What does “burning calories” actually mean?

4 Responses to What does “burning calories” actually mean?

1. Renee G says:

   October 18, 2011 at 11:00 am

   Burning calories is referring to what happens to the calories when you do things that require their usage. Everyone needs calories to do daily functions, even sleep. The best example is when you exercise, your body heats up and needs extra calories and carbohydrates to propel your body. The calories are then used for energy. Its the same thing with a car, you put gas in it so that it can use it when you drive. Our body does the same thing with calories.

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2. dizneygeek says:

   October 18, 2011 at 11:24 am

   energy is expended with activity – the calories “burned” is the difference between input and output

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3. Wi-Skier says:

   October 18, 2011 at 11:47 am

   A calorie is actually a unit of heat measurement and my recollection is the calories we track when measuring how much energy a food delivers or an exercise requires are actually kilo-calories i.e. 1,000 calories.

   A calorie (in its base unit) is the heat needed to raise one gram of water by one degree centigrade.

   When we say “we are burning calories” what is meant is we are burning our energy stores to fuel our exercise activities. That activity causes the exercise motion and causes our bodies to heat up.

   For example, using various principles from physics you can calculate the energy required to move you up one flight of stairs. Then you can convert that energy to calories using established conversions.

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4. Stephanie M says:

   October 18, 2011 at 11:59 am

   Making your body use the calories you decided to give your body to use by eating whatever you ate.

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