chapter 13: body composition

Chapter 13: Body Composition

Lesson 13.2: Controlling Body Fatness

Taking Charge: Improving Physical Self-Perceptions


Lesson Objectives:• Explain how to use the FIT formula for fat control.

• Explain how physical activity helps a person maintain a healthy level of body fat.


Question

What is the FIT formula for fat control?


Answer

The FIT formula:• Frequency: Eat 3 regular meals daily or 4 or 5

small meals. • Participation in physical activity daily. • Intensity: To lose a pound of fat, you must eat

3,500 calories less than normal. • Time: Neither diet nor physical activity results in

quick fat loss.


Question

What does it mean if you are in energy balance?


Answer

The amount of calories you eat in a day equals the amount of calories you use (burn) in a day.


Question

What happens if you are not in energy balance?


Answer

• You will gain fat if you eat more calories than you need or exercise too little.

• You will lose fat if you eat fewer calories than you need or expend more calories in exercise than you eat.


Question

How can people who are high in body fat lower it?


Answer

• By increasing their physical activity• By selecting healthy food to eat, instead of fast

food


Question

Why is increasing physical activity important?


Answer

• Each time a person is active, he or she uses a high number of calories.

• These calories are needed for muscle contraction involved in exercise.


Answer (continued)

• Frequent participation (and lifetime participation!) in activity is therefore very important for a healthy body composition.


Question

Why is eating healthy food important?


Answer

• Healthy foods contain fewer calories than foods with a high-fat content.

• Healthy foods contain larger quantities of good nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.


Question

How many calories are stored in 1 pound of body fat?


Answer

• One pound of body fat stores 3,500 calories.• If a person wants to lose 1 pound of fat, he or

she must use 3,500 calories more than he or 3,500 calories more than he or she has eatenshe has eaten over a given period of time.


Question

Which levels of the Physical Activity Pyramid help control body fatness?


Answer

Several areas of the Physical Activity Pyramid contain activities to help you control body fat:

• Lifetime activities• Aerobic activities• Active sports• Strength/muscular endurance exercises


Question

Is there one area of the Physical Activity Pyramid that contains the best activities for losing fat?


Answer

• You should choose a variety of activities from the Physical Activity Pyramid.

• You will get plenty of exercise each week and use a lot of calories each time you are active.

• Lifestyle physical activity (Level 1) is good because anyone can do it and it is moderate so you can do it for a long time.


Question

What are some myths about body fatness?


Answer

• Myth: Exercise does not help in fat loss.• Fact: Exercise helps you lose fat and keep fat off

over the long term.


Answer (continued)

• Myth: Most obese people have glandular problems causing them to eat more than other people.

• Fact: Only a few obese people have this problem—doing more physical activity and eating less high-calorie food are the solutions to reducing body fat.


Answer (continued)

• Myth: You can lose fat in one area of the body by exercising that part of the body.

• Fact: You cannot spot reduce body fat (e.g., a curl-up strengthens abdominal muscles but does not reduce fat in the abdominal area).


Answer (continued)

• Myth: If you eat just before going to bed, you will gain weight.

• Fact: It does not matter what time of the day you eat—what matters is how many calories you eat (and use) in a day.


Answer (continued)

• Myth: If you exercise at a low intensity, you will use more body fat.

• Fact: The amount of body fat people lose depends on the amount of calories used during exercise. Often, low-intensity exercise does not use many calories. Moderate or vigorous exercise is better.


Question

What is an energy expenditure table?


Answer

• A table that shows the approximate number of calories burned doing a particular type of physical activity for a particular period of time.

• See textbook page 231.


Question

How do you gain body fat and how do you gain muscle mass?


Answer

• If you eat foods with more calories than your body needs, weight will be gained in the form of body fat.

• If you do strength training (lifting weights), weight will be gained in the form of increased muscle mass.


Read about Michael and Raul in the Taking Charge section of chapter 13 (page 233).

• Michael’s self-perception about his appearance has changed from positive to negative. What can he do to

change his negative perception?


• How does Raul keep a positive self-perception?• What else can a person do to develop a positive self-

perception?• Fill out the questionnaire to find out about your own self-

perception.

chapter 13: body composition

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