A Calorie is NOT just a Calorie

SunofaBeach14

In for the gifs and snowflakes

Isn't it February?

MireyGal76

Have you ever wondered why some of the new people, particularly ones with a lot to lose, struggle so hard to accept such a simple concept?

Maybe it's because many have struggled for years trying to lose weight. Lots of rules, lots of diets, lots of failed attempts. Losing weight has been Hard, and they're not happy.

Then they come here and see all the "happy fit folk" saying its easy. And it's not! In their minds , it is hell. And for us to come in and tell them its not is a huge slap in the face.

This process is personal. And emotional. Some of them need hand holding and a lot of encouragement. Changing your world view is tough. And even though the mechanism of weight loss is simple. Cals in < cals out, the emotional changes are not.

Just a few thoughts. Kinda off topic. I'm sorry.

kgreenRDLDN

I actually do believe for that for some people, a calorie is not just a calorie, which is why some people end up diabetic. For instance, my husband, who is Type II diabetes, and has it in his family (who have a tendency toward overweight), responds differently to carb and sugar calories than I do. He has trouble losing weight unless he significantly reduces carbs, especially high glycemic carbs. A serving of white rice or white bread causes him both to gain weight and have sugar issues, while the same number of protein calories from eggs or lean meat, for instance, don't affect him.

I'm the reverse. I have high cholesterol, and I am within normal weight, but what might be considered "skinny fat." I'm actually trying to lose 10% of my body weight to lower my cholesterol, even though I have a normal BMI. I work out and eat within my calorie limits, but have had to stop eating eggs, high fat dairy products, and animal fat, even shellfish and eating more carbs, but high quality ones, whole grains, etc. Even small amounts of dietary fat and animal products will mess with my LDL level and increase my body fat percentage, even if they don't impact my weight.

So, there may be something to the whole idea that weight loss/gain, or overall health are based on other factors than "calories in, calories out.". After all, insulin is a hormone, and my husband's system is not able to produce it anymore. I'm a post-menopausal female, and my cholesterol started to rise after age 45, so that's also hormone related.

Your husband responds differently to Carbs and sugar, not the calories in a carb food so a sugary food. If he has higher blood sugars he will not lose weight, good diabetes control is key for weight loss in diabetics, if they have an A1C of greater than 7% (average BG over 150) then weight loss is a lot harder than for someone with an A1C below 6.5%. It sounds like you are both genetically disposed to these chronic conditions. If your BMI is in normal range then focusing on dietary fats & processed foods and exercise will affect your cholesterol levels more. You do not want to lose too much weight and put yourself at risk for malnutrition complication of being too low of body weight. In type 2 diabetes you are still producing insulin. You are not able to use it fully or in some cases you are not producing enough, but your pancreas is still making insulin. In type 1 diabetes you stop producing insulin. Insulin is a hunger hormone not a fat hormone.

_HeartsOnFire_

Have you ever wondered why some of the new people, particularly ones with a lot to lose, struggle so hard to accept such a simple concept?

Maybe it's because many have struggled for years trying to lose weight. Lots of rules, lots of diets, lots of failed attempts. Losing weight has been Hard, and they're not happy.

Then they come here and see all the "happy fit folk" saying its easy. And it's not! In their minds , it is hell. And for us to come in and tell them its not is a huge slap in the face.

This process is personal. And emotional. Some of them need hand holding and a lot of encouragement. Changing your world view is tough. And even though the mechanism of weight loss is simple. Cals in < cals out, the emotional changes are not.

Just a few thoughts. Kinda off topic. I'm sorry.

RivenV

In for the gifs and snowflakes

Isn't it February?

Wow, we really are here for the same reason...

SugaryLynx

In for the gifs and snowflakes

Isn't it February?

Wow, we really are here for the same reason...

Here to fulfill wishes.

mccindy72

Have you ever wondered why some of the new people, particularly ones with a lot to lose, struggle so hard to accept such a simple concept?

Maybe it's because many have struggled for years trying to lose weight. Lots of rules, lots of diets, lots of failed attempts. Losing weight has been Hard, and they're not happy.

Then they come here and see all the "happy fit folk" saying its easy. And it's not! In their minds , it is hell. And for us to come in and tell them its not is a huge slap in the face.

This process is personal. And emotional. Some of them need hand holding and a lot of encouragement. Changing your world view is tough. And even though the mechanism of weight loss is simple. Cals in < cals out, the emotional changes are not.

Just a few thoughts. Kinda off topic. I'm sorry.

