Every day of the year, thousands of Brits start a diet, probably without thinking much about how it actually works. If the truth be known, most diets can be summarised in two words: eat less. The better ones require four words: eat less, move more. And the thing that all successful diets have in common is a principle that we call the energy equation.
Energy 101
The human body runs on energy – we get it from the food we eat and the beverages we drink; and we expend it through the tick-tock of our bodies (breathing, digesting, sleeping) and physical activity (running, playing sport, hanging out the washing).
Energy is measured in calories, or its metric equivalent kilojoules, and your body can do only two things with it:
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Burn it. Through your body’s natural metabolism and exercise.
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Store it. In your body’s limitless stores where any excess energy becomes fat.
Each kilo (2lb) of body weight is the equivalent of about 7,000 stored calories (29,400 kilojoules). So, for example, if you’re 5kg (10lb) overweight, you’re storing an excess of 35,000 calories. For the record, this is the equivalent of about 130 snack-size bars of chocolate.
Understanding your energy equation
The energy equation drives weight loss, weight maintenance and weight gain. That’s why it features prominently in your Biggest Loser Club diary. Here’s how you can use it to achieve one of these three goals:
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LOSE WEIGHT: Create a ‘deficit’. If you want to lose weight, your energy equation has to be in deficit. This is achieved by burning more energy than you consume. If you think of it like a bank account, it’s like spending more (energy) than you’re earning. And although most of us don’t like being in debt, ‘spending’ more than you earn is the only effective way to lose weight.
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MAINTAIN WEIGHT: Find a ‘balance’. To maintain your weight, your energy equation has to be in balance. That means the energy you’re consuming is equivalent to the energy you’re expending. Simply do this every day and you’ll manage your weight for good!
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GAIN WEIGHT: Avoid a ‘surplus’
. You gain weight when your energy equation is in surplus – meaning you’re consuming more energy than you’re burning. For example, eating two pieces of chocolate a day in excess of your daily energy requirement can contribute to almost 3kg (6lb) gained in a year. At a mere 55 calories, two pieces of chocolate sounds pretty harmless, but remember that if you don’t burn it, your body has no choice but to store it.
Metabolism: the fire within
Metabolism – which is the natural rate at which you burn energy – is an important element of your energy equation. You can view your daily metabolic rate in the 'Calories Out' section of the diary. Everyone’s metabolism is different and yours is determined by:
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Your age – from about the age of 25 your metabolism naturally starts to decline, but the good news is that this can be countered with regular exercise.
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Your weight – the heavier you are, the more energy your body needs to keep working. This busts the myth that overweight people have slow metabolisms.
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Your lean body mass – muscle demands more energy from the body than fat, so the more muscle you have the higher your metabolism. That’s why it’s great to do some resistance training in your weekly workouts.
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Your gender – on average men have slightly higher metabolisms than women, but this is largely due to their higher muscle mass.
Get the balance right
The Biggest Loser Club makes it easy to discover your energy equation. By tracking everything you eat and drink and any exercise you do in the diary, you’ll get to see how much energy you’re consuming versus how much you’re burning up. Start tracking today and use this great tool to achieve your goal of weight loss or weight maintenance.