How Does Calorie Burning Work?

Calorie expenditure is not just important for weight management and body fat loss, but also necessary for biological equilibrium and homeostasis. Homeostasis refers to our body's innate ability to stabilize against potentially volatile external conditions. Therefore, calorie burning occurs naturally as our body works hard to create a stable internal environment so that we can function optimally and maintain proper fluid balance and temperature levels.

There are copious methods to determine your appropriate total energy expenditure. These include scientific equations like Harris-Benedict and Mifflin-St Jeor, online applications such as Myfitnesspal and Cronometer that allow you to plug in your weight, height, activity level and fitness goals and pop out a TEE as well as more advanced devices like an indirect calorimeter: this is a device that uses oxygen consumption to determine resting energy expenditure and then adds in lifestyle activity to determine your TEE. [We have this available at NY Nutrition Group for those who are more data-driven.]

What's most important is that you understand calorie needs can fluctuate on a daily basis based on activity level, weather changes, eating patterns, sleeping habits, hydration levels, certain stressors, exposure to viruses or infections, etc.

How to Track Total Energy Output?

While there is no exact method to track calorie expenditure, there are various tools that can help you estimate energy output: these include heart rate monitors, fitness apps that rely on self-reporting and portable or stationary VO2 devices.

Ways to Increase Daily Calorie Burn?

Muscle is by far the most metabolically active tissue. Therefore, working on building lean muscle mass is the most efficient way to increase daily calorie burn. You can achieve this through various and regular strength-training exercises, eating a higher protein diet (>1.2g of protein per Kg of body weight) and balancing that with plenty of fluids, proper rest (which is essential for recovery) and a complimenting a higher protein diet with anti-inflammatory fats and fiber-rich carbs.

For a more personalized understanding of how many calories your body burns and requires for proper functioning, schedule an appointment with one of our sports nutritionists today!