A Calorie is NOT just a Calorie
Replies
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I just found out that 1 nutty buddy bar has a whopping 330 calories, so I decided to eat 1/2 of a Herseys special dark chocolate bar instead for 100 calories. So I guess you could argue the fact if you want to eat mostly healthly and add some junk food, all while staying within your calorie limit, you need to be finding the lowest calorie junk food that will satisfy you. I really did want that nutty bar though, but I ate the Hersey instead, so maybe just maybe I don't eat ANYTHING I want. Does that make sense?
Or maybe you could choose to up your calorie intake or up your exercise.
Also, don't those come in 2 packs? I usually eat one and leave the other for the next day.0 -
I just spent 110 calorie dollars on two powdered sugar donuts.
My diary / check book will still balance because before that I had lean protein and I'll be having vegetables later this afternoon.
This Dame pays her nutrition bills.
Usually.
Why vegetables later? What nutrition bills? All calories are exactly the same. Just have two more donuts. Eat whatever you want.
Ok I have missed most of the posts but surely its a simple case of a calorie = a calorie when we are talking about the energy required to run the body (and when it comes to weight gain and loss) Nutritional value is completely different to energy and it is healthy to try and meet all of your macro and micro nutrients requirements by eating different foods. However those nutrients do not determine weight loss or gain thats back to calories and making sure you maintain the level you require to obtain your weight goals
Edited because my spelling sucks
I think what some people are saying is that if you eat junk food, you won't lose fat, you will just lose muscle, and if you eat healthy, you will lose fat. Also, some guy said on here that he lost weight eating pretty much all junk food and then he went to the doctor his blood pressure was normal, his cholestrol was good, and everything else checked out great. So I don't know, I hear one thing then I hear another thing, so I've just decided to start feeding my body what it wants to eat most of the time, and still include some protein, all while staying within my calorie limit. Oh, yes, and exercise at least 30 min a day 5 days a week.0 -
yeah they do. So 1 nutty buddy would be 115 calories.I just found out that 1 nutty buddy bar has a whopping 330 calories, so I decided to eat 1/2 of a Herseys special dark chocolate bar instead for 100 calories. So I guess you could argue the fact if you want to eat mostly healthly and add some junk food, all while staying within your calorie limit, you need to be finding the lowest calorie junk food that will satisfy you. I really did want that nutty bar though, but I ate the Hersey instead, so maybe just maybe I don't eat ANYTHING I want. Does that make sense?
Or maybe you could choose to up your calorie intake or up your exercise.
Also, don't those come in 2 packs? I usually eat one and leave the other for the next day.0 -
Yep.
yeah they do. So 1 nutty buddy would be 115 calories.I just found out that 1 nutty buddy bar has a whopping 330 calories, so I decided to eat 1/2 of a Herseys special dark chocolate bar instead for 100 calories. So I guess you could argue the fact if you want to eat mostly healthly and add some junk food, all while staying within your calorie limit, you need to be finding the lowest calorie junk food that will satisfy you. I really did want that nutty bar though, but I ate the Hersey instead, so maybe just maybe I don't eat ANYTHING I want. Does that make sense?
Or maybe you could choose to up your calorie intake or up your exercise.
Also, don't those come in 2 packs? I usually eat one and leave the other for the next day.
They are yummy.0 -
fast eddie..... if you agreed that a calorie IS just a calorie then why did you tell me I was adding to the bull**** and oversimplifying things? Sorry but those aren't the words of someone who agreed with my post....
since when is giving people mathematically and scientifically correct information oversimplyfing things and adding to the bull***?
It's all there in the last post. I'm done arguing with you. Not possible that you could be unclear. I spelled it out, did the math, and showed my work. You want more questions? Answer mine. Why moderation if all calories are exactly the same? Why watch what I eat for nutrition if all calories are exactly the same?
Because.... your body needs energy, AND your body needs other things as well
calories are a unit of energy. as far as energy in the body goes, it does not matter whether the energy comes from a twinkie or a snickers bar or an avocado or a McRoyale or a three course meal at the finest restaurant in Paris... the body uses the energy, and if you consume too much energy, the excess is stored as fat, and if you don't consume enough energy, the shortfall is made up from your body's reserves (glycogen, body fat or skeletal muscle). It doesn't matter WHAT you ate that gave your body too much or too little energy.... what matters is the total amount of energy. Which is why people can get fat eating nothing but wholefoods, and people can lose weight eating nothing but twinkies.
