Category Archives: Energy Expenditure

Resting Metabolic Rate Increases With Body Weight

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Robert Barrington

The resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the energy expended by the body at rest with the individual sitting or lying. In other words it is the energy required for normal metabolic and homeostatic regulation. The basal metabolic rate is similar … Continue reading →

Posted in Adaptive Thermogenesis, Basal Metabolic Rate, Energy Expenditure, Obesity, Respiratory Exchange Ratio, Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA), Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), Weight Loss | Comments Off on Resting Metabolic Rate Increases With Body Weight

Ephedra: The Best Weight Loss Herb You Can’t Buy

Posted on December 28, 2014 by Robert Barrington

The ephedra species are tall plants that grow in arid regions of the World. Chinese ephedra (Ephedra sinica) is also called Ma Huang and is the species found in Asia, whereas European ephedra (Ephedra distachya) is the form found in … Continue reading →

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Bland Food, Taste and Adiposity

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Studies show that the high fat, low fibre, palatable, salty and sugary foods in the Western diet increase energy consumption. The reason for this is that many processed foods bypass the normal appetite regulatory mechanisms and elicit larger food intakes. … Continue reading →

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More of Sleep Deprivation and Feeding Behaviour

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Obesity is associated with lower quality and shorter duration of sleep (here). As sleep levels drop from around 8 hours to around 4 to 5 hours a night, energy intake increases. This energy increase has been given as an explanation … Continue reading →

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Smoking and Body Weight

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Both smoking and obesity increase the risk of mortality. However, smoking is inversely related to body weight. This suggests that something about the act of smoking, or its associated behaviour may prevent weight gain. While smoking is bad for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Adaptive Thermogenesis, Alcohol, Caffeine, Cigarettes, Energy Expenditure, Exercise, Nicotine, Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), Smoking, Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA), Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), Weight Loss | Comments Off on Smoking and Body Weight

Thermic Effect of Food: Glucose Versus Fructose

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Robert Barrington

The thermic effect of food (TEF) is defined as the energy used in the digestion, absorption, transport, metabolism and storage of macronutrients following a meal. This energy can be measured as a rise in body temperature. The thermic effect of … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Expenditure, Fructose, Glucose, Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), Sucrose, Sugar, Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) | Comments Off on Thermic Effect of Food: Glucose Versus Fructose

Calorie Counting: More Damaging Effects

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Calorie counting diets are detrimental to the health and this explains their long term failure rates. Generally calorie restrictive diets are detrimental because while they cause weight loss initially, this weight includes a high amount of skeletal muscle. In fact, … Continue reading →

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The Compartments of Energy And The Energy Balance Fallacy

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Robert Barrington

The energy utilised by the body is liberated from a number of separate compartments and can be measured as heat. In reality, body heat is measured as one unit, but for theoretical purposes it is convenient to compartmentalise this heat … Continue reading →

Posted in Adaptive Thermogenesis, Basal Metabolic Rate, Energy Expenditure, Exercise, Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA), Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), Weight Loss | Comments Off on The Compartments of Energy And The Energy Balance Fallacy

More On The Energy Balance Fallacy

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Robert Barrington

The energy balance theory of weight gain states that the body weight of an individual is a sum of the food intake (energy in), the resting metabolic rate (the energy utilised for basal metabolic needs) and exercise (energy utilised in … Continue reading →

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Considerations On The Glycaemic Effects of Activity

Posted on August 9, 2014 by Robert Barrington

Physical activity is associated with improved body composition, but the cause and effect of the association is not fully understood. Assumption often dictates that it must be the exercise that causes the improvements in body weight, but it is just … Continue reading →

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