Allison Cafe

We are thrilled to have our second guest writer. My talented sister and nutrition expert, Lindsay. Enjoy her first post at Allison Cafe:

Put down your morning cup of coffee, there is a better way to get the energy you need!

Metabolism is all of the physical and chemical changes taking place in the body. Certain foods have potential energy that can be metabolized in a way that allows us to obtain energy. We call this potential energy calories.

Get energy and prevent heart disease with red grapes, blueberries and strawberries

Energy is required for your body to do various types of work including everything from sleeping to running a marathon.Your personal metabolic rate is the amount of energy that is used over a period of time. In other words, it is also the amount of calories from food that are required for all of your daily activities.

So how many calories do you need in a day? This is defined as your “Total Energy Expenditure.” About 65% of the calories you consume each day are used for “Resting Metabolic Activities” which are activities like breathing and internal organ function (basically all the stuff your body does subconsciously). Approximately another 10% of your Total Energy Expenditure is used to power metabolism and enable all of the food you eat to get digested, this is called the “Thermal Effect of Food.” Finally, about 25% of your Total Energy Expenditure per day is used for physical activity including movement, brain activity, stress, and core body temperature control. This final percentage is dependent on how much you exercise, muscle mass, fever or sickness, caffeine intake, age, gender, and body size. So it is important that you know how many calories you personally need to consume each day. This is known as your “Basal Metabolic Rate.”

So how do you know what your personal “Basal Metabolic Rate” is? Break out your calculators, there is an equation for that! Here it is:

• Required calories for females per day = [655] + [9.56 x (Body weight in kg)] + [1.85 x (Height in cm)] – [4.68 x (age in yrs)]
  • Females should add about 250-500 calories for every 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise you perform each day. (Dependent on how strenuous the workout is)
• Required calories for males per day= [66.5] + [13.75 x (Body weight in kg)] + [5.0 x (Height in cm)] – [6.78 x (age in yrs)]
  • Males should add about 400-650 calories for every 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise performed each day. (Dependent on how strenuous the workout is)

For example, using the first equation, a 5’4”, 150lb 25 year old female requires about 1486 calories per day.

Watermelon is rich in B vitamins for energy production

It is important not only to know how many calories you personally require per day, but also what types of foods will benefit you the most. There is a lot more to nutrition than how many calories are in each meal you have. Here are a few quick pointers for choosing what/how you get your recommended calories per day:

• Eat multiple small meals of about 250-300 calories. This will raise your body temperature due to the “Thermal Effect of Food.” By stimulating your metabolism to work you will utilize this percentage of your Total Energy Expenditure more frequently throughout the day.
• Eat smaller portions of “Energy Dense Foods.” Examples of these foods include: nuts (low sodium: cashews, almonds, walnuts, peanuts), whole wheat products, eggs, tofu, dried fruit, low fat cheese, beans, and hummus just to name a few.
• Eat lots of fruit and vegetables! Fruits and veggies contain essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, soluble fiber and carbohydrates. Watermelon and berries are great places to start.
• Choose high fiber foods. Insoluble fiber found in bran, wheat germ, breads, cereals, and yogurts slow digestion (which will decrease appetite), and bind cholesterol in the liver in order to decrease blood lipids & unclog arteries.
• Drink plenty of water. Water is not only for brushing your teeth! Drinking at least 32oz of water per day hydrates your skin, improves kidney function, and optimizes cellular activity. By choosing water instead of soda, sugar- filled drinks, or coffee you can decrease your total calorie input per day, increase your metabolic rate & feel better!
• Get your calcium! Calcium is an essential Macromineral that must be obtained in the diet. About 1000mg/day is needed for both men & women ages 20-50. Total bone mass peaks at age 30; however by maintaining muscle mass, not smoking, and choosing calcium rich foods like milk, cheese, tofu, and yogurt you can maintain blood clotting proteins, muscle contraction, nerve signaling, and bone/teeth formation.
• Avoid processed foods. Can you name all the ingredients on the label? Strive to eat foods with as many as 5 ingredients, or at least ones that you can pronounce. Shop at local farmers markets, or grocery stores like Whole Foods. Shopping locally can improve your community and create a sustainable future. Not to mention you won’t be eating “Dextrawhosiewhatsit” as indicated on your box of cheesy crackers.

You are what you eat! Now just be sure you are getting enough of what you need from the right sources.

Easy and tasty Salmon with Pesto

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