The Basics: Calories

What are calories?

It is important to note that though many people use the word “calorie,” in the context of fitness and nutrition, they are almost always referring to kilocalories. A kilocalorie represents the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. Your body needs energy to perform various functions, including breathing, digestion, and physical activities—calories are the fuel that powers these functions.

Bevel provides comprehensive insights into your daily and workout-specific calorie expenditure. You can also tailor your experience by using Settings to customize the calorie metric to display either the total calories burned or the active calories burned for each day.

The 3 ways your body uses calories 

1. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR): Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the foundational component of calorie expenditure. It represents the energy your body needs to sustain basic life functions while at complete rest. These essential bodily functions encompass activities such as breathing, maintaining body temperature, and fueling cellular processes. Your BMR accounts for a significant portion of your daily calorie needs, typically around 60-70% of your total calorie expenditure. It's influenced by factors such as age, gender, and weight.

2. Physical Activity: The calories burned through physical activity encompass all the movements you make throughout the day, including structured exercises, walking, household chores, and even fidgeting. This component is highly variable and depends on your lifestyle and exercise habits.

3. Thermic Effect of Food (TEF): The Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) accounts for approximately 5-10% of your daily calorie expenditure. It represents the energy your body expends during the process of digesting, absorbing, and metabolizing the nutrients from the foods you consume.

More on the thermic effect of food

Each macronutrient has a unique TEF:‍

• Proteins: Protein-rich foods require the most energy to digest and metabolize, with about 20-30% of their calories expended in the process.
• ‍Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates require moderate energy for digestion, approximately 5-10% of their calories.
• ‍Fats: Dietary fats have the lowest TEF, with only about 0-3% of their calories used during digestion.

Calories and your fitness goals

Whether you want to lose weight, maintain your current physique, or build muscle, calories play a crucial role in achieving your fitness goals.

1. Weight Loss: To shed excess pounds, you must create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than your body burns. This encourages your body to use stored fat for energy.

2. Weight Maintenance: Keeping your calorie intake in balance with your calorie expenditure helps you maintain your current weight.

3. Muscle Gain: If your goal is to build muscle, you may need to consume slightly more calories than you burn, particularly focusing on protein intake to support muscle growth.

Understanding calories is a fundamental step in taking control of your fitness journey. By grasping the science behind calories and learning how to manage them effectively, you can make informed choices that complement your fitness goals.