Energy Balance...What is that and why is it so important???

First and Foremost: do you even know what a calorie is or represents? A calorie represents a unit of energy. When you read up on the science it will make sense why this stuff can be so confusing but lets keep the analogy simple. Calories are fuel for humans, just like gas is fuel for a car. The analogy I like to use for clients is, imagine you were taking a road trip. It would be very important to know how much gas your vehicle needs to make it, correct? Now, what happens if you don't have enough gas in your car? You obviously breakdown and need a refuel, pretty simple formula. Ironically for humans, our bodies don't really work this way and in the short term we will find a way to push through and derive energy from somewhere to keep moving. The other side of that equation is when you fuel a car, the tank only has so much capacity, while the human body is capable of storing quite a bit of energy in the form of body fat. Analogy aside, there are typically two types of people when it comes to food & nutrition, those who chronically under-nourish (not enough fuel) and those who chronically over-indulge (store tons of fuel). Which one are you??? Lastly, why does the principle of calorie balance matter to you???

First lets talk about calorie balance and what it is exactly. You may have heard the term calories in vs. calories out, which is a popular reference to calorie balance. The calories that we ingest into our body should be equal to, greater or less than the amount of expenditure from living and activity. If we are ingesting more calories than we are burning then we will be able to gain weight, and hopefully if done correctly, muscle mass and size. If we are ingesting less calories than we are burning then we will be able to lose weight, and if done properly, lose body fat while maintaining muscle tissue. The last leg of this equation is maintaining balance (or close to) a balance between how much we ingest and how much we move and live!!! The first two people are usually where 95% of all goals in fitness regarding body composition are focused however, that last focal point, maintaining solid caloric intake has so many underrated benefits which I would like to focus on in this article.

Let's take it one step at a time and focus on the needs of each individual group before throwing out solutions.

In the first group of under-nourished bodies, when those needs aren't being met, instead of only pulling from our bodies fat stores, our bodies pull energy from wherever it can...and fast!!! This could mean breaking down glycogen stored in our muscles, liver or even converting the muscle itself into glucose for energy. This could be using pyruvate and lactic acid during exercise to convert these two substrates into fuel to continue exercise or obviously we could also use fat released from fat cells (triglycerides released from adipocytes). I think people must realize our bodies need adequate fueling for our activity levels, health, immune system to thrive. IF* the body is not adequately nourished (ex: too low of calories, lacking nutrient dense foods etc.) not only will we struggle to see results, the body will begin the process of degradation or plateauing. While having a fitness goal is amazing, at the end of the day if your fitness goals are fulfilled but you feel awful, it will not matter in the least. 

Now let us swing the pendulum over to the other side of the spectrum and add some context while we are here. The trend I see in our population is a bunch of people who chronically under eat nutrient dense foods, then binge eat highly palatable, nutrient deficient foods resulting in a calorie surplus. Although that conversation is a separate topic in itself, that same calorie surplus results in body fat gain as well as other negative outcomes mentally, physically and even emotionally. The person who is in a chronic cycle of mal-nourishment, then binge eats highly palatable foods is a byproduct of diet culture as well as societal pressures in our economic, social and emotional statuses. I would recommend this person to see a therapist with experience and background in nutrition. Now if this is more of a practical issue based on habits, it will still require some deprogramming however, those who have had success in their health in fitness (regardless of weight loss) have deconstructed their own personal issues and gotten into a good routine and regimen that allows the ability to revitalize their health. 

The allied health professional has seen this cycle and it tends to lend itself to an unhealthy relationship to nutrition, disordered eating, anxiety and fear around foods, diet culture and overall poor outcomes. The calories you consume are fuel to your daily life and regardless of popular belief you should be able to manage with an adequate amount to fuel your day, without over-consuming which results in fat gain, or under-consuming which can lead to nutrient deficiency. The diagram above does a good job of explaining why I wanted to write this article on energy balance without focusing on weight (gain/loss). The benefits of energy balance is very underrated in fitness and a very under-represented topic. Typically, energy levels are at their most optimal, weight is pretty predictable in the sense that any shifts up or down are usually due to water weight gain/loss. Also, an underrated aspect of energy balance is the effect that maintenance calories has on the immune system and recovery from intense workout. Sometimes, bringing ourselves out of a calorie deficit can help regulate hormones as well. 

I'm not trying to make maintenance calories some kind of magic bullet to every health and fitness problem however, I believe we in the fitness industry have done a poor job of really spelling out the benefits of just being able to sustain a healthy amount of calories, adequate protein intake, whole food, nutrient rich, heart healthy fats and delicious carbs. In the world today, everyone is in one camp or another because it is simple, not because it is truly the only way to have great health, look and feel amazing!!!

If I could package 3 things for you to focus on in this article it would be:

1. Find out what your maintenance calories are (https://tdeecalculator.net/)

- This website is not perfect but can help to give you a starting place for the amount of calories needed

2. Eat nutrient dense, whole foods to ensure proper vitamin, mineral and nutrient delivery for the body

- Anything that can't be achieved in the diet could be supported through supplementation

3. Determine your goals around your maintenance calories but don't be scared to eat at maintenance!!!

(Lose fat = calorie deficit/Build muscle = calorie surplus)

*If you need any help with any of these 3 steps, feel free to submit any questions directly back to this email correspondence and I will respond in kind. Thank you!!!