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Time- even healthy calories are calories

zoeysasha37
zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
edited December 2 in Debate Club
My friend just showed me this article and I really liked it. I often see people say things like" I'm eating healthy or eating clean but am not losing weight" . It seems that some people don't realize that the calories do count even if they are from healthy foods.

Here's the article -

http://time.com/4376717/calories-confusion/

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Replies

  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Yes, unfortunately, we live in a land where food is plenty, but the desire to actually learn about it seems to be lacking. Most just seem to latch onto the most recent soundbyte and roll with it, until a new one comes along telling them that the old one was crap. It's led to a ridiculous cycle of misinformation that the various food industries marketing divisions have been all too happy to exploit.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    saving for later
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Yeah it doesn't matter what we eat, but how much of it - its all about the calories.

    I watched a show a while back, Secret Eaters I think it was called, the actress couldn't understand why she wasn't losing - she was eating so healthy, and so she was, but she also was consuming over 3000 calories a day. It aint rocket science, if we eat more than we burn, we will gain.
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
    Dove0804 wrote: »
    Fun read.

    The desire I think is most certainly there, it's the vast amounts of misinformation that is continuously being thrown around from all sources. A lot of sources are not ones I would trust, but you have figures like Dr. Oz with that "Dr." in front of their names giving advice to the entire nation that he is not qualified to give. Magazines always have some "Dr." they're quoting in their articles, or referencing some "research" or "article". We hear and read things every day about what is and isn't "healthy". Can you blame anyone for being confused? If you have low health literacy to begin with, you don't stand a chance against this barrage of misinformation.

    I almost feel like I'm part of some big, simple secret at times (calorie-counting), when it's really not a secret at all... it's just buried under crap fads and crazy claims.

    The trainers, nutritionists and management philosophy at my old gym was that you could eat all the whole foods (whatever that really means) you want and not gain weight. Their pitch was that you would be satiated and not able to eat over your body's needs.

    After a seminar reinforcing this is asked if they were confident enough to pay for my meals for a month. I challenged them to pay for my food for a month and if I didn't gain weight following their method I would pay it back 2x. Nobody took me up on the offer.

    CICO and readjust as your body changes.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    zoeysasha37 wrote: »
    It seems that some people don't realize that the calories do count even if they are from healthy foods.

    This is something that really shocked me when I joined this site. I had no idea so many people were clueless about calories. Surely this is a huge contributor to the obesity epidemic. When and how did this happen?

    I agree I said this exact thing in that other thread...lack of knowledge, uneducated about calories, serving sizes etc.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    The article seems to support what I see most people on this website say about "healthy foods:"

    "Weight balance depends on calories. But managing weight—and overall health—very much depends on where those calories come from. It’s not so easy to overeat vegetables, fruits and whole grains, or relatively unprocessed foods of any kind, because these tend to be bulky and fill you up before you eat too much. You can still gain weight on these healthy foods, but it’s harder."

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    kgeyser wrote: »
    The article seems to support what I see most people on this website say about "healthy foods:"

    "Weight balance depends on calories. But managing weight—and overall health—very much depends on where those calories come from. It’s not so easy to overeat vegetables, fruits and whole grains, or relatively unprocessed foods of any kind, because these tend to be bulky and fill you up before you eat too much. You can still gain weight on these healthy foods, but it’s harder."

    I think it depends as well on what you are eating.

    For example avocado, fruit, whole grain breads, beef, cheese etc can all be healthy foods but high in calories. As an example when I showed my son a serving of peanut butter he was shocked...same goes with nuts etc.

    Veggies, fish, seafood and lean meat like chicken not so much.

