A person is trying to lose weight and is consuming only 1500

A person is trying to lose weight, and is consuming only 1500 calorie (a dietary calorie is actually a kcal) every day. In doing so, he is losing 1 kg each week. a.Where is the weight he is losing going? b.At what rate (g/day) is he consuming oxygen (not inhaling, but using it for metabolism)? Model his dietary intake as glucose, and his weight loss as lauric acid, C12H24O2.

Solution

In order to lose weight you need to create a calorie deficit. A calorie deficit can be created either through eating less food, performing more exercise or a combination of eating less and exercising more.

For example, if your body requires 1,800 calories to maintain it’s current weight and you eat 1,300 calories on a daily basis, then you will create a daily 500 calorie deficit. Repeating this process everyday for a week, you will have burned off 3,500 calories, which is equal to one pound or half a kilogram of fat.

In order for the human body to function it needs fuel. Everyday you are alive, your body uses a certain amount of energy to perform vital functions such as breathing, maintaining your core body temperature and pumping blood through your veins.

These functions are active even if you don’t get out of bed for the whole day. The calories that your body burns when you are resting is your Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR for short.

Several factors, such as body temperature, body weight and gender all play a part in your BMR.