Healthy Eating - Energy Needs

Active individuals need more energy (calories) each day than those that are sedentary. Energy balance is achieved when the energy consumed equals energy used.

Knowing whether you are in energy balance is simple: your weight is maintained.

If energy intake does not cover the costs of energy use, then weight and muscle mass are lost, and the ability to perform strenuous exercise typically declines. Although weight loss is the goal of many people, weight loss in an active individual who is currently at a healthy body weight can decrease exercise performance and the health benefits associated with exercise training. When energy intake is restricted, fat and muscle mass will be utilized for energy to fuel the body, and the loss of muscle mass will result in the loss of strength and endurance. Additionally, chronically low energy intake usually results in poor nutrient intakes, including carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Exactly how much energy an active individual needs each day will depend on a number of factors, including age, gender, body size, level and intensity of physical activity and activities of daily living.

The first goal of an active individual is to maintain adequate energy intake to assure that a healthy body
weight is maintained. Although this seems like a simple task, there are many active individuals who find this hard to do. For these individuals, a dietary plan that assures meals and snacks are not skipped will improve energy intake and help maintain weight. Finally, energy needs typically decrease with age, so even if activity levels do not change, the amount of energy required to maintain body weight will
decrease. For this reason, body weight typically increaseswith age, even if activity levels remain constant.

Author Resource: Looking for tips and resources on a totally healthy lifestyle? Visit Totally Healthy You for a complete lifestyle makeover. The author is a 20 healthcare veteran in the field of Cardiology and healthcare education.