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Ways to Release Energy Stored in the Body

Before you can understand the release of energy in the body, it's important to realize how energy is stored. The body stores energy in three forms: fat, protein and carbohydrates. As you sit, your body is converting those reserves into energy to feed the body's functions. If you want to release stored energy, you'll need to burn more energy than you intake through food each day.

  1. Aerobic Exercise

    • Aerobic exercise requires large amounts of oxygen and is achieved through sustained strenuous exercise. During this type of exercise, such as running several miles, your body will resort first to sugars in the blood. Once these sugars, also know as glucose, have been depleted, you'll begin releasing energy from the body that is stored in fat as long as you continue to feed the body with large amounts of oxygen.

    Anaerobic Excercise

    • Anaerobic exercise is short in duration and requires little oxygen to perform -- weightlifters come to mind. The exercise may be highly strenuous, but the short duration allows the muscles to complete the movements without oxygen. Instead, the muscles look to glucose, or sugar, in your blood stream. This glucose is created in your liver as your liver converts stored carbohydrates to maintain blood sugar levels. As long as you maintain this oxygen-less exercise, you'll release your stored carbohydrate energy.

    Dieting

    • Along with a healthy dose of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, dieting is another great way burn excess energy within the body. For example, if you visit a dietitian or nutrition specialist, they will determine what your body needs to take in calorically to maintain your current weight. If you want to release that weight, held mainly in fat reserves, you'll need to reduce your intake below your body's daily caloric break-even of, say, 2,000 calories. Consuming less than you need will force your body to release its stored fat energy.

    Sedentary Engery Releasing

    • As you rest, your body burns between 50 and 150 calories per hour depending on your size and weight. By increasing your intake of healthy foods like veggies and fruits you'll maintain your body's blood sugar level which forces your metabolism to burn fat, carbohydrate and protein reserves. This is different from dieting in that you'll maintain the same caloric intake, but it's the type of calories you're eating that drive your body to release energy instead of aiming to store it.

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