Is a calorie a calorie?

blackcows15

I have been using MFP for about a week. So far it's been pretty easy for me, I started out with a goal of 2 pounds a week and I was hungry but moved to 1 pound a week and much better. I am not looking to get sexy skinny but instead just trying to loose some belly so my cloths fit better. I quit drinking soda about 10 days ago and that was easy, I drank it out of habit more than anything. Iced tea suits me fine. The biggest change I have made is giving up snacks which wasn't a big deal either, I don't really like sweets but working at home I ate them more out of habit then need. So my question is this, I want to eat better but I'm not a health food guy. I don't really like chicken or grilled fish and I don't want to give up fast food entirely. For example yesterday I was traveling and I stopped at Wendy's and got a double hamburger and a glass of tea which was very filling for me and allowed me to stay withing my calorie goal for the day. In the past I would have had a double cheeseburger, fries and soda so I cut out the cheese, fries, and soda and was fine. So to the subject...is a calorie a calorie? Can I continue to eat similar to the way I did but be more aware of how much I am eating?

swissarmychainsaw

Essentially, yes. There was a high school teacher who only ate hostess products (ho hos and stuff) but he did it on a calorie restricted diet. So his calories were at a deficit, but he was only eating junk food and lost weight.

HOWEVER, you gotta think about nutrition and long term health. You can really easily learn to like "good" foods the same way you learned to like your Wendy's burger!

Just include some leafy greens into your diet, find some enjoyment in cooking these things for yourself. It's a gift we have these bodies!

good luck!
--Nick

MommyisFit

In term of weight loss, yes a calorie is a calorie. Eat less than you burn and you will lose.

In terms of nutrition, no. A diet well balanced in healthy carbs, healthy fats and proteins will provide you the best nutrition for your body. Eating only Wendy's will not give you the nutrition you need. Having it once in awhile is no problem.

highervibes

Yes, you can still enjoy all the foods you loved before and still lose

bassmanlarry

Worked for me. I eat a lot of the same things I used to, just less. At the end of the day, if you reduce your calories, you'll lose weight.

Acg67

I have been using MFP for about a week. So far it's been pretty easy for me, I started out with a goal of 2 pounds a week and I was hungry but moved to 1 pound a week and much better. I am not looking to get sexy skinny but instead just trying to loose some belly so my cloths fit better. I quit drinking soda about 10 days ago and that was easy, I drank it out of habit more than anything. Iced tea suits me fine. The biggest change I have made is giving up snacks which wasn't a big deal either, I don't really like sweets but working at home I ate them more out of habit then need. So my question is this, I want to eat better but I'm not a health food guy. I don't really like chicken or grilled fish and I don't want to give up fast food entirely. For example yesterday I was traveling and I stopped at Wendy's and got a double hamburger and a glass of tea which was very filling for me and allowed me to stay withing my calorie goal for the day. In the past I would have had a double cheeseburger, fries and soda so I cut out the cheese, fries, and soda and was fine. So to the subject...is a calorie a calorie? Can I continue to eat similar to the way I did but be more aware of how much I am eating?

Create a deficit, profit

and iced tea assuming it isn't unsweetened is really not all that diff then soda

Doc2542185

Some will say that a calorie is a calorie but, that can be misleading. It is more about how your body reacts to that calorie. For instance calories from carbohydrates quickly increase blood sugar levels and prompt insulin production where as calories from protein and fat do not increase blood sugar levels as quickly. So, 100 calories from vegetables will affect your body much differently that 100 calories from some highly processed food.

Acg67

Some will say that a calorie is a calorie but, that can be misleading. It is more about how your body reacts to that calorie. For instance calories from carbohydrates quickly increase blood sugar levels and prompt insulin production where as calories from protein and fat do not increase blood sugar levels as quickly. So, 100 calories from vegetables will affect your body much differently that 100 calories from some highly processed food.

But protein is also highly insulinogenic, so there's that

trogalicious

short answer, yes.
long answer, still yes.

