does it matter where calories come from?

kallio

If I stick to low calories and work out does it matter where the calories come from? In other words- can I have as much carbs as I want as long as I stick in my calorie range or do I need to do something else to see weight lose?

Thanks

caitlin15

I don't think I have the answer but I'll be interested to see what people say. I would say this however, you stay inside your calorie goal but not eating the right foods can work against you and not work you to your healthiest potential!

nehtaeh

Yes, it does matter. However, where your calories come from is based on you. Its different for each person.

I know someone will be able to explain this so I'll wait on trying.

I've also seen a quiz before that you can take and it tells you the best combo for you. I'll see if I can find that too.

jrich1

I have found at least for me it doesnt matter, I eat hamburgers and other types of food not really considered to be "diet foods" just in portions but I have found when I eat good like I usually do, I watch and count only calories and the rest seems to fall into place.. look at my diary and you will see (except for sodium sometimes)

Galathea

Eating only carbs for instance is a very one-sided way. Your body needs a lot of things, also protein and fat. To get the best results your nutrition should be balanced. Just try to stick with the suggestions you get from MFP. For me it took a little time to get used to it. In the beginning I ate too much fat on one day or too much protein the other. But it gets better every day.

Allibaba

There are many different opinions on this I'm sure, but in reality you just do the best you can. MFP has reccomended amounts of carbs, protein etc, and I have heard that it is good to try and keep things fairly balanced between fats, carbs and proteins. As you do this, you will find what works for you and what doesn't, everyone is different.

robin52077

I won't go into percentages because I'm not a professional, but the best advice I can give you is do NOT eliminate any food group entirely.
NO carb is bad, no PROTEIN is also bad, even no FAT is bad, because your body needs certain amounts of the good fats. Every type of macronutrient provides certain ESSENTIAL benefits.
So, play with the numbers and percentages until you figure out what works for you, but eliminating a whole category doesn't work (healthily) for anyone!
:flowerforyou:

tbear358

As a personal trainer, I've had clients lose doing low carb, doing low fat, those that lost and didnt want to stop eating junk food but stayed within a calorie range. In the end, a calorie is a calorie. As long as output is greater than input, you will have weight loss.

bobball

Yes...and no. Yes ; The bottom line is the calories. If you are burning (working out, moving around) and eating less than your daily requirements, you will lose, no matter what kind of food it is.

BUT

For overall fitness, yes it matters. You need a good balance of carbs, protein and fiber. You will feel better and have more energy for the day, and for your workouts if it is a good balance. ..oh and plenty of water too. Something to be said for clear arteries and a healthy digestive system....it all works together.


B

AmyW4225

I wondered the same thing, if a calorie is a calorie no matter what the food is. I have found, for me, that it doesn't really matter. I have only been counting calories and I have lost 19 pounds in 2 1/2 months. I do agree with Jrich, though, if you watch your calories everything else seems to fall into place.

Catzeyez

It really depends on the person I think. I'm not eating all that healthy but I'm staying around my calorie goal.
Then again, I'm quite over weight and we tend to drop weight quicker the higher you are.

I've managed to lose almost 4lbs eating what I want but on my calorie count or below with lots of exercising.
I'm slowly working in healthier foods and I'm hoping in the next month that I've completely cut out
the crap. Even if I am still losing weight with a bad diet doesn't mean I want to continue it. I know I'm getting
no real nutrients from the food, just the satisfaction of my addiction. That will change :grumble:

I'm sure later on when I've reached my goal that I'll still enjoy take out once in awhile but definitely not the way
I do now, not if I really want it to be permanent

ronic68

You'll notice when you start using your food diary that there are guidelines for where the calories come from. For example, it may show that 165 grams of carbs are suggested when following a diet comprised of 1200 calories per day. Hope that helps!

cdavis1126

These are the guidelines my nutritionist has given me and I've lost 76 lbs since October. I readjusted the goals on here to fit more in line with these guidelines.

