Fat and calories: what they are and how they affect body weight

Fat and calories: what they are and how they affect body weight

Discover the role of fats and calories in weight gain and gain

There is a general confusion in the use of the terms fat and calories. Sometimes, they are used as synonyms or used interchangeably in expressions such as "burn fat" and "burn calories." In the promotional language of advertising, fat and calories are also confused. This creates ideas that do not fit reality. This article differentiates both terms, they are related to weight loss and it is explained how to burn fat and calories.

Differences between fat and calories

The calorie is a unit to measure the energy that is in disuse. It was replaced by "July" in the International System of Units. However, its use is maintained to state the energy value of food. In principle, a calorie designated the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 degree. From 14.5 to 15.5 degrees under the pressure of 1 atmosphere.

Beyond technicalities, a calorie is the unit of measure that expresses how much energy food provides and how much energy is used in all vital functions. From sleeping to running a marathon, breathing, digestion or climbing stairs, all vital functions demand energy that comes mostly from food.

Fat is a particular type of nutrient such as protein and carbohydrate that the body uses as fuel. Also called lipids, they can be of animal or plant origin and serve to create nerve tissues, cell membranes, and hormones. In addition, they facilitate the absorption of other nutrients. Unused fats are stored as adipose tissue, a kind of energy reserve for when food is not available.

In short, fats and calories are different terms that designate different objects. The role that both plays in the increase or decrease in weight means that they can be confused in certain contexts.

Which one should be avoided to lose weight?

While there are 4 calories in 1 gram of carbohydrates or protein, 1 gram of fat contains 9. The caloric density of fats doubles that of other nutrients. To this is added that the body invests fewer calories to store them, compared to carbohydrates and proteins. What makes them accumulate more easily as adipose tissue. This means that calories from fats are more likely to increase body weight and volume.

To reduce body mass and lose weight, the body must use calories stored in the form of fat. This can only happen if the energy requirement is higher than the calories provided by food. For this reason, many diets are based on the combination of exercise with low-calorie foods. If fat intake is reduced, the body uses its reserves and weight is lost.

How to burn fat and calories

The body burns calories continuously or not physical exercise. The energy requirement determines the rate of consumption of these calories. Swimming 5 pools will consume more calories than listening to music or reading a book. However, all these activities will be sustained, first, by calories from food. The organism initially uses the energy of carbohydrates. Then that of proteins and fats. And finally, the accumulated fat.

To burn this fat reserve and reduce body weight, it is necessary to prevent the ingested calories from satisfying the energy requirements. In this way, the body will be forced to burn accumulated fat and weight loss will occur. If an exercise routine is accompanied by a specific diet, usually low in fat, these variables may be aligned to stop the accumulation of adipose tissue and then begin its reduction.

In conclusion, to lose weight you have to limit the number of calories ingested. These should come from healthy and natural foods not processed or saturated with fat. In addition, you have to exercise regularly to burn calories from food first and then accumulated fat.