MommyisFit

Some will say that a calorie is a calorie but, that can be misleading. It is more about how your body reacts to that calorie. For instance calories from carbohydrates quickly increase blood sugar levels and prompt insulin production where as calories from protein and fat do not increase blood sugar levels as quickly. So, 100 calories from vegetables will affect your body much differently that 100 calories from some highly processed food.

I completely agree with this. Everybody is different. I am hypoglycemic so I stick to mainly low carb (with an occasional cheat).

Red_Sparrow

There are a lot of people who subscribe to the "if it fits your macros" school of thought that yes, a calorie is a calorie, as long as you're meeting your macronutrient goals. To some degree I think that's correct. You can lose weight eating anything as long as you're in a calorie deficit and getting enough protein.

However, keep in mind that a lot of obese people have been found to be malnourished, believe it or not, because the poor quality of their diet means they aren't getting enough of the essential nutrients that our bodies can't produce.

You're not going to be sent to dieting hell for eating fast food, but if someone is meeting all of their macros with a pure diet of cheeseburgers and vienna sausages and sticks of butter or whatever, they're not going to be able to make up their micronutrient requirements with a multi-vitamin. There's definitely something to be said for getting quality foods and not ignoring that component of your diet.

Hadabetter

Yeah, sort of. But as you begin to restrict your calories it becomes increasingly difficult to get proper nutrition if your diet remains heavy on fast food. Hitting calorie targets is just one aspect of healthy eating. You should also be thinking about your macros, vitamins, and minerals.

Micmic72

I've been on for about a week as well and agree this all seems easy. I am responding to your post however; because what I have learned for me the hard way is: a calorie is not a calorie. Unless you are in your 20's and then all bets are off. I give serious credence that the refined process used in many fast food items will actually mess with your metabolism in ways that make permanent or long-term weight loss really difficult. I had lost 50 lbs about ten years ago -- kept it off for about two years until I got promoted, got busy and ate for convenience and not my health. Well guess what? I gained it all back and a bit extra for insult. Three years ago I lost 80 lbs. The fact that I kept the bulk of my weight off without working at is because I simply resisted refined flours. I ate some grains and sprouted breads but nothing "fast". Everyone is different, so you'll have test for yourself -- you very well may only need to get rid of soda and things like fries and make no other changes. I can drink wine and eat charcuterie to my heart's desire, so long as I take a 20 minute walk daily. My previous diet calorie-wise was comparable but did include a good amount of fries -- and it didn't work. Now I'm messing with my diet again, because I think I can get leaner and better prepare for the bad effects of "old age".

VorJoshigan

Yes.

But... some people are sensitive to carbohydrates in ways that others are not.

My favorite presentation on the subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eREuZEdMAVo

The study being presented:
http://nutrition.stanford.edu/projects/az.html

auddii

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/is-a-calorie-a-calorie.html

WendyTerry420

Is a pound a pound? Or do some pounds weigh more than others? Maybe some inches are longer than others.

WendyTerry420

Some will say that a calorie is a calorie but, that can be misleading. It is more about how your body reacts to that calorie. For instance calories from carbohydrates quickly increase blood sugar levels and prompt insulin production where as calories from protein and fat do not increase blood sugar levels as quickly. So, 100 calories from vegetables will affect your body much differently that 100 calories from some highly processed food.

Not all nutrients are the same, but a calorie is a calorie.

highervibes

Some will say that a calorie is a calorie but, that can be misleading. It is more about how your body reacts to that calorie. For instance calories from carbohydrates quickly increase blood sugar levels and prompt insulin production where as calories from protein and fat do not increase blood sugar levels as quickly. So, 100 calories from vegetables will affect your body much differently that 100 calories from some highly processed food.

I think what you mean is that they have context. There are foods that are more nutrient dense than others, but if you can't figure out how to strike a balance, there's really no helping that. That's just common sense.