Per meal:
calories between 300 to 500
carbs 15 to 30 g
fat 20 to 30% or less of total calories
fiber at least 5 g
sodium - LESS than 700 mgs in a meal

i also eat every 2 to 3 hours, correct portions, snacks are no more than 200 calories. no white sugar or flour and no high fructose corn syrup. seems like this works for me!

jrich1

Its basically you burn off more calories than you eat you will lose weight. You could technically eat your calories in big macs and pizza and still lose weight. YES a calories is just a unit of energy, there arent good or bad or lean or fat calories
Now nurtritionally is a different story for overall health its important to eat a balanced heathly diet containing a little bit of everything, carbs, proteins, fats etc.

gabi_ele

I think it depends on what you want, for just losing weight I don't think it makes a big difference, but if you want to feel great, have lot's of energy and stay healthy I think it is important to eat well. I don't believe in just eating one thing, I do believe we need a balanced diet with complex carbs, lean meats, good fats, fruits and veggies.
If I eat a lot of white bread, pasta and rice I feel great for an hour and then I am hungry again. On the other hand, if I eat a whole wheat sandwich with chickenbreast and veggies I will be satisfied and content till my next meal.
I think a lot of our health problems come from processed foods, I'm not sure that if I can't read what is in my food, or don't know what it is, that my body knows what to do with it.
I'm not sure if I am just blessed or if it has something to do with the way I eat, but I am very healthy even so I am very overweight. I do not have any kind of heart disease, no diabetis( even so it runs in my family) or high colesterol. I have always prefered whole wheat to white, I love to cook and entertain and like most veggies and fruits.
So this is my opinion, do with it what you like:flowerforyou:

lawkat

A calorie is a calorie when trying to burn them. However, a calorie can be burned differently depending on the food. Fruits and vegetables are processed by the body differently than say a cup of juice. Juice is processed through the body faster and leaves you hungry sooner than eating the actual fruit.

What kind of carbs are you talking about? There are different types of carbs that the body processes differently.

If you are working out, you need protein to help repair any damage your muscles may have sustained while working out. Your muscles will have small tears in them and protein will repair that.

You need to find a healthy balance that will give you energy you need and provide nutrition as well.

MadHatR5

I have pretty much concentrated on calories and it has worked for me. While I do eat healthier than I use to, during the summer months it's hard for me to pass up an occasional burger, beer, slice of pizza, or decadent dessert.

Be aware that when eating too many calorie dense foods (those that contain a large amount of calories for their portion size), you may feel hungry more often. Keeping up your fiber and protein intake will help to curb your appetite.

lilmissy2

For fat loss, theoretically it shouldn't make a difference although in practice since we don't necessarily know all the processes our bodies go through to digest food, nobody could really be sure of that (I certainly won't be lining up for the study that says 'eat only carbs or only protein or only fat at your own risk and we'll see what effect it has on your body' ).

For your health and nutritional status though, it's important to have a balance. Most guides to healthy eating (which are based on the amounts of each food you need to meet your macro and micronutrient requirements) will say to have a certain number of serves from each food group and then up to 2 serves of 'extra foods' (junk food), where a serve provides about 125cal. So, if you are cutting cals it's even more important to make sure as much of your food as possible is from nutritious sources.

kctrainer

You should have a carb and protein balance and watch out for the sugars in carbs. Your body metabolizes carbs differently if you only take in carbs without proteins. This also leads to possible overeating at the next meal. You need proteins to maintain your lean muscle and /or increase you lean muscle. Having more lean muscle means you might weigh more but you are burning more calories all day everyday. With more lean muscle it is more dense than body fat so you could weigh more, have more definition, and fit into smaller clothes. Your focus should be on reducing bodyfat. I know that everyone has a magic weight that they want to reach. Hope this helps and good luck.

kallio

Thanks for all your input!

I usually eat pretty healthy- with the occasional splurges.
I actually think lately I may be taking in too few calories- I am at one extreme or the other it seems!
I just can't seem to drop any weight....

ab_shutterbug

Hi I'm not a Doc, but I love to play one! Yes and No would be my answer, were I a Doc. Yes, it matters in that you should try to eat a balanced diet of mostlly fruits, veggies and grains and some protein. No, in that your weight is a matter of supply and demand, or calories consumed vs. calories burned. Does this make sense?

The way I look at it is that raw or steamed veggies are my friend, and everything else I have to question.