All calories may not be equal

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Replies

  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Has anyone else read the book "Always Hungry"? It really explains everything that I have always felt intuitively. What if he is right about not all calories being equal? That different foods (and therefore calories) biologically impact us in different ways?

    The bolded part seems very much like a "duh!" statement to me. Are there people who believe that all foods biologically impact us in the same way?

    As for calories being equal it depends on what you mean. As a unit of measurement a calorie is a calorie. But I suspect he means how calories affect us once eaten and then yeah, there are differences.
  • minniemoo1972
    minniemoo1972 Posts: 295 Member
    Just a thought on my previous post.

    If there are newbies who want to start counting calories, it should be strongly suggested to them, at least for the first month or so, that they only purchase foods where there can be no possible way of screwing up the calorie count.

    A can of tuna fish, two eggs, pre-packaged frozen burgers on a bun, a can of soup, an ice cream bar (as opposed to scooping ice cream from a container), a pre-packaged burrito, etc. Just about anything where you can "leave your brain at home" when counting.

    I have never read ANYBODY suggest this incredible simplification of the process.

    Because they are allowed a 10% margin of error.....
  • geneticsteacher
    geneticsteacher Posts: 623 Member
    Read the Amazon reviews for the book. Good reviews and bad, as for most diet books. The main complaints seem to be cost, time needed for prep, and restriction of many foods, especially carbs.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    He basically wants people not to eat refined carbs to help with losing weight and not storing fat.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    cee134 wrote: »
    No matter what way I eat, healthy or unhealthy, I only lose weight by counting my calories and being under my goal. I've lost 100 lbs counting calories.

    Sorry, there is no magic bullet for weight lose.

    IDK Liposuction isn't magic or a bullet but it does allow weight loss without eating at a deficit.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    cee134 wrote: »
    No matter what way I eat, healthy or unhealthy, I only lose weight by counting my calories and being under my goal. I've lost 100 lbs counting calories.

    Sorry, there is no magic bullet for weight lose.

    IDK Liposuction isn't magic or a bullet but it does allow weight loss without eating at a deficit.

    Well, Lipo doesn't violate the principle of mass conservation :dizzy:
  • xjessicaxrx
    xjessicaxrx Posts: 144 Member
    Sounds like Slimming world to me, and people lose massive amounts of weight on that not weighing or counting most of the foods they eat?
  • xjessicaxrx
    xjessicaxrx Posts: 144 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Sounds like Slimming world to me, and people lose massive amounts of weight on that not weighing or counting most of the foods they eat?

    Not according to the people who start Slimming World threads here...

    I know quite a few people who have done well on Slimming world, a friend at work has just got her 3st award. She is now at her goal of 9st so she wasnt very overweight to start with but it has worked for her.
    I personally didnt like the plan but it clearly does work if you stick to it.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    cee134 wrote: »
    No matter what way I eat, healthy or unhealthy, I only lose weight by counting my calories and being under my goal. I've lost 100 lbs counting calories.

    Sorry, there is no magic bullet for weight lose.

    IDK Liposuction isn't magic or a bullet but it does allow weight loss without eating at a deficit.

    Well, Lipo doesn't violate the principle of mass conservation :dizzy:

    Nope. Then it would be magic.
  • gonetothedogs19
    gonetothedogs19 Posts: 325 Member
    edited August 2016
    bethannien wrote: »
    Bottom line - if you are counting calories, weighing, measuring and logging religiously, and cannot lose weight (a common complaint on this site), try this approach. Why not? And why would you continue doing something that is not working?
    't

    Its just impossible to not lose weight when you are in a deficit. So the common complaint on this site is 100% the cause of mistakes in counting. Its that simple. Don't spin it towards something else

    How hard is it to count calories? One ounce of cereal with skim milk (the amount is stated on the cereal box) for breakfast. Two cans of tuna fish and whatever the portion of mayonnaise is on the label for lunch. 100-calorie pre-packaged snack. A couple of pre-made burgers on a bun for dinner with a salad and a low-cal dressing.

    This is not exactly rocket science.


    It's not rocket science but if people are using the 1 cup or 1/4 cup suggestions for the measurement instead of weighing it, they're almost definitely eating more than they think. For example. I have some granola I mix into my Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt says a serving is 1 cup (227 g) and the granola says a serving is 1/4 cup (27g). That's what the packaging gives as a serving size.

    I put my 1/2 cup on my scale to eat half a serving and I filled it about 2/3 full before I reached 113 g. If I had filled it to the top, I'd be eating more than I thought. And when I weighed the granola, 1/4 cup was 1.5 servings.

    So it may not be rocket science but if people are using measuring cups and wondering why they aren't losing weight, it's not what they're eating. It's how much.

    This is exactly what most newbies SHOULD NOT be doing.

    I am eating a Chobani yogurt right now. It contains 140 calories. Not 150 calories and not 130 caloires. There is nothing to weigh and nothing to measure. Forget about weighing granola. It just makes life difficult

    And Chobani has some product where you mix in things (one of them may be granola) into the yogurt. That may contain 200 calories. Not 210 calories and not 190 calories.

    I say KISS (with affection) to all newbies - Keep It Simple Stupid.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    It just seems obvious to me that 200 calories in almonds vs. 200 calories in a doughnut will not have the same result in your body. It actually seems like people here agree on that so I don't really know what the issue is. Part of the idea is that if we eat 1400 calories worth of nutritionally dense, higher fat foods then we will be less hungry than if we ate 1400 calories of processed, low fat foods.
    I read the review, interesting points.
    I dont trust doctors blindly, just was pointing out that he isn't a stick insect.
    I won't disagree with this to a point. Dependent on the NEED FOR CALORIES from individual to individual, sometimes eating nutritionally dense foods that are lower in calories may not suffice to fulfill the need to supply energy needed to perform a physical sport (swimming, long distance running, boxing, MMA, etc.) and that processed foods that are higher in calories do a better job.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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