    It can also be defined on how it's prepared. Salmon with hollandaise sauce for example or glazed carrots, squash baked with brown sugar and butter....alfredo sauce...

    none of the above could be described as "unhealthy" except for the calorie content.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    kgeyser wrote: »
    The article seems to support what I see most people on this website say about "healthy foods:"

    "Weight balance depends on calories. But managing weight—and overall health—very much depends on where those calories come from. It’s not so easy to overeat vegetables, fruits and whole grains, or relatively unprocessed foods of any kind, because these tend to be bulky and fill you up before you eat too much. You can still gain weight on these healthy foods, but it’s harder."

    That statement is true, but it's not at all hard to overeat healthy foods unless we don't consider fat to be healthy.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    kgeyser wrote: »
    The article seems to support what I see most people on this website say about "healthy foods:"

    "Weight balance depends on calories. But managing weight—and overall health—very much depends on where those calories come from. It’s not so easy to overeat vegetables, fruits and whole grains, or relatively unprocessed foods of any kind, because these tend to be bulky and fill you up before you eat too much. You can still gain weight on these healthy foods, but it’s harder."

    That statement is true, but it's not at all hard to overeat healthy foods unless we don't consider fat to be healthy.

    This is so true! I managed to be overweight quite easily eating healthy foods, I love to cook from scratch and would always have second helpings. My food is that good!! LOL
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Ruatine wrote: »
    I think it's incredibly easy to understand calories. It's just that very few people actually take the time to learn about it or teach it.

    This is the part I have a problem understanding. When did parents stop teaching their children how to eat right? I learned about calories and how we get fat at home.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Ruatine wrote: »
    I think it's incredibly easy to understand calories. It's just that very few people actually take the time to learn about it or teach it.

    This is the part I have a problem understanding. When did parents stop teaching their children how to eat right? I learned about calories and how we get fat at home.

    I wonder if it's when both parents starting working away from home and "easy" foods became the norm...

    I wasn't taught about calories but I was taught about how to eat healthy foods but at the same time...my mom was a Major in the "Clean Plate Police" force...and serving sizes were not discussed....

    My husband on the other hand was told to take half of what he wanted and go back for 2nd's or 3rd's if he was still hungry...he has never had a weight problem.

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    kgeyser wrote: »
    The article seems to support what I see most people on this website say about "healthy foods:"

    "Weight balance depends on calories. But managing weight—and overall health—very much depends on where those calories come from. It’s not so easy to overeat vegetables, fruits and whole grains, or relatively unprocessed foods of any kind, because these tend to be bulky and fill you up before you eat too much. You can still gain weight on these healthy foods, but it’s harder."

    That statement is true, but it's not at all hard to overeat healthy foods unless we don't consider fat to be healthy.

    This is so true! I managed to be overweight quite easily eating healthy foods, I love to cook from scratch and would always have second helpings. My food is that good!! LOL

    me too...I love to cook and try new things...I don't have 2nds as much now tho...*cries* but I Really don't need them.
  • SassyMommasaurus
    SassyMommasaurus Posts: 380 Member
    I'm going to save this and give it to a few people I know, because they don't believe me, may they'll believe Time lol.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Yes, people need to understand that a calorie is simply a unit of energy...you consume more energy than you require, you are going to gain weight regardless of whether the food was highly nutritional as well.
  • Ruatine
    Ruatine Posts: 3,424 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Ruatine wrote: »
    I think it's incredibly easy to understand calories. It's just that very few people actually take the time to learn about it or teach it.

    This is the part I have a problem understanding. When did parents stop teaching their children how to eat right? I learned about calories and how we get fat at home.

    I wonder if it's when both parents starting working away from home and "easy" foods became the norm...

    I wasn't taught about calories but I was taught about how to eat healthy foods but at the same time...my mom was a Major in the "Clean Plate Police" force...and serving sizes were not discussed....

    My husband on the other hand was told to take half of what he wanted and go back for 2nd's or 3rd's if he was still hungry...he has never had a weight problem.

    Both parents out of the house could certainly be a contributing factor. I think parents these days also have a bit more expectancy that schools will teach these types of things and so don't address it at home.