For the other things your body needs as well, which includes vitally important things like building new cells, repairing tissues, maintaining tissues and keeping all sorts of things in the body running properly, then it absolutely DOES matter what specific foods you eat, because a twinkie sure as anything isn't going to supply your body with the non-energy things that it needs. Yes you can get all your energy from twinkies, and you can eat a controlled quantity of twinkies to make sure there's a small shortfall in energy so your body burns some of your body fat each day and lose weight eating nothing but twinkies................... but you can't get much in the way of vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein or essential fatty acids from twinkies,
that is why a calorie IS just a calorie, but a healthy diet supplies the body with *everything* it needs, not just the right amount of energy.0 -
Mostly because you seem to be purposely twisting their words around.
Must people that accept "a calorie is a calorie" don't discount that there are benefits to getting adequate micro-nutrients too.It's all there in the last post. I'm done arguing with you. Not possible that you could be unclear. I spelled it out, did the math, and showed my work. You want more questions? Answer mine. Why moderation if all calories are exactly the same? Why watch what I eat for nutrition if all calories are exactly the same?
Thankfully they don't tend to expect every morsel of food to be packed full of micronutrients they already have plenty of in general.
Somehow, even though that's true, they'll argue with you when you say so. Weird.
Kinda the opposite, really.
No, it's you. Somehow, you aren't okay with someone saying a calorie is a calorie despite it being fact. You keep referring to different nutrients of food and what not, despite it having nothing to do with it being a calorie. It is a unit of measure just kilowatt is a kilowatt no matter if it comes from water, wind, solar....etc. No matter what it takes to get a kilowatt to your house, or how much it costs, or what it does to the environment, or how it affects global warming has no affect on the fact that a kilowatt is still just a kilowatt.0 -
I'm not arguing. I'm trying to explain.
But I give up.
Good luck to all. Have fun spending your dollars.
now... where'd that nuttellabrah get to...0 -
fast eddie..... if you agreed that a calorie IS just a calorie then why did you tell me I was adding to the bull**** and oversimplifying things? Sorry but those aren't the words of someone who agreed with my post....
since when is giving people mathematically and scientifically correct information oversimplyfing things and adding to the bull***?
It's all there in the last post. I'm done arguing with you. Not possible that you could be unclear. I spelled it out, did the math, and showed my work. You want more questions? Answer mine. Why moderation if all calories are exactly the same? Why watch what I eat for nutrition if all calories are exactly the same?
Because.... your body needs energy, AND your body needs other things as well
calories are a unit of energy. as far as energy in the body goes, it does not matter whether the energy comes from a twinkie or a snickers bar or an avocado or a McRoyale or a three course meal at the finest restaurant in Paris... the body uses the energy, and if you consume too much energy, the excess is stored as fat, and if you don't consume enough energy, the shortfall is made up from your body's reserves (glycogen, body fat or skeletal muscle). It doesn't matter WHAT you ate that gave your body too much or too little energy.... what matters is the total amount of energy. Which is why people can get fat eating nothing but wholefoods, and people can lose weight eating nothing but twinkies.
For the other things your body needs as well, which includes vitally important things like building new cells, repairing tissues, maintaining tissues and keeping all sorts of things in the body running properly, then it absolutely DOES matter what specific foods you eat, because a twinkie sure as anything isn't going to supply your body with the non-energy things that it needs. Yes you can get all your energy from twinkies, and you can eat a controlled quantity of twinkies to make sure there's a small shortfall in energy so your body burns some of your body fat each day and lose weight eating nothing but twinkies................... but you can't get much in the way of vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein or essential fatty acids from twinkies,
that is why a calorie IS just a calorie, but a healthy diet supplies the body with *everything* it needs, not just the right amount of energy.
Sorry dude need to clarify some thing.
Are you saying that the energy you get from a calorie regardless of its source is consumed (used) by the body in the same way and to the same efficiency?0 -
Sustainment and diet adherence are the reason for moderation.0
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I just spent 110 calorie dollars on two powdered sugar donuts.
My diary / check book will still balance because before that I had lean protein and I'll be having vegetables later this afternoon.
This Dame pays her nutrition bills.
Usually.
You sly Sloth... Yer on to me! I am Richard Simmons.
(Btw... I hadn't thought about this, but, yeah, it is kinda like that, huh?)
Ya, I thought I'd invented the 'calorie token system....' until someone told me they'd actually owned the Deal A Meal product, years ago.0 -
Sustainment and diet adherence are the reason for moderation.
