Listen to pronunciation. (EH-ner-jee BA-lunts) In biology, the state at which the number of calories eaten equals the number of calories used. Energy balance is affected by physical activity, body size, amount of body fat and muscle, and genetics.

Energy Balance in Real Life

1. Drink water instead of a 12-ounce regular soda.
2. Order a small serving of French fries instead of a medium , or order a salad with dressing on the side instead.
3. Eat an egg-white omelet (with three eggs), instead of whole eggs.
4. Use tuna canned in water (6-ounce can), instead of oil.

“Energy in” is the energy you put into your body in the form of calories from foods and beverages. “Energy out” is the calories you burn for basic bodily functions such as your heart beating or breathing and from physical activity.

The complete energy equation looks like this:

1. Energy balance = energy input – energy output.
2. Weight gain = energy input > energy output.
3. Weight loss = energy input < energy output.

Early work in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (1) documented that, as adults age, energy requirements decrease as a consequence of decreased energy expenditure for physical activity and decreased energy expendi- ture for resting metabolism.

Gender Difference in Energy Metabolism. It may be postulated that women store more fat because they consume more energy than they expend or that they store the consumed fat more efficiently. One possible explanation is that women are more efficient at conserving energy and storing it as fat.

Energy requirement is the amount of food energy needed to balance energy expenditure in order to maintain body size, body composition and a level of necessary and desirable physical activity consistent with long-term good health.

Usually, our energy declines because of normal changes. Both genes and environment lead to alterations in cells that cause aging muscles to lose mass and strength and to become less flexible.

New study says decline begins in our 50s Be proactive about your strength, balance and endurance as you age. By the time you reach your 50s, your strength, balance and endurance are already beginning to wane — much earlier than previously thought, according to a new study.

Your skin turns drier and itchier and may look like crepe paper or tissue. Wrinkles, age spots, creases, and bruises become more noticeable. Your sweat glands also get less active. That means you might not sweat as much, but wounds on your skin may take longer to heal.

Boredom in the Elderly In these cases, elders may not be clinically depressed or even all that tired. Instead, their fatigue stems from the fact that they are incredibly bored. With no schedule to keep and not much to look forward to in their lives, they slide into the habit of napping throughout most of the day.

The most common causes of excessive sleepiness are sleep deprivation and disorders like sleep apnea and insomnia. Depression and other psychiatric problems, certain medications, and medical conditions affecting the brain and body can cause daytime drowsiness as well.

One of the most common medical reasons for feeling constantly run down is iron deficiency anaemia. Women with heavy periods and pregnant women are especially prone to anaemia.

Hormones and Energy Levels Even a slight imbalance can produce several symptoms and one of the most prevalent is fatigue. Sleep difficulty is a common symptom of hormone imbalance but when you consider that hormones control everything in your body, it often results in your body not functioning the way it should.

Most of the time fatigue can be traced to one or more of your habits or routines, particularly lack of exercise. It’s also commonly related to depression. On occasion, fatigue is a symptom of other underlying conditions that require medical treatment.