The total energy intake of a given individual will vary depending on biochemical individuality. Of the total energy intake a very small proportion of it is burnt during physical activity. This is often surprising to those who are interested, as it is often assumed that exercise is a good way to “burn calories”. This is a falsehood, and even quite long periods of intense exercise are rather inefficient at oxidising stored fuel. In fact the vast majority of the energy that we consume in a day is used to maintain our structures. Protein turnover is very costly from an energy point of view and much of the energy we ingest is used for this purpose. Then there is the maintenance of the immune system, something else that requires large amounts of energy. Also, the brain has a large capacity to burn energy, mainly in the form of glucose, and this energy accounts for a significant proportion of the total carbohydrate intake during a day. Therefore while exercise is good for your health, it is not a good way to burn calories if weight loss is a goal.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