So we all agree a calorie is a just a calorie, but what's your thoughts on calorie in / calorie out As per the op report?
0 -
Sustainment and diet adherence are the reason for moderation.
So we all agree a calorie is a just a calorie, but what's your thoughts on calorie in / calorie out As per the op report?
New topic please.
This one needs to be killed by fire.
Or an explosion.
Or drowning.
I really don't care. Just kill it please!0 -
fast eddie..... if you agreed that a calorie IS just a calorie then why did you tell me I was adding to the bull**** and oversimplifying things? Sorry but those aren't the words of someone who agreed with my post....
since when is giving people mathematically and scientifically correct information oversimplyfing things and adding to the bull***?
It's all there in the last post. I'm done arguing with you. Not possible that you could be unclear. I spelled it out, did the math, and showed my work. You want more questions? Answer mine. Why moderation if all calories are exactly the same? Why watch what I eat for nutrition if all calories are exactly the same?
Because.... your body needs energy, AND your body needs other things as well
calories are a unit of energy. as far as energy in the body goes, it does not matter whether the energy comes from a twinkie or a snickers bar or an avocado or a McRoyale or a three course meal at the finest restaurant in Paris... the body uses the energy, and if you consume too much energy, the excess is stored as fat, and if you don't consume enough energy, the shortfall is made up from your body's reserves (glycogen, body fat or skeletal muscle). It doesn't matter WHAT you ate that gave your body too much or too little energy.... what matters is the total amount of energy. Which is why people can get fat eating nothing but wholefoods, and people can lose weight eating nothing but twinkies.
For the other things your body needs as well, which includes vitally important things like building new cells, repairing tissues, maintaining tissues and keeping all sorts of things in the body running properly, then it absolutely DOES matter what specific foods you eat, because a twinkie sure as anything isn't going to supply your body with the non-energy things that it needs. Yes you can get all your energy from twinkies, and you can eat a controlled quantity of twinkies to make sure there's a small shortfall in energy so your body burns some of your body fat each day and lose weight eating nothing but twinkies................... but you can't get much in the way of vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein or essential fatty acids from twinkies,
that is why a calorie IS just a calorie, but a healthy diet supplies the body with *everything* it needs, not just the right amount of energy.
Sorry dude need to clarify some thing.
Are you saying that the energy you get from a calorie regardless of its source is consumed (used) by the body in the same way and to the same efficiency?
Differences in diet induced thermogensis are represented on the calories-out side of the equation. Isocaloric foods across different macronutrients would have identical calories but you would expend a different amount of calories digesting them.0 -
Sustainment and diet adherence are the reason for moderation.
So we all agree a calorie is a just a calorie, but what's your thoughts on calorie in / calorie out As per the op report?
New topic please.
This one needs to be killed by fire.
Or an explosion.
Or drowning.
I really don't care. Just kill it please!
death is death, regardless of how it is accomplished.0 -
fast eddie..... if you agreed that a calorie IS just a calorie then why did you tell me I was adding to the bull**** and oversimplifying things? Sorry but those aren't the words of someone who agreed with my post....
since when is giving people mathematically and scientifically correct information oversimplyfing things and adding to the bull***?
It's all there in the last post. I'm done arguing with you. Not possible that you could be unclear. I spelled it out, did the math, and showed my work. You want more questions? Answer mine. Why moderation if all calories are exactly the same? Why watch what I eat for nutrition if all calories are exactly the same?
Because.... your body needs energy, AND your body needs other things as well
calories are a unit of energy. as far as energy in the body goes, it does not matter whether the energy comes from a twinkie or a snickers bar or an avocado or a McRoyale or a three course meal at the finest restaurant in Paris... the body uses the energy, and if you consume too much energy, the excess is stored as fat, and if you don't consume enough energy, the shortfall is made up from your body's reserves (glycogen, body fat or skeletal muscle). It doesn't matter WHAT you ate that gave your body too much or too little energy.... what matters is the total amount of energy. Which is why people can get fat eating nothing but wholefoods, and people can lose weight eating nothing but twinkies.
For the other things your body needs as well, which includes vitally important things like building new cells, repairing tissues, maintaining tissues and keeping all sorts of things in the body running properly, then it absolutely DOES matter what specific foods you eat, because a twinkie sure as anything isn't going to supply your body with the non-energy things that it needs. Yes you can get all your energy from twinkies, and you can eat a controlled quantity of twinkies to make sure there's a small shortfall in energy so your body burns some of your body fat each day and lose weight eating nothing but twinkies................... but you can't get much in the way of vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein or essential fatty acids from twinkies,
that is why a calorie IS just a calorie, but a healthy diet supplies the body with *everything* it needs, not just the right amount of energy.