    Personally, I didn't learn about calories and healthy eating until well into my teens when I was already overweight, and I only learned about it because my mom decided to join WW and asked me to join her. WW is where I learned what calories are, how to read a nutrition label, how to calculate how many calories I need, etc.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    zoeysasha37 wrote: »
    It seems that some people don't realize that the calories do count even if they are from healthy foods.

    This is something that really shocked me when I joined this site. I had no idea so many people were clueless about calories. Surely this is a huge contributor to the obesity epidemic. When and how did this happen?

    It's always been that way. Calories as a concept, is a pretty new thing altogether. What's screwed everything up, is that the ignorance remains, but the cheap food supply and quick transit has gone through the roof.
  • Sept111944
    Sept111944 Posts: 11 Member
    The misinformation out there is appalling. 20 years ago soft drinks came in 8 or 10 ounce bottles and that's what people drank. Now most drinks are 16 or 20 ounces and that's what people drink. They are surprised that the nutrition label says it's 21/2 servings. Also restaurant food is deceiving. A seemingly healthy meal of grilled chicken breast with mushrooms and broccoli (instead of potato) was 1150 cal, 60 g. fat, and a whopping 1300 g sodium!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Ruatine wrote: »
    I think it's incredibly easy to understand calories. It's just that very few people actually take the time to learn about it or teach it.

    This is the part I have a problem understanding. When did parents stop teaching their children how to eat right? I learned about calories and how we get fat at home.

    My parents had bigger concerns than making sure their kids were eating "right", such as paying bills so we had a place to live/sleep, keeping a few of us out of jail/prison, helping with early motherhood of their daughters, etc. Teaching us about eating "right" was really low on the list.

    I wasn't taught about nutrition or calories in school, high school or college. I only learned the minimum amount about nutrition when I had a job cooking for a care facility and had to work with special diets.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    zoeysasha37 wrote: »
    It seems that some people don't realize that the calories do count even if they are from healthy foods.

    This is something that really shocked me when I joined this site. I had no idea so many people were clueless about calories. Surely this is a huge contributor to the obesity epidemic. When and how did this happen?

    It's always been that way. Calories as a concept, is a pretty new thing altogether. What's screwed everything up, is that the ignorance remains, but the cheap food supply and quick transit has gone through the roof.

    It wasn't that way where I lived when I was growing up. I don't remember a lot of talk about calories specifically but everyone knew you got fat by overeating. And very few people were fat. (I'm rather old).
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    zoeysasha37 wrote: »
    It seems that some people don't realize that the calories do count even if they are from healthy foods.

    This is something that really shocked me when I joined this site. I had no idea so many people were clueless about calories. Surely this is a huge contributor to the obesity epidemic. When and how did this happen?

    It's always been that way. Calories as a concept, is a pretty new thing altogether. What's screwed everything up, is that the ignorance remains, but the cheap food supply and quick transit has gone through the roof.

    It wasn't that way where I lived when I was growing up. I don't remember a lot of talk about calories specifically but everyone knew you got fat by overeating. And very few people were fat. (I'm rather old).

    Oh, I get that, absolutely. That's been known for a long time, but I more meant the specifics and math behind it. You also probably didn't grow up in a land of 2000 calorie burritos, and 1700 calorie hamburgers though. At some point, eating servings the size of one's head became the cultural norm, and I'll even hear grazing...erm...people, whining about portion sizes being too small at places, when in reality, they're already twice what they need to be.

    You pair that with the lack of learning the science involved, and the shock lessens.
  • XnRGrandpa
    XnRGrandpa Posts: 62 Member
    Healthy eating wasn't taught, per se, in my home when I was young, but it was implied in the way my mother shopped, prepared meals, and watched how much we ate. I'd ask "Can I have some more 'insert food' and she'd say "you've had enough" or "have some of this, instead." Then I became an adult and threw all that out the window.
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