The Basics of Energy Balance

Calories in. Calories Out. Is it that simple? It depends.

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Growing up in small-town Maine, I remember waiting in line at the grocery store with my mom and always seeing those magazines with the electric colors claiming the newest diet: “Try this 15 day diet to torch 20x more calories” or “Burn calories – even when you sleep – secret on page 28!” Thinking about it, this is probably how most of us learned about energy balance initially. The formula has been thrown at us for decades in one way or another:

CALORIES BURNED > CALORIES EATEN = GOOD.

CALORIES BURNED < CALORIES EATEN = BAD.

The early 2000s never let us forget to seek out ways to burn more calories because the overwhelming mainstream ideal was to be thin. Crystal Light packets, anyone? *pause for raised hands*

I am here to tell you that the effect of energy balance goes beyond just burning calories and once you understand the fundamentals, you can not only get to your goals but change them depending on your values, on your terms. A very liberating feeling. *nail polish emoji*

We learned through magazines, TV, radio (when that was still a thing?) that the goal was to burn more calories than you ate because you would lose weight. And while that is correct on a foundational level, there are two other avenues via energy balance – creating three total outcomes:

1) Lose Weight

2) Gain Weight

3) Maintain Weight

The relationship between what we burn and the what we consume is referred to as energy balance, but it could easily be called “calorie balance.”

A calorie is not a tangible thing; it’s a measurement of energy. And we use this measurement to define a few key things:

1) the calories we consume from food = energy intake

and

2) the calories needed to keep our heart pumping, lungs breathing, etc (Basal Metabolic Rate) + the calories needed to digest our food (Thermic Effect of Food) + the calories needed for exercise (Thermic Effect of Activity) = energy expenditure

energy balance = the relationship between our energy intake and expenditure.

Looking back at our three options:

1) Lose Weight : calories burned (expenditure) > calories consumed (intake)

2) Gain Weight : calories burned < calories consumed

3) Maintain Weight : calories burned = calories consumed

In order to lose weight, you have to consume less calories than you burn, which is referred to as a negative energy balance. In order to gain weight, you have to consume more calories than you expend, a positive energy balance. To maintain your weight, you have to equalize both, an equal energy balance.

There is simply no way around it. Luckily, there are a couple ways to go about it. No matter your current goal, read on:

PRIORITIZE CALORIE EXPENDITURE

This method puts the focus on movement by increasing the Thermic Effect of Activity via higher levels of physical activity: walking, exercise classes, biking, etc. By increasing your overall activity, you increase your total calorie expenditure which helps ensure your negative energy balance if your goal is to lose weight.

How do you know if you’re increasing your Thermic Effect of Activity enough? If you said: “I use my [fitness brand name here] watch all the time! It tells me how much I burn everyday. I got this.”

Real Talk: if you got this, would you be reading this right now?

More Real Talk: your watch is not perfect, in fact, it’s far from it.

The watch on your wrist is incredible, don’t get me wrong, but for weight loss it’s not your best tool.

May you take a breath and no longer allow your watch to dictate your day.

PRIORITIZE CALORIE INTAKE

This method puts the focus on food. Flipping the script and prioritizing what’s coming IN instead of what’s going OUT, can be more accurate and create more tangible touchstones for progress. Holding yourself accountable is the most difficult part of this method; however, in my experience, this method is the most effective. It’s really easy to convince ourselves we have it “locked in” when in fact, we do not. The results are worth the work though. There are many different and equally successful strategies involved with this method which are covered here.

PRIORITIZE BOTH

This method does both and it’s what I like to call the “New Year’s Resolution” method. I think you know where this is going: you try to take it ALL ON at once: you buy the new (read: expensive) sneakers and the greens powder you saw on insta the other day. And it works.. for a couple weeks, until you realize you don’t enjoy running and the greens powder actually tastes like dirt mixed with lemon. Then you’re back at square one. In this fitness journey, most times the best move is taking small steps and focusing on one single change at a time.

My vote is prioritizing your calorie intake.

Understanding the relationship of energy balance is fundamental to any goal. Use your knowledge to free yourself from old beliefs you’ve talked yourself into. No more trying to burn calories when we sleep – let’s leave that in 2003 where it belongs.

Understanding how energy balance changes your body is covered in post #3 of the 6-part Essential Education of Nutrition: Basics of Body Composition.

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