You’re likely to have seen the statistics displayed on a screen that shows everyone’s heart rate and estimated calorie burns. You may have noticed that calories are generally burned by men rather than women. Have you ever wondered how different people can burn calories at different rates even when they are doing the same exercise?
metabolism, which is a general term that covers all of the body’s processes that use nutrients to produce energy and fuel growth, is not simple. Anya Rosen, RDH, a New York City-based virtual functional medicine practitioner, says that there is an ebb & flow of reactions that repair or build our bodies (anabolism) as well as reactions that breakdown food and fuel stores for fuel (catabolism). She adds that it is a complex topic and is difficult to research. There are many factors that influence how fast or slow your body burns calories. These six factors are believed to have the most impact on how many calories your workout burns.
1. Body weight
According to Kyle Gonzalez, a San Francisco-based certified strength & conditioning specialist and performance coach, “Generally, the heavier you are, the more calories that you’ll burn per hour.” “Calories are just an energy measure, so the more you weigh, the more energy it takes to move your bodies.” This means that if there is a person with a different weight, the one who is heavier will burn more calories because they expend more energy when moving.
Larger bodies tend to have more internal organs. This is an important factor in how many calories are burned during exercise or at rest. These organs and processes also require energy. A study showed that up to 43% of variation in total calories burned between individuals could be attributed to differences in their internal organ sizes.
This is one reason why weight loss can be so difficult. As your weight drops, your body burns less calories. This can cause weight loss plateaus or even weight regain. It’s not the only reason. A prior review explained that weight loss can also trigger physiological adaptations such as increased hunger due to higher levels of ghrelin and lower levels of leptin.
A registered dietitian can help you reach your weight loss goals in a healthy, sustainable manner if you have reached a plateau in your weight loss efforts.
Remember that exercise can be a boon to your overall health, regardless of how much weight you have lost. A review published October 2021 found that although weight loss is not common, increased exercise can lead to better health outcomes and lower mortality rates.
This post was written by Darryl Johnson, Co-Owner of Apex performance. At Apex performance we are a community of highly trained experts looking to provide performance enhancement and a permanent lifestyle change for our clients in a fun and interactive environment. Members can take advantage of one-on-one training, small group classes and specialized courses for a wide variety of athletics, sports training and body goals! Click Here to learn more!
