calories Archives - Healthhype

Calorie Count (Food and Activity) and Effect on Body Weight

Dr. Chris — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:52:45 +0000

What is the calorie count of food or exercise? A calorie count is the amount of energy potential in foods and the energy expended in activity. Energy is measured in calories or joules. Since the body uses so many tens of thousands of calories and joules every day, the kilocalorie (kCal) and kilojoule (kJ) are often better units to work with as each unit represents one thousand calories or joules. A single calorie or kilojoule is too small a unit. For example 50 kCal actually means 50,000 calories just as 50 kJ would mean 50,000 kilojoules. For convenience and over time, kCal fell away in weight management and calorie (Cal) took its place although Cal is intended to mean kCal. Activity, as well, is measured in kilocalories which has just been assigned to the calorie value. A person’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) determines how much of calories are consumed at rest. Any additional activity will utilize more calories above and beyond the BMR. Standing and walking will consume more calories than sleeping whereas running, cycling or swimming will consume even more calories than standing and walking. Therefore a calorie count can be assigned to different activities – usually it is [...]

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Weight Gain with Stress (Hormones, Diet and Exercise)

Dr. Chris — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 21:07:25 +0000

Does stress cause weight gain? There are several reasons for weight gain – some related to lifestyle factors (the most common causes), physiological responses like pregnancy and pathological factors like diseases of the thyroid or adrenal glands. Weight gain in most instances is a result of consuming more calories than is needed for energy production to maintain life processes and facilitate the daily physical activities. In other words, eating more than is needed for physical activities in a day will lead to a storage of the extra calories in the form of fat – the ultimate storage form of nutrients. One of the lesser known contributing factors is psychological stress that can lead to weight gain through various mechanisms. Hormones in stress weight gain Stress these days takes on a different meaning with modern life. Whereas in the wild stress means fighting or fleeing for survival, the human body has to now contend with intense psychological stress ranging such as emotional strain, career pressures and financial worries. The human body has several mechanisms to deal with stress which is largely regulated by the neuroendocrine system. Impulses in the brain stimulate the master gland of the body (pituitary) and hypothalamus to [...]

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Tips On Unhealthy Diets And Bad Eating Habits

Dr. Chris — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:17:15 +0000

Every few months there is a new diet making waves in the media. For many people trying to lose weight, fad diets appear to offer new hope in achieving their weight loss goals. And for those who want to keep off the pounds and stay healthy, these diets may offer a better option than their current eating plan. But certain diets are not without its dangers and it may take several months before the medical experts clarify the potentially harmful effects of adopting these eating habits. Due to the diversity of diet plans, it is difficult to know differentiate those that are dangerous from those that are not. But there are some types of diets that can be a problem. Remember that the main way to lose weight, should you not have any contributing medical condition(s), is to balance your calorie intake. In other words you should not be consuming more calories that you need. And you should try to increase your calorie output through physical activity if you are trying to lose weight. There are a host of other aspects in weight loss but the fundamentals still revolves around calorie input and output. Radical changes in diet may yield [...]

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8 Medical Conditions Where Sodas Should Be Avoided

Dr. Chris — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 23:39:27 +0000

We constantly hear about the negative health effects of drinking sodas. Too much sugar, too much gas, excessive caffeine and there is even talk about some sodas being as corrosive as drain cleaners. But the fact is that hundreds of millions, if not billions, of people drink soda on a daily basis across the globe. There is some truth in the claims made against sodas by health organizations but the bigger problem is for people with certain medical conditions. Drinking soda can worsen the symptoms, hamper treatment and even lead to complications. Diabetes Diabetics should be careful about sodas with sugar as their body cannot regulate the blood sugar levels properly. Regular sodas are laden with sugar and this can cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels within a short period of time. Depending on the quantity consumed and the way the diabetes is managed, excessive soda drinking can lead to serious complications. It is not always obvious or instantaneous. But even moderate consumption of soda over a prolonged time has detrimental effects in diabetics. The repeated short term rise in the blood glucose levels damages different tissues throughout the body leading to the long term complications of diabetes [...]

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Calorie Restricted Diet | How to Create or Modify an Eating Plan

Dr. Chris — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:52:55 +0000

What is a calorie restricted diet? A calorie restricted diet is an eating plan that limits the daily intake of calories. It is the same concept as a kilojoule restricted diet with the only difference being in the unit of energy measure – calories vs joules. Calories can be taken in through food (input) or expended during activity (output) and the purpose of a calorie restricted diet is to shift the balance between input and output to yield a desired body weight. Too many input calories (food) = weight gain. Too few input calories (food) = weight loss. The terms calorie-restricted and calorie-controlled are often used interchangeably. Many prefer the latter term, calorie-controlled, as it indicates that the goal of the dietary change is to control rather than restrict calorie intake through food. Similarly it can be applied to other weight control measures like an exercise schedule. Getting Started With A Calorie Restricted Diet Ideally a person should first assess their eating habits by keeping a calorie counting diary for at least one to two weeks prior to starting a calorie restricted diet. Many who are overweight or obese are in denial about their eating habits. The reality is that [...]

