Energy Density And Energy Intake

The Study

The energy density of a food is the number of calories delivered in 1 gram of that particular food. It has been theorized that if we eat high energy density foods, we will compensate by eating less at later meals that day.

In this interesting randomized crossover study, 34 men and women were served the same lunch and then were offered all you can eat desserts on 3 separate occasions.

The desserts were low energy density (vanilla yogurt), medium energy density (vanilla ice cream) and high energy density (vanilla cheesecake).

-Subjects consumed 186 calories when offered the low and medium energy density desserts.

-Subjects consumed 427 calories when offered the high energy density dessert. This was 241 calories more than the low and medium energy density desserts.

-Subjects did not eat less food later in the day to compensate for this increase in calories.

Appetite 2024; 200:107533

Take Home Message

The results of this study show that calories do matter and we are unlikely to compensate when eating high energy density foods.

Shoot for lower calorie versions of appetizers, main dishes, side dishes and desserts if you are trying to manage your weight.

Product Review: Life Fitness Home Elliptical Trainer

No matter what your fitness goals may be, it is critical to set up an environment where exercise is easy for you to accomplish. Nothing is easier than having exercise equipment in your home. Today’s review is for a piece of equipment that is near and dear to my heart.  

I have worked at a lot of gyms over the years. I have also belonged to a lot of gyms. The Life Fitness Elliptical Trainer is my absolute favorite cardio machine of all time. I picked up a home version as soon as we moved into our new house and let me tell you, it is awesome.

Pros

1) Extremely well made and durable: I have had mine for 8 years and it looks like I just took it out of the box.

2) Variable intensity: There are 20 levels of resistance as well as computer guided workouts included.

3) Quiet: This machine is very quiet. I can work out while my wife is sleeping and she won’t know it. 

4) Feels exactly like the more expensive commercial gym model. This is a great workout.

5) Extremely low impact: Elliptical training is my preferred mode of cardio for just about everyone. You burn a lot of calories with virtually no impact on your joints. It feels like you are running on air when on this machine.

6) Having any piece of cardio in your home allows you to avoid bad weather, which can make it very hard to get your cardio in consistently if you exercise outdoors. 

Cons 

1) On the expensive side. At the time of this writing, it goes for $2320 on the Life Fitness website. This price includes both shipping and assembly. This is a pretty big initial investment, but if you divide it by the number of years you will have it, this elliptical comes out to far less than you would pay in yearly dues to a nice gym. 

2) It takes up a lot of space. Having said this, I would recommend putting it someplace that you will use it, such as your bedroom or your living room. Exercise machines put in a damp basement have a tendency to disappear from your life. It is also helpful to put it in front of a TV so you can combine your cardio with your TV time.

Do I Recommend The Life Fitness Elliptical Trainer?

Absolutely. If you have the space and are able to make the financial commitment, there is no better option for cardio than this, in my opinion. You can check out this machine at Life Fitness website here

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with the company that makes the Life Fitness Elliptical Trainer and make no money if you buy it.