Is there such thing as good and bad calories?

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Replies

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    No one here has actually said that what you eat doesn't matter (although it matters for health and satiety and energy level). Once again, that NOT what a calorie is a calorie means. Foods are different. Calorie is not a synonym for food.

    And drinking a case of diet soda in a day is a weird thing to do and possibly not good for you (I have no idea, as it's not something I've ever contemplated), but it's not going to cause you to gain weight, if that's what you are speculating. How could it?

    It's a matter of semantics and context. Yes, a calorie is a calorie and just means a unit of energy. In layman's terms, I consume food and beverages, not calories, not energy. So I personally have a hard time not critiquing a calorie without judging the food it comes with, if that makes sense. Then again, that too may be absurd like my earlier comparison :s
    It makes total sense. If you want a healthy diet, you need to choose a variety of healthy foods. If you want to stay full, you'll want to pick more low-cal food over tiny amount of high-cal food.

    Saying that people can lose weight eating nothing but chocolate isn't the same thing as suggesting that it's a good idea. As far as energy goes, a calorie is a calorie, but that doesn't mean people shouldn't make smart choices regarding their diet.

    Some people aren't all that interested in nutrients, though. They want to lose weight and that's it. They don't care about macros, micros, any of that. They just want to be thin. That's cool! That's their priority right now.

    I'm with you on the whole "I'm trying to make smart choices" thing, but I also get that different people have different priorities and desires.

    Different strokes.

    To the bolded - next time you find one of these people in the forums, can you please tag me into the thread? Other than the people who truly have issues with disordered eating, I cannot think of anyone I've seen here that isn't at all interested in nutrients, wants to lose weight with no regard to overall health, and just wants to be thin. Are people saying that, or are you gleaning that from their diary, or where does that info come from? This is a genuine question.

    This was my reaction too. Yes, OP asked a question with a hypothetical about eating all chocolate, but I didn't take from that that she had any intention of doing that or didn't care about nutrients -- she was interested in an answer to her question. Every other post I recall from this thread (I didn't go back and reread) seemed to me to express a interest in eating a healthy diet.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    It makes total sense. If you want a healthy diet, you need to choose a variety of healthy foods. If you want to stay full, you'll want to pick more low-cal food over tiny amount of high-cal food...

    What about the many people I see posting who say "Ughhh, it's sooooo hard to eat 1200 calories a day! I'm so stuffed after 600 calories that I just can't eat anymore!". Incipient eating disorders aside, these people need more calorie-dense foods. They don't need another pound of lettuce, they need a half an avocado and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. What about somebody who's bulking and needs to eat 3000-4000 calories a day? They're going to have a hard time getting it down if they rely mostly upon low-cal food.

    Context, people. Context.

    Don't forget the people who claim fat is super satiating to them and they are full for hours on some coconut oil in a coffee vs. lots of fruit and oatmeal.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    And here we go again on the merry-go-round of arguing about healthy/unhealthy food and how much people are supposed to eat in order both lose weight and be healthy.

    It's not as hard as people make it out to be. Nearly every food choice has something beneficial. And those which don't can still be chosen, and enjoyed, albeit only occasionally. The person will still be healthy.

    People will argue over the healthiness of a doughnut versus an apple; a slice of pizza versus a salad; a cookie versus broccoli. It makes no sense to argue about them. Each has its own merit in the macro balance and in vitamins and minerals.

    And why does it always come down to a choice between one or the other? Smart eaters will weigh out servings and enjoy a portion of each, making them fit into calorie goals. The most satisfying diet, the one that becomes the long-term success, is the one that includes all the foods that a person enjoys in moderation.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    It makes total sense. If you want a healthy diet, you need to choose a variety of healthy foods. If you want to stay full, you'll want to pick more low-cal food over tiny amount of high-cal food...

    What about the many people I see posting who say "Ughhh, it's sooooo hard to eat 1200 calories a day! I'm so stuffed after 600 calories that I just can't eat anymore!". Incipient eating disorders aside, these people need more calorie-dense foods. They don't need another pound of lettuce, they need a half an avocado and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. What about somebody who's bulking and needs to eat 3000-4000 calories a day? They're going to have a hard time getting it down if they rely mostly upon low-cal food.

