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Health conditions Overweight, obesity and weight loss Energy balance and weight. Health professional. Enlarge Text A A. Energy intake and expenditure. Key points Energy is needed by the body to stay alive, grow, keep warm and move around. Energy is provided by food and drink.

It comes from the fat, carbohydrate, protein and alcohol the diet contains. Energy requirements vary from one individual to the next, depending on factors such as age, sex, body composition and physical activity level. Energy expenditure is the sum of the basal metabolic rate the amount of energy expended while at complete rest , the thermic effect of food TEF, the energy required to digest and absorb food and the energy expended in physical activity.

To maintain bodyweight, it is necessary to balance the energy derived from food with that expended in physical activity. To lose weight, energy expenditure must exceed intake, and to gain weight, energy intake must exceed expenditure.

Energy intake and expenditure A regular supply of dietary energy is essential for life and is required to fuel many different body processes. What determines how much energy a person needs? Basal metabolic rate The basal metabolic rate BMR is the rate at which a person uses energy to maintain the basic functions of the body — breathing, keeping warm, and keeping the heart beating — when at complete rest.

Physical activity level In addition to their BMR, people also use energy for movement of all types. Physical activity Physical activity should be an important component of our daily energy expenditure.

How much energy do children and adults need? Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website.

All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.

Skip to main content. Weight management. Home Weight management. Balancing energy in and energy out. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet.

On this page. How to be a healthy weight — balancing energy in and energy out Energy in — eating too many kilojoules Energy in — eating too few kilojoules Energy out — exercise to burn kilojoules Making practical changes to your energy balance Where to get help.

How to be a healthy weight — balancing energy in and energy out Achieving or maintaining a healthy weight is all about balancing the energy we take in with the energy we burn energy out.

Tips for watching the energy you take in: enjoy a variety of foods from each of the five food groups in the amounts recommended watch your portion sizes — particularly foods and drinks that are high in kilojoules limit your intake of energy-dense or high-kilojoule foods and drinks check the kilojoules on the menu when eating out if you do have an energy-dense meal, choose food or drinks that have fewer kilojoules at other meals in the day.

Tips for watching the energy you burn: be active in as many ways as you can throughout the day — take the stairs instead of the lift, get off the bus a stop early and walk, break up sitting time at work exercise regularly — at least 30 minutes of moderately intense activity on most days do more activity when you eat more kilojoules.

It is also the best way to maintain your weight after you've slimmed down. To lose one pound per week, experts generally recommend an energy deficit of calories per week.

If you choose the combined method to change your energy balance, you can play around with the numbers to see what works best. Here's an example:. Roger has a positive energy balance of calories. In this state, he will gain weight.

To lose weight, he needs a negative balance of roughly calories per day or calories per week. To reach his goal, Roger chooses to make modest changes to his diet to decrease his caloric intake by calories per day. Then, he will add physical activity to burn more calories. His goal is to burn an extra calories by walking or biking to work.

On the weekends, he'll hike to burn calories per day. Updated Energy Balance Plan for Roger. With a negative energy balance of calories per day, Roger will have a total calorie deficit of calories per week and will lose roughly one pound per week on this plan.

When you first begin to use the energy balance equation to lose weight, be patient. It takes a week or two to adjust your numbers and see results. And there are many factors that affect your daily energy balance that can make the weight loss process more complicated.

But the energy balance equation is the basis of every weight loss plan and diet. The more you use it and understand it, the more likely you are to lose weight and keep the weight off for good. Müller MJ, Geisler C, Heymsfield SB, Bosy-Westphal A.

Recent advances in understanding body weight homeostasis in humans. Manore MM. Weight Management for Athletes and Active Individuals: A Brief Review. Sports Med. Blundell JE, Gibbons C, Caudwell P, Finlayson G, Hopkins M.

Appetite control and energy balance: impact of exercise. Obes Rev. By Malia Frey, M. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content.

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Fill at least two-thirds of your plate with plant-based foods, and no more than one-third of you plate with animal protein. Can you even the score with a jog around the block? Levy says you need to compare calories burned with those consumed. For long-term success, focus on consuming a healthy diet and getting regular physical activity consistently.

Make sure your exercise routine includes strength training. This will help you build and maintain muscle, especially as you age. Muscle mass naturally decreases over time. If balancing your calorie intake is challenging, an activity tracker or app may help. Request an appointment at MD Anderson's Lyda Hill Cancer Prevention Center online or call My Chart.

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December Energy balance: What is it, and how can you achieve it? Previous Article. Next Article. December : Energy balance: What is it, and how can you achieve it?

Food and energy balance If you are trying to achieve energy balance, first look at the energy density of the foods you eat. Related Posts. More Stories From Focused on Health.

The year in cancer prevention: 5 things you need to know. Our most popular cancer prevention stories in Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is good for your overall vitality and well-being and helps prevent many diseases.

Eating as little as kJ extra each day or burning kJ less by exercise , can lead to one kilogram of body fat creeping on over a single year.

If you are above your healthy weight, to lose one kilogram kg of body fat in two months without increasing your physical activity , you would need to eat around kJ less per day. If you experience weight loss that puts you outside of your healthy weight range or is unintentional, it is important to seek advice from your GP or Dietitian.

When you are active, your body burns more energy kilojoules. Exercise not only uses up stored energy, but also helps to stimulate muscle development. The more muscle tissue you have, the more kilojoules you can burn.

Regular physical activity helps you manage your weight and maintain good health — it can even reduce your risk of chronic diseases. To actively lose weight, aim to do 60 — 90 minutes moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week.

Start small and gradually work your way up. Remember, weight you lose gradually is more likely to stay off than weight you lose through crash diets. Find out more about physical activity. Reducing the amount of kilojoules we eat and drink every day, or doing more exercise every day, even by small amounts, can all add up and make a difference.

This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Aerobics injuries are usually caused by trauma and overuse, but can be prevented by using the right techniques and equipment.

Learn all about alcohol - includes standard drink size, health risks and effects, how to keep track of your drinking, binge drinking, how long it takes to leave the body, tips to lower intake.

A common misconception is that anorexia nervosa only affects young women, but it affects all genders of all ages. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals from the body's cells, and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation.

Kilojoule labelling is now on the menu of large food chain businesses — both in-store and online. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.