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Learning
Quest > Occasionally
- The Occasional Carnival > Energy
Balance |
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Introduction | What
Does It Mean? | Energy
In | Energy Out | Personal Goals |
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Introduction
Your body relies on getting its
energy from the food and drinks you have.
This energy is used to help your body
work, help you move, be active and
be involved in sports. How much energy
you need everyday depends on how active
you are. The energy you have from food
and the energy you burn up while being
active need to be about the same. This
is called energy balance.
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What
Does It Mean?
Did you know that some foods give
you more energy than others? The energy
we get from
food comes from three main sources: carbohydrate,
protein and fat. But these do not all give
you the same amount of energy. Protein
and carbohydrate provide the same amount
of energy (1g = 17kJ) but fat provides
more than double the amount (1g = 37kJ).
Carbohydrate is the body’s preferred
energy or fuel source for activity, especially ‘huff
and puff’ activity. It also helps
provide us with energy to do our everyday
activities. Protein is important in helping
our muscles to grow and develop. We also
need some energy from fat for low level
activity and to help keep us warm. Some
of the fat we eat also helps us to be healthy
because it is important for healthy skin
and membranes and provides essential vitamins
that our bodies need. But because fat gives
us double the energy than carbohydrate
and protein, it is important that we don’t
eat too much fat. Click
here for
more information about food and the importance
of being
physically active.
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Energy
In
We need ‘fuel’ to be
able to do any physical activity or to
just keep
our bodies moving on a daily basis. As
well as putting in enough fuel, it has
to be the right type, especially if you
are asking your body to perform to its
best over a long period of time.
For example, think about a car. If you
don’t put enough petrol in your car,
then it will not continue to go! If you
don’t put in the right type of fuel
(eg. use diesel instead of petrol) then
it will not go at all.
Energy for
moving comes
from the
food we eat.
We need to give our bodies the right type and
amount of food for everyday activity and also
consider any extra requirements for those occasional
activities.
 Think about the types of things you need
to consider with ‘Energy In’.
Make a list on one side of the Energy
Balance Template. Remember by the end of this stage
of the Learning Quest we want the scale to
be BALANCED.
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Energy
Out
The energy
we use depends on the amount of activity
we do. If we are undertaking
activity that makes us huff and puff or
we are active for a long time we may use
more energy than if we are doing everyday
activity. It is important to make sure
that our bodies have the energy it needs
to perform this activity and we replace
the energy we have used. Remember, carbohydrate
is the body’s preferred energy source
for ‘huff and puff’ activity.
So choose foods that are high in carbohydrate
such as grain-based foods (bread, cereal,
cereal bars) and fruit.
Overall, there is a simple mathematics
equation that can be followed.
ENERGY IN = ENERGY OUT = BALANCED
Energy requirements of your body will change
everyday due to the things that you do and
the food choices you make. The important word
to remember is BALANCE. Remember, on special
event days, like a swimming event, you may
need more energy. Make sure you have a good
breakfast and have some high carbohydrate foods
available at the event to help give you the
energy you need to be active.
Although it may be difficult to work out
an ‘exact balance’ everyday,
if you are pretty active and eat a variety
of foods from the five food groups without
overdoing it, you will probably find the
balance.
Think about ‘Energy Out’. Make
a list on the other side of the Energy
Balance Template that you started.
Do you think that the foods you have listed
in the ‘Energy In’ section would
give you enough energy for the activity (‘Energy
Out’) that you would do on a special
event day? Highlight the high carbohydrate
foods, which would provide you with energy.
Also highlight any occasional foods that
are on your list.
Discuss some of the occasional foods you have
identified on your Energy Balance template.
Discuss why you have classified these foods
as ‘occasional’ foods.
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Personal
Goals
Remember, keep healthy by keeping
balanced – feed
your body, mind and spirit.
You only have one body so you must take
care of it. You can take positive action
by setting personal goals. Remember it
is important not to stretch yourself too
much and to keep yourself balanced.
Think about the next time you will participate
in an occasional event such as a sports
day or swimming carnival. What are four
(4) personal goals that you would like
to achieve? You may like to use the Goals
Template to help you set some personal
goals.
Come back to these goals next time you
participate in an occasional activity to
see how well you have achieved meeting
your personal goals.
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