Calories are like human batteries but don’t overload on them because all that excess energy is going to give you a belly.
Did you know?
Scientists have calculated that a person’s typical caloric consumption of between 2,000 to 2,500 calories a day generates enough energy to power a 100W light bulb (no one has actually been hooked up to a light bulb, though).
Good news: We’re all sizzling hot. Not in the beach hunk or babe sort of way, but more like, well, a barbeque. Imagine that the flame is our metabolism and the charcoal used equals calories from food.
Calories are vital as they give us the energy to perform daily activities. An average person requires about 2,000 calories a day to function; weight gain and weight loss are also linked with caloric intake.
So if you toss too many pieces of charcoal into a weak flame, some of them won’t get burned. Then you gain weight. But don’t drastically cut calories to lose weight; this could send your body into “starvation mode” – where it adapts by lowering metabolism and storing food for survival. What does this mean? Your diet will make you hungry and miserable, all for nothing.
Activities and Calories Used (70kg person):
- 30 calories – doing dishes for 15 minutes
- 60 calories – driving for 30 minutes
- 70 calories – folding clothes for 30 minutes
- 230 calories – walking for an hour
- 520 calories – playing tennis or swimming for an hour
- 600 calories – playing football or jogging (8km/h) for an hour
- 1,200 calories – cycling (at >30km/h) for an hour
Party your calories away…
If you are a social creature who likes to party, guess what? Going out to dance burns calories, too – about 400 calories for each hour of dancing.
After you’ve gone home, brushing your teeth for 3 minutes burns five calories, while going to sleep for seven hours burns more than 370 calories. Even a good night kiss, if you are enough to get one, burns calories – about 1.5 to 2 calories for a one-minute smooch.
Do: Consume more protein
As this particular nutrient doesn’t break down as easily as others, our bodies naturally adapt and work harder to digest it, burning more calories in the process.
Don’t: Drink too little water
If your body senses a lack of hydration, it’ll automatically mellow the “fire” – your metabolism – to ensure your system does not overheat.