I do get that, but I also think that they get mad because they want us to tell them they have to give something up, like cake or beef or carbs. Then they can tell themselves they've done that and achieved something, like "eating clean". I kind of compare it to when my sone came out to my husband when he was 16. He was all geared up for this big confrontation and when my husband was calm and said he was okay with it my son blew up and got very angry, simply because he was expecting a big fight. Noobs expect something hard, so they can say, I've made this big change to my eating, not just "I'm still eating the same, only less of it."

tennisdude2004

I've been struggling with knowing the truth if it matters where my calories come from.. found this AWESOME article that puts logic to it all. Worth the read

http://authoritynutrition.com/debunking-the-calorie-myth/

A great article.

For everyone who is dismissing it and backing their a calorie is just a calorie - did you lose your weight by eating a low calorie count of junk food or by eating healthy.

Well done on all of your successes. I am sure though at the heart of each of them what you ate was the result of the success you had.

There was only one question in that post! Sorry should have clarified with a question mark.
< eats ice cream, pizza, etc regularly and has lost weight and left it off...currently about 11% body fat....so the answer to your first question is yes.

I have no idea what your second question even means...

Tigg_er

Have you ever wondered why some of the new people, particularly ones with a lot to lose, struggle so hard to accept such a simple concept?

Maybe it's because many have struggled for years trying to lose weight. Lots of rules, lots of diets, lots of failed attempts. Losing weight has been Hard, and they're not happy.

Then they come here and see all the "happy fit folk" saying its easy. And it's not! In their minds , it is hell. And for us to come in and tell them its not is a huge slap in the face.

This process is personal. And emotional. Some of them need hand holding and a lot of encouragement. Changing your world view is tough. And even though the mechanism of weight loss is simple. Cals in < cals out, the emotional changes are not.

Just a few thoughts. Kinda off topic. I'm sorry.

Dont be sorry, Its common sense I think that gets lost on these boards sometimes.
Thanks for the post !

RivenV

In for the gifs and snowflakes

Isn't it February?

Wow, we really are here for the same reason...

Here to fulfill wishes.

Well, if you're in the wish-granting mood...

Achrya

All calories are equal. A calorie is a unit of measure and as such are equal. Period, point blank, end of that train of thought. To state otherwise is just...Well wrong.

I'm not sure how else I can put that.

True, but not all sources of calories are nutritionally equivalent. And before anyone assumes I have chosen a side on this, read my profile.

Duh?

Awww. Right in the feels.

A lot of people in this debate don;t seem to be getting that.

But a calorie is still a calorie is still a calorie.

You can eat a deficit of pure lard and lose weight.

See this is why I don't have feels, makes it too easy to assume someone is trying to impact them in some manner. "Duh" wasn't an attempt to get you in the feels, but rather a way of saying "thank you for stating exactly what I've already said no less than three time in this very thread, I guess."

And if you think anyone (aside from maybe that one guy. Not sure what he's about.) Isn't aware that different food has different nutrient profiles then you aren't paying attention.

twixlepennie

all you people saying you lost weight reducing calories, great for you, but you'd look and feel better if your calories came from better sources. my weight loss was slower and i looked "soft" eating whatever i wanted for my calories, even though i kept them low, like 1200-1400. then i found i could eat up to 1800-2000 calories of good, clean, non-processed foods, without gaining, and i look a lot leaner then when i was still eating junk. plus, why in the hell would you want to fuel your body with pizza, ice cream and soda? that is not fuel to me. i have always liked the term "empty calories" because frankly that's what they are. you aren't benefiting your brain or organs very much when you eat crap. plus not to mention you are supporting the food giants who care NOTHING about you and only about profit.

I look and feel pretty darn good, for a 35 yr old mom of three kids, and I'm definitely not soft :laugh: I'm also maintaining my loss now, eating over 2,000 calories a day with all the kinds of foods I like, and I haven't boxed myself in with meaningless rules and restrictions. This will go along with making me part of the small 5% that actually succeed at this whole thing long term, vs the 95% who don't.

And it's worth repeating-my blood panels are pretty much perfect, including no longer having a glucose number in the pre-diabetic range. I'm now considered low risk for diabetes, very low risk for heart disease, my blood pressure is spot on, and I have no health issues at all. I also sleep great, wake up with lots of energy (I don't drink coffee either), have a great sex drive now (which my husband appreciates :smokin: ), and I look good in a pair of size 2 skinny jeans. All while continuing to eat the foods that I like. Life is good :bigsmile:

sullus

In for the gifs and snowflakes

Isn't it February?