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Calories and Joules – List of Common Foods and Drinks

Dr. Chris — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:38:09 +0000

What is a calorie and joule? A calorie (Cal) is a unit of measure of energy. In terms of weight control, a calorie is used to assess the energy potential of food or physical activity. A joule (J) is also a unit of measure of energy and 1 calorie is equal to 4.186 joules. Since a single calorie is too minute to be of any significance in weight control, most calorie values are actually kilocalories (kCal) but for convenience, the word calorie is used for the kilocalorie. Similarly, the joule in weight control refers to kilojoules (kJ). Calorie List This calorie list is intended for weight control purposes and any dietary change should only be undertaken with medical approval. Cooking methods may alter the calorie content of various foods. Always follow the calorie content marked on packages as these are accurate for the specific food or drink. This list should be used as a guideline for a calorie-controlled / restricted eating plan. Read more on calorie counting for a better understanding of this weight control method. To ascertain the kilojoule equivalent, multiply by 4.186. The format of the list below denotes FOOD/DRINK (VARIETY), PORTION SIZE = CALORIES BEVERAGES Milkshakes and [...]

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Calorie Counting Diary, Eating Plan, Exercise, Pros and Cons

Dr. Chris — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 07:23:31 +0000

What is calorie counting? Calorie counting involves estimating and monitoring your daily calorie intake in foods and calorie output in physical activity for weight control. In most instances calorie counting is a method used for weight loss but for an underweight person, it may be useful to gain weight. Unlike other methods for weight management, calorie counting is able to estimate, with a greater degree of accuracy, the balance between the input of calories in food and output of calories in activity to yield a given weight. Methods for Calories Counting Over the years many new and innovative ways have been developed for calorie counting with a various names and technical jargon that can be confusing at times. The point system is sometimes used which is more convenient in that users deal with a standardized calorie value for foods. For example food A has 100 calories/100 grams so is denoted as 1 point, whereas food B which is 300 calories/100 gram is 3 points. This, however, falls short when a person has to structure their own unique calorie counting diet or assess new foods that are not listed on the point system. Therefore every person considering calorie counting for weight [...]

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Metabolism and Basal Metabolic Rate Explained

Dr. Chris — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 08:57:51 +0000

There is no single strict definition for ‘life’ or ‘living’ but one of the criteria is a metabolism. In order to function from the cellular level and as a whole multicellular organism, trillions of chemical processes have to continue efficiently – in a systematic and continuous manner. In the process it needs fuel (food) and an oxidant (oxygen) in addition to all the other chemicals (nutrients) that are needed for every activity in the human body. What is metabolism? Metabolism is a collective term for all the chemical processes in every cell in the body. It is essentially the sum of all these processes. The body’s processes are essential to conduct a wide variety of functions but the ultimate goal is to sustain life. The chemical processes utilizes energy and also gives off energy usually in the form of heat. What is the metabolic rate? The metabolic rate is the amount of heat that is generated during the various chemical processes. It is proportional to the energy utilized – some energy will be used in other forms like mechanical energy (for example when walking) while the rest will be dissipated as heat. A person with a higher metabolic rate will [...]

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5 Dangerous Diets to Avoid for Losing Weight

Dr. Chris — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 23:22:10 +0000

Dietary change, especially a calorie-restricted diet, is a cornerstone for weight loss alongside exercise. However, there are some fad diets that can be dangerous and even life threatening. Despite the advances in nutritional science, these diets have persisted for years and even decades. It is therefore important to choose a scientifically-base diet for weight loss in conjunction with a doctor and dietitian. Read more on weight loss myths. Baby Food Diet The baby food diet may seem like a safe and possibly even effective weight loss approach for adults but this may not necessarily be the case. Baby food is known for being highly nutritious, particularly the baby food produced by reputable manufacturers. However, it must be remembered that the quantity of macro- and micronutrients in a jar of baby food is not sufficient for the adult body. The diet may recommend replacing just two out of three meals with baby food and then opting for one ‘normal’ adult diet or replacing all three meals with baby food. The calories within a jar of baby food is insufficient to sustain an adult and results in hunger possibly with subsequent overeating. Eating large amounts of baby food is also not effective [...]

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