Some thoughts and discussions from me.
The 5 Ways We Burn Calories Every Day
Hello, friends! I love the discussion going on in Monday’s post on running – is it bad for you? Some great insights and opinions that I encourage you to check out 🙂
Today, let’s talk about calories. fuel. energy. food!
The Calorie
or kilocalorie more specifically, is simply put: a unit of heat. It’s the amount of energy in a food that’s available for us to either store or burn.
We maintain weight when we eat the amount of calories that we burn. Most people think of burning calories through exercise, right? We burn calories when we run on the treadmill, go to a spin class, or lift weights in the gym. While yes, that is very much a way we burn calories, there are 4 other ways we burn calories in a day. In fact, exercise isn’t even the main source of calorie burn in a day (if you exercise.)
Now, before I go into the 5 ways we burn calories every day, let’s have a quick chat about the different types of calories:
Not all calories are created equal. Different types of calories are processed in different ways in the body. The body processes calories from protein, carbohydrate, and fat very differently, and it shows up in satiety (fullness factor,) energy levels, and how your hormones play together. Not to mention how it processes sugar, sodium, and processed junk. While that’s another subject for another day, I’d be remiss if I didn’t touch on it. (And if it’s something you’d like me to write about here in the future, let me know in the comments!)
Disclaimer: this post is only intended to give you a better understanding of calories and energy burn. Knowledge is power, but I don’t follow or use a strict, calorie-counting, calorie-tracking, numbers analysis with my clients, whatever their goal might be.
Ok then!
1. Basal Energy Expenditure
This is your basal or resting metabolic rate (RMR,) and it’s the amount of calories your body needs to simply lie on the couch all day. It’s the amount of calories you burn through respiration, hormonal function, blood flow, etc. This is your metabolism. The RMR can account for up to 75% of your daily caloric expenditure, depending on your level of activity for the day.
I’m pretty sure Clarabelle’s basal energy expenditure is pretty darn close to her total daily calorie burn 😉 Shane and I have deemed her “productive days” as the days she moves to sleep in a new spot in the house #jealous
Of course, the amount of calories you burn from your RMR can depend on a few things:
- your weight
- your height
- the amount of muscle mass you have, as muscle burns more calories than fat [Tweet “muscle burns more calories to exist than fat – at 6 calories per hour, which is about double the amount of fat”]
- recent exercise, as someone who did an intense strength or metabolic workout earlier in the day or the night before, would have an increased metabolic rate, from EPOC (excess post oxygen consumption —>read 5 ways to increase it here)
2. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
This is the amount of energy expended through digestion of food. When we eat food, it requires energy to break down that food and distribute the nutrients. Each macronutrient has a different TEF expenditure:
- Protein has the highest TEF level, requiring a 20-25% energy/calorie burn during digestion
- Carbohydrate comes in second, with 4-7% of a calorie burn
- Fat requires only a 3-4% calorie burn during digestion
That said, it’s important to remember that just because we burn more calories by simply eating protein than we do carbohydrate, we won’t necessarily burn more calories in a day by eating more protein. Eating a higher carbohydrate amount might give you more energy, thusly making you move more, and burn more calories. Also, TEF is a very minimal portion of our overall calorie burn.
3. Non-Exercise Physical Activity (NEPA)
I like to refer to NEPA as the “chore calorie burner,” because it’s basically calories you burn while doing every day activities that need to get done. Taking the dog out, shopping for groceries, cleaning the bathroom, getting dressed, etc. It’s activity that burns more calories than sitting, but it’s not exercise.
4. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)
Many people either mix up NEAT with NEPA, or mistakenly use them interchangeably. However, NEAT is activity that’s done in our subconscious. It’s fidgeting, or playing with our hair, or subconsciously moving things as we sit (a habit of mine – I play with things, haha)
5. Exercise, or the thermic effect of exercise (TEE)
This is what it sounds like – the energy expended during a workout, whether it be cardio or strength.
So there you have it, a day’s work in the body’s energy expenditure system. Of course, there are other factors that can determine your day-to-day calorie burn, from having a cold to menstruation, but these are the big 5. Based on these 5 factors, it’s easy to say that our total daily calorie burn is a dynamic number. It varies every single day based on, well, the factors above.
Again, a calorie isn’t just a calorie, and macros and other factors affect our energy levels, hunger levels, and how our systems function. However, there’s always a bottom line, and the one here is that whether you’re maintaining, losing, or gaining weight, calories matter.
Are you a calorie counter? Do you pay any attention to calories?
Do you pay any attention to your daily macros?
Great article! Hey, what’s your take on the IIFYM concept? I noticed your article says “not all calories are created equal” but I keep seeing numerous IIFYM posts that essentially say the body will react to calories/carbs/fats from a pop tart as it will from a sweet potato. Thoughts???
I think it works because of how the different macros can beneficially affect your hunger/satiety and energy levels. However, if someone loses or gains weight from it, it’s still because they’re taking in less (or more) energy/calories than they’re burning. Does that make sense?
Yes, that makes perfect sense!
I will never ever count calories. But I just re-learned all this in my functional fitness class a few chapter back, haha!
I loved this! I used to count calories but it never worked for me. I just try to make sure I have a healthy balance in my meals and eat when my body tells me..;)
Elsie @ Sharing Healthiness recently posted…4 Reasons Why I WILL Exercise in the Cold
🙂 Love to hear that
Great post, Paige! Your blog posts are always full of so much information…Keep it up!
I don’t count calories or macros, and while I think the macro counting would help change and tweak my body, I don’t think it’s worth the time or energy FOR ME. That’s personal, but to be fair I haven’t tried weighing and measuring my food…I just don’t think it would sustainable.
Bonnie recently posted…Right Now I Feel…
Thank you, Bonnie! You’re always so encouraging 🙂
Indeed I am a calorie counter, but I don’t count every calorie. I rather do a rough estimation. 🙂
Linda @ TheFitty recently posted…What I Got In My October Foodie Care Package + Most Perfect Day!
Counting every single calorie is a sure fire way to insanity! Rough estimations are great if that works for you though 🙂
Great article! I’ve been flexible dieting for the past 10 months or so, following a responsible IIFYM model (80-90% whole/unprocessed foods, treats where they fit in). I was strict in counting for a while, and it really helped me figure out what works for my body and what doesn’t, and what gives me energy, fuels my workouts, and helps me reach my goals. For me, it’s a healthy mindset that allows for sustainability. Now I don’t have to weight and measure as much, I’ve gotten really good at eyeballing portions!
Love love love your articles, Paige!!
Thank you, Megan! That’s awesome that you were able to transition from counting to eye balling so seamlessly 🙂
Some great information! Also, love the pictures – did you build a pull up bar in your living room? My husband would be jealous of that in-home setup.
Great post! I never knew the difference between NEPA and NEAT….so that’s good to learn! I don’t count calories, but if I had to guess I’d assume my calories in are pretty much the same everyday. I tend to have pretty consistent hunger levels.
Kaila @healthyhelperblog! recently posted…CL Thursdays + a Foods of the Moment Giveaway
Do you think we can burn a substantial percent of our calories from NEAT? (is it worth it to fidget etc a lot?)
I always wondered about this, but never wanted to do the research! Thanks for sharing!!
Faith VanderMolen recently posted…Vegan Vegetable Lasagna
I have never counted macros…I have watched my calorie intake, but I get tired of it, because it can become too obsessive and time consuming. I’m working more on nourishing and enjoying my food and making sure it is properly fueling my workouts and my brain. 🙂
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