{"id":1834,"date":"2022-01-04T14:38:27","date_gmt":"2022-01-04T13:38:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/?p=1834"},"modified":"2022-01-04T14:38:27","modified_gmt":"2022-01-04T13:38:27","slug":"why-we-gain-weight-is-it-the-calorie-equation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/uk\/2022\/01\/04\/why-we-gain-weight-is-it-the-calorie-equation\/","title":{"rendered":"Why We Gain Weight \u2013 Is It the Calorie Equation?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Weight gain catches many of us off guard. It\u2019s often a gradual process that becomes visible many years after it started. If you\u2019re wondering what are the main reasons for weight gain, when does it happen, and what can you do about it, this series is for you.<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the basics. Some of you might think it\u2019s very simple. You gain weight when you take in more calories from food than you burn off. That is true. But both sides of this calorie equation are influenced by a lot of factors! Let\u2019s take a look at the main ones. That will help us better understand why weight gain can be hard to avoid throughout life.<\/p>\n

What influences your calorie intake?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How much you eat determines how many calories you take in. The problem is that there are several internal and external factors that directly influence how much you end up eating every day. Some of these might surprise you.<\/p>\n

Hunger signals<\/strong> \u2013 Your body has an intricate system of hormones that reacts to the food you eat and makes you feel hungry or satiated as a result.
\nEnergy balance<\/strong> \u2013 Your body also uses hormones to monitor how much energy you\u2019re storing. If you\u2019re undereating or overeating long-term, it pushes you to correct your intake.
\nType of foods you choose<\/strong> \u2013 We tend to eat more of some foods (desserts) than other foods (lettuce).
\nFood availability<\/strong> \u2013 We also tend to eat more if there\u2019s food within arm\u2019s reach. We don\u2019t eat as much when we have to make an effort to get food.
\nYour emotions<\/strong> \u2013 Many people eat more when stressed or bored.
\nSocial cues<\/strong> \u2013 We eat when people around us are eating. Holidays or celebrations are a great example.
\nSleep quality<\/strong> \u2013 Poor sleep reduces willpower to eat healthy and, to make things worse, it increases hunger hormones.<\/p>\n

So, it\u2019s not as easy as saying you should eat less if you want to keep a healthy weight. But the good news is that there are ways to manage all of these factors. But before we take a look at them, let\u2019s go over the other side of the calorie equation.<\/p>\n

What influences how many calories you burn?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We usually think of burning calories only when we exercise. While it\u2019s important to know how many calories you expend while cycling if you want to nail your fuelling plan, there\u2019s more that influences your total daily energy expenditure. The scientific literature describes four different parts.<\/p>\n

BMR (basal metabolic rate)<\/strong> \u2013 This is typically the largest part of your expenditure. BMR says how many calories your body burns even if you do nothing. It\u2019s influenced by your body composition. Muscles burn more calories than fat even at rest. Apart from changing your body composition, there\u2019s not much you can do about your BMR, it\u2019s determined mostly by genetics.
\nNEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis)<\/strong> \u2013 This is typically the second biggest part. Non-exercise activity is everything you do in a day that\u2019s not exercise. It includes things like walking, cooking, gardening, cleaning or fidgeting.
\nTEF (thermic effect of food)<\/strong> \u2013 A smaller part of your total expenditure is made up of the thermic effect of food. This means that your body expends energy on digesting food.
\nEAT (exercise activity thermogenesis)<\/strong> \u2013 And lastly, typically the smallest part of your expenditure is exercise. This is how much you burn while cycling, swimming, cross-country skiing or working out in the gym.<\/p>\n

As you can see, it\u2019s not as easy as saying you should exercise more to maintain your weight. Exercise is only the smallest factor in your daily expenditure. But then again, it\u2019s the one we have the most control over.<\/p>\n

Now that we understand what influences our intake, it\u2019s time to look at the real reason we are gaining weight. Is it a normal part of ageing? Is it due to genetics or does it depend on your lifestyle?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Weight gain catches many of us off guard. 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