What exactly are calories?

You will all have heard that the average male requires 2,500 calories (Kcal's) and that a female requires around 2,000 Kcal's as a daily requirement. This is evident on most food packagings and on all food packagings (by law) nutritional content is included. Some of you who have used Weight Watchers products or been part of their club will understand what a calorie is a little more and some of you won't. So here it is just to clarify any misinterpretations:

The human body requires energy to be able to do anything. A calorie is a measurement of energy in the form of food or drink and is the same as a mile is in distance in the way that it contributes to a greater picture. The build up of calories by the ingestion of various foods allows more energy available for the body.

As the guidelines previously mentioned state, the body requires between 2,000-2,500Kcal's per day to function. This set guideline refers to what the body requires for basic functioning such as respiration, movement or simply 'being'. This is known as your Basal Metabolic Rate or Resting Metabolic Rate. For example, if my body requires 2,300Kcal to perform its daily functions and in addition I do an activity equivalent to 500Kcal then my body has performed an extra 300Kcal than needed (2,300+500=2,800 but I only need 2,500 to function normally). This is great news and means that I have done extra work to burn more fuel. However, in contrast if I had consumed 3,000Kcal worth of food and drink throughout the day then I have gone 500Kcal more than what my body needs to function. Therefore these calories are still in the body. They don't just vanish through excretion though, they get stored inside the body as fatty deposits or adipose tissue (this is bad!).

Thats the short and sweet of it. Now comes the question of how to count calories. Try and keep a food diary, even if just for a day or two. If you record the calorific content of each food and drink item you consume then you can work out how much under/over you have gone according to the prescribed guidelines. Use this as a guideline to how much you really do eat and adjust it accordingly. This means that if you aren't exercising regularly then you should only be taking on board 2,000Kcal or 2,500Kcal dependent on gender per day. Remember, your body needs that to function properly so simply dropping your calorie intake is bad as your body will not like you for this! Supplement your life with more exercise. Read my other posts previously on this blog to find out what exercises and when.

Hope this clarifies things for people and remember to exercise whenever possible and get your five-a-day.

Is obesity a myth?

*The views on here are all of my own personal opinions backed up with articles and journals*

No. Obesity is not a myth by any stretch of the imagination. Figures for obesity have grown dramatically over the past 20 years and it really is time to start addressing this problem. Did you know that over 70% of adults are physically inactive within the UK, with only 37% of males and 25% of females undertaking the guideline activity requirements set out by the ACSM in 2004? I'm guessing that less than 50% of you didn't know this fact and I am also willing to bet that you are shocked with the figures. If this is so, then why stand back and let people do it to themselves? We need to start educating people on the potential risks this can have to their health and well-being. Only 0.05% of people who are classed as obese have a genetic problem as the underlying issue. This means that we can make a difference to the other 99.95% of the population.

How can we do this? We can start by publicising the guidelines and making people aware of the figures I have previously outlined. If you do not know the guidelines, they are as followed:

According to the ACSM (2004) we should be undertaking 30minutes of physical activity 5 times a week. Now this might seem a lot, but it does not have to be undertaken in one block. Nobody is saying that you can't do 15minutes before work in the morning and then 15minutes before bed at night. In fact, I would strongly suggest this! Those 15minutes in the morning could be something like a light jog of 2-3km at a nice steady pace with which you can maintain. Or more physical exercise such as press ups/sit ups/stomach crunches. The great thing about exercise such as this is that it is hugely rewarding. After just 3 weeks you will start to feel better about yourself. However, it is not all about exercise.

Food is the main problem with society today. I am a student, therefore you expect me to have a dirty room, half functioning liver and a shocking nutritional intake based on pizza and pasta. Whilst 2/3 of them maybe true, my nutritional intake is largely good and most notably financially possible. I can go to certain supermarkets and get some really important fruits and veg for a great price, or I can go to the local market just outside of the town centre and get organically grown beautiful produce. Either way, I can make it happen so there is no stopping you!

Have a cheat day, this is extremely important. If you are being conscious of your intake throughout the week then you must have a day to yourself where you can eat the 'cheat foods'. I find Sunday to be the best day for this, after all who wants to be eating half a Sunday roast?!
Keep a food diary. Make sure that you are getting your five-a-day by writing it down. You're more conscious of it this way. Please make an effort with this guys, we really need to change the way we are living and the lifestyle with which we are used to as it is not helping our bodies! Think of the consequences this could have on your children.