Peter Orszag recently wrote about a growing issue with the food stamp program. While an average family of four receives about $500 in food assistance per month, most of these families spend over half of this amount within the first two weeks. This leaves them with insufficient food or money for the rest of the month.
Orszag points out that caloric intake drops toward the end of the month for these families. They consume 10 to 15 percent fewer calories in the later part of the month. Although many people have heard of calories, not everyone understands what they are or how they impact our bodies.
What Is a Calorie?
A calorie is a unit of energy. Specifically, it represents the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celsius. However, when we talk about calories in food, we’re actually referring to kilocalories, which are equivalent to 1,000 calories. So, a can of soda listed as 150 calories actually contains 150,000 calories. The same goes for exercise – when you burn 100 calories while jogging, you’ve burned 100 kilocalories.
For practical purposes, whenever someone mentions calories, they mean kilocalories.
Burning Calories
Just like cars need fuel to run, our bodies need calories to function. Calories provide the energy for all bodily activities, whether big or small. The amount of energy required to keep your body functioning at rest is known as your basal metabolic rate (BMR), or simply metabolism. This accounts for about 60-65% of your total energy expenditure.
Your BMR covers your body’s energy needs while at rest. When you are active, you burn more calories. The more intense the activity or the longer you do it, the more calories you burn.
Not getting enough calories can cause various problems, as your body lacks the energy to function properly. The families Orszag talks about are likely less active at the end of the month compared to the start, due to lower caloric intake.
Calories and Weight Loss
To maintain your weight, you need to consume the same number of calories that you burn. Any unused calories are stored in your body as fat. One pound of fat is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories.
To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. However, this doesn’t mean you should starve yourself. It’s important to remember that what you eat is just as important as how much you eat. Consuming nutrient-rich foods can make a big difference, similar to the difference between putting good fuel in your car versus putting in something that would cause damage.