a day as an example. If you could burn 500 calories a day, seven days a week, you would burn a pound's worth of fat per week (one pound of fat = 3,500 kcal). You can do this through diet, exercise, or preferably, both!

There are many factors involved in energy metabolism. Linda, the General Manager at O2 Falls/540, recently discussed how dietary fat is often stored as bodyfat, and even then certain types of dietary fat are necessary for optimum health (even healthy omega fats help you burn stored body fat). You also metabolize certain carbohydrates differently (blueberries' carbs will break down slower than a banana's). Protein also has calories, and is equal to carbs in energy content, but is metabolized differently as well. Protein provides the building blocks for the body''s tissues. How you distribute your calorie intake from these macronutrients is very individualized, and is best decided by you and a dietitian. You may have to play with it for a while to find the best ratio. I know I have over the years.

Once you familiarize yourself with nutrition facts, serving sizes, and keeping track of your calories burned during your workouts, you will be well on your way to quality weight loss. One to two pounds a week is a safe amount, meaning that's as much bodyfat that a human can burn without also losing quality muscle- which happens to those who restrict carb intake too much. It is said that you burn fat in the furnace of carbohydrates, but it has to be the right kind. You may even be hungrier since embarking on your exercise program. A personal trainer can assist you one-on-one with your workouts to make sure its the right approach for you. We will provide you with the accountability so that all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed.

Let's get started today on that calorie deficit!



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