    Context, people. Context.

    Don't forget the people who claim fat is super satiating to them and they are full for hours on some coconut oil in a coffee vs. lots of fruit and oatmeal.

    Add protein powder, and yes, coffee and coconut oil is definitely a more filling breakfast for me than oatmeal and fruit.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    It makes total sense. If you want a healthy diet, you need to choose a variety of healthy foods. If you want to stay full, you'll want to pick more low-cal food over tiny amount of high-cal food...

    What about the many people I see posting who say "Ughhh, it's sooooo hard to eat 1200 calories a day! I'm so stuffed after 600 calories that I just can't eat anymore!". Incipient eating disorders aside, these people need more calorie-dense foods. They don't need another pound of lettuce, they need a half an avocado and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. What about somebody who's bulking and needs to eat 3000-4000 calories a day? They're going to have a hard time getting it down if they rely mostly upon low-cal food.

    Context, people. Context.

    Don't forget the people who claim fat is super satiating to them and they are full for hours on some coconut oil in a coffee vs. lots of fruit and oatmeal.

    That would be me. I've been on lowish carbs for less than a week, and the reduction in hunger is amazing. The reason i tried it in the first place because i was sick of being hungry all the time. For me, the more carbs I eat the more I want, they just don't keep me satisfied for long at all.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    It's all very personal. Everyone finds what works for them, and trying to tell people what is the 'right' way never works. It's much better to tell people that there are different ways to succeed, and that if one way doesn't work, to try another, but that sticking to the calorie goal while trying each is the key to success.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    It's all very personal. Everyone finds what works for them, and trying to tell people what is the 'right' way never works. It's much better to tell people that there are different ways to succeed, and that if one way doesn't work, to try another, but that sticking to the calorie goal while trying each is the key to success.

    Exactly.
    Just because this new approach has been working for me so far, doesn't mean it will work for the next person.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    It makes total sense. If you want a healthy diet, you need to choose a variety of healthy foods. If you want to stay full, you'll want to pick more low-cal food over tiny amount of high-cal food...

    What about the many people I see posting who say "Ughhh, it's sooooo hard to eat 1200 calories a day! I'm so stuffed after 600 calories that I just can't eat anymore!". Incipient eating disorders aside, these people need more calorie-dense foods. They don't need another pound of lettuce, they need a half an avocado and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. What about somebody who's bulking and needs to eat 3000-4000 calories a day? They're going to have a hard time getting it down if they rely mostly upon low-cal food.

    Context, people. Context.

    Don't forget the people who claim fat is super satiating to them and they are full for hours on some coconut oil in a coffee vs. lots of fruit and oatmeal.

    Add protein powder, and yes, coffee and coconut oil is definitely a more filling breakfast for me than oatmeal and fruit.
    Add protein powder

    I also find coffee is more filling for me compared to oatmeal when I throw in a whole cooked chicken.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    It makes total sense. If you want a healthy diet, you need to choose a variety of healthy foods. If you want to stay full, you'll want to pick more low-cal food over tiny amount of high-cal food...

    What about the many people I see posting who say "Ughhh, it's sooooo hard to eat 1200 calories a day! I'm so stuffed after 600 calories that I just can't eat anymore!". Incipient eating disorders aside, these people need more calorie-dense foods. They don't need another pound of lettuce, they need a half an avocado and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. What about somebody who's bulking and needs to eat 3000-4000 calories a day? They're going to have a hard time getting it down if they rely mostly upon low-cal food.

    Context, people. Context.

    Don't forget the people who claim fat is super satiating to them and they are full for hours on some coconut oil in a coffee vs. lots of fruit and oatmeal.

    Add protein powder, and yes, coffee and coconut oil is definitely a more filling breakfast for me than oatmeal and fruit.
    Add protein powder

    I also find coffee is more filling for me compared to oatmeal when I throw in a whole cooked chicken.

    Chickacino for the win!
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Duh, yeh!!!