171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
800-424-MUSC
|
 |
December 2008
Calorie is King
Energy is just another name for calories. Balancing the energy or calories in food with your energy needs determines how much you weigh. The math is simple. If you eat more calories than you need, you gain weight. If you consume less or increase your needs through exercise, you will lose weight. So, where do you begin to shift the calories in your favor?
Become an expert on food composition. This doesn't mean you have to become a professional nutritionist or dietitian but do become an informed consumer. Food is a complex mixture of many nutrients which include the energy containing "food stuffs" (protein, carbohydrate, fat, and alcohol), water, minerals, and vitamins. Calorie is King when determining your energy balance.
Children need more energy than adults because they are growing and tend to be more active. For adults, energy needs go down with age and up with exercise. If you don't exercise, the basic energy requirement for women is about 1,200 calories and 1,500 calories for men. You can add about 100 calories for every mile (2,000 steps) you walk. A reasonable exercise goal is 10,000 steps per day and adds 500 calories to your basic needs.
Note that protein and carbohydrate contain 4 calories per gram, while the equal weight of fat contains more than twice the calories at 9 calories per gram. Not familiar with what a gram is? A nickel weighs exactly 5 grams. So, a pat of margarine weighing 5 grams contains 45 calories (5 x 9 =45). A package of sugar weighing 5 grams contains 20 calories (5 x 4 =20). Calories from fat can really sneak up on you. When you fry foods such as chicken and potatoes, you are driving out the water which contains no calories and replacing it with fat containing 9 calories per gram.
A balanced diet has a calorie distribution of 15 percent protein, 55 percent carbohydrate, and 30 percent fat. Use the following table as a guide. The typical American diet contains about 40 percent of calories from fat. To combat this, the food industry has created many low fat versions by replacing the fat with carbohydrates. Indeed low fat foods are lower in calories, but we tend to increase our portions which negate any of the benefits.
| Calories | Protein (4 Cals/gm) | Carbohydrate (4 Cals/gm) | Fat (9 Cals/gm) |
| 1000 | 38 grams | 138 grams | 33 grams |
| 1200 | 45 grams | 165 grams | 40 grams |
| 1500 | 56 grams | 206 grams | 50 grams |
| 1800 | 68 grams | 248 grams | 60 grams |
| 2000 | 75 grams | 275 grams | 67 grams |
| 2400 | 90 grams | 330 grams | 80 grams |
The table will be helpful when you begin to study individual foods. One excellent reference for a wide variety of foods including the foods served in 200 fast food chains and restaurants is The Calorie King, Calorie, Fat Carbohydrate Counter. The book has been published annually for 20 years and can be a convenient pocket size guide for getting the facts. When you have the facts, you can make an informed decision.
| Food | Calorie | Fat | Carbohydrate |
| McDonald's Quarter Pounder | 410 | 19 | 37 |
| McDonald's Large Fries and Soda | 880 | 30 | 156 |
| Pizza Hut Supreme Personal Pan Pizza | 710 | 34 | 70 |
| Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla | 540 | 30 | 40 |
So what can you do? Begin with plenty of fruits and vegetables (5+ each day), don't drink calories (decrease sugar), and exercise for an hour every day. It helps to turn off the TV as well. Happy holidays!
To find out more about the Lean Team, visit our website at www.musc.edu/leanteam or give us a call at (843)579-4316.
 |
Mary Joan
Lean Team |
|
|
Print Version