Wow, we really are here for the same reason...

Oh good .. I can never remember if we're all the same, and here for different reasons, or if we're all different and here for the same reason.

DamePiglet

holy crap! I ate lunch and I missed SO MUCH!!!
Good thing I had all the food because I have much work to do!

tennisdude2004

You can amend your profile all you want, but you admit you are not fit, you say you have 50 lbs to lose, you are new to MFP, you are following a fad diet, and you are telling all of the actually successful people they are wrong and unhealthy.

It's not looking good for you.

Conclusion.

Entrance to the Inner Circle/Roving Wolfpack/Shadowy Forum Bully Club/Thug Life Party is denied.

That's a very insensitive comment. You are basing this on where I want to be. You don't know where I started from.

And MFP is supposed to be a supportive site (shame on you).

He's basing it off what your own profile says.
39 - Active, but not fit.
I have been very active, but out of shape for the last 10 years

And that you stated in here you eat primal.

Yes but I have already lost a 32lb eating primal. I'm on a journey! just because I am not there yet doesn't make me any less of a person.

As I have just joined up I don't have the ability of posting my previous achievements.

MissSarahAllison315

CAN'T. STOP. READING.

This is very interesting.

"newish" person over here, sorry!

What do you mean to say exactly?

I'm learning a lot....? :flowerforyou:

jonnythan

Yes but I have already lost a 32lb eating primal. I'm on a journey! just because I am not there yet doesn't make me any less of a person.

As I have just joined up I don't have the ability of posting my previous achievements.

No, but it means you should pause and think very carefully before you criticize people who are much, much further down the road than you are.

Acg67

You can amend your profile all you want, but you admit you are not fit, you say you have 50 lbs to lose, you are new to MFP, you are following a fad diet, and you are telling all of the actually successful people they are wrong and unhealthy.

It's not looking good for you.

Conclusion.

Entrance to the Inner Circle/Roving Wolfpack/Shadowy Forum Bully Club/Thug Life Party is denied.

That's a very insensitive comment. You are basing this on where I want to be. You don't know where I started from.

And MFP is supposed to be a supportive site (shame on you).

He's basing it off what your own profile says.
39 - Active, but not fit.
I have been very active, but out of shape for the last 10 years

And that you stated in here you eat primal.

Yes but I have already lost a 32lb eating primal. I'm on a journey! just because I am not there yet doesn't make me any less of a person.

As I have just joined up I don't have the ability of posting my previous achievements.

Also you seem to buy into the nonsense Sisson spews

sullus

All calories are equal. A calorie is a unit of measure and as such are equal. Period, point blank, end of that train of thought. To state otherwise is just...Well wrong.

I'm not sure how else I can put that.

True, but not all sources of calories are nutritionally equivalent. And before anyone assumes I have chosen a side on this, read my profile.

Duh?

Awww. Right in the feels.

A lot of people in this debate don;t seem to be getting that.

But a calorie is still a calorie is still a calorie.

You can eat a deficit of pure lard and lose weight.

See this is why I don't have feels, makes it too easy to assume someone is trying to affect them in some manner. "Duh" wasn't an attempt to get you in the feels, but rather a way of saying "thank you for stating exactly what I've already said no less than three time in this very thread, I guess."

And if you think anyone (aside from maybe that one guy. Not sure what he's about.) Isn't aware that different food has different nutrient profiles then you aren't paying attention.

It's all good. 'Awww. Right in the feels' was sarcastic. i don't have feelings.

And I rarely pay attention. I just firmly believe that a single bon mot from me is enough to settle any debate.

_Terrapin_

CAN'T. STOP. READING.

This is very interesting.

"newish" person over here, sorry!

Don't tell em you're new, they shoot strangers!!!

We only shoot the new people who have zero success when they are telling everyone else on the board - people who have achieved all the things you are trying to achieve yourself - that they're doing it all wrong, don't know anything about nutrition, are unhealthy, etc.

man you seem hung up on this 0 figure. I'll amend my profile and maybe then I can be accepted into the brotherhood?

You can amend your profile all you want, but you admit you are not fit, you say you have 50 lbs to lose, you are new to MFP, you are following a fad diet, and you are telling all of the actually successful people they are wrong and unhealthy.

It's not looking good for you.

Things are looking up; he changed to kilos.....woo' hoo! Seriously, good luck droping the weight; iifym isn't for everyone, but it has worked for the vast majority on here, including me.