Sorry dude need to clarify some thing.
Are you saying that the energy you get from a calorie regardless of its source is consumed (used) by the body in the same way and to the same efficiency?
Differences in diet induced thermogensis are represented on the calories-out side of the equation. Isocaloric foods across different macronutrients would have identical calories but you would expend a different amount of calories digesting them.
So for Efficient energy use of your calorie intake it does matter where that calorie comes from?0 -
Differences in diet induced thermogensis are represented on the calories-out side of the equation. Isocaloric foods across different macronutrients would have identical calories but you would expend a different amount of calories digesting them.
this is like word porn.
sidesteel! 0 -
Sustainment and diet adherence are the reason for moderation.
So we all agree a calorie is a just a calorie, but what's your thoughts on calorie in / calorie out As per the op report?
New topic please.
This one needs to be killed by fire.
Or an explosion.
Or drowning.
I really don't care. Just kill it please!
death is death, regardless of how it is accomplished.
Tell that to my Dad, who died slowly, over a period of 18 months.0 -
Wow one statement from side steel and your back in the thread.0
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fast eddie..... if you agreed that a calorie IS just a calorie then why did you tell me I was adding to the bull**** and oversimplifying things? Sorry but those aren't the words of someone who agreed with my post....
since when is giving people mathematically and scientifically correct information oversimplyfing things and adding to the bull***?
It's all there in the last post. I'm done arguing with you. Not possible that you could be unclear. I spelled it out, did the math, and showed my work. You want more questions? Answer mine. Why moderation if all calories are exactly the same? Why watch what I eat for nutrition if all calories are exactly the same?
Because.... your body needs energy, AND your body needs other things as well
calories are a unit of energy. as far as energy in the body goes, it does not matter whether the energy comes from a twinkie or a snickers bar or an avocado or a McRoyale or a three course meal at the finest restaurant in Paris... the body uses the energy, and if you consume too much energy, the excess is stored as fat, and if you don't consume enough energy, the shortfall is made up from your body's reserves (glycogen, body fat or skeletal muscle). It doesn't matter WHAT you ate that gave your body too much or too little energy.... what matters is the total amount of energy. Which is why people can get fat eating nothing but wholefoods, and people can lose weight eating nothing but twinkies.
For the other things your body needs as well, which includes vitally important things like building new cells, repairing tissues, maintaining tissues and keeping all sorts of things in the body running properly, then it absolutely DOES matter what specific foods you eat, because a twinkie sure as anything isn't going to supply your body with the non-energy things that it needs. Yes you can get all your energy from twinkies, and you can eat a controlled quantity of twinkies to make sure there's a small shortfall in energy so your body burns some of your body fat each day and lose weight eating nothing but twinkies................... but you can't get much in the way of vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein or essential fatty acids from twinkies,
that is why a calorie IS just a calorie, but a healthy diet supplies the body with *everything* it needs, not just the right amount of energy.
Sorry dude need to clarify some thing.
Are you saying that the energy you get from a calorie regardless of its source is consumed (used) by the body in the same way and to the same efficiency?
Differences in diet induced thermogensis are represented on the calories-out side of the equation. Isocaloric foods across different macronutrients would have identical calories but you would expend a different amount of calories digesting them.
So for Efficient energy use of your calorie intake it does matter where that calorie comes from?
It matters where your calories come from for a variety of reasons. The problem with discussions like this is that you need to go into an elaborate amount of context to prevent strawman arguments from showing up.
Strictly as far as efficiencies go, the only time I'd suggest that it matters would be when you're taking someone who has a diet with really poor macronutrient selection (not good word choice on my part--- someone with a very low protein diet) and making a large change. So for example if you were to take someone with a very low protein diet and move them to a very high protein diet, the relative change in thermogensis you'd gain from increasing protein might amount to a significant difference in total energy usage.
So that's still context dependent. Having someone shuttle 20-30g of carbs to protein, isn't going to make much of a difference strictly from a DIT/TEF standpoint when you do the math.
None of the above though, changes the value of a calorie. They are still calories and they are still primarily responsible for governing changes in weight.0 -
I was reading some success stories on this here website and noticed that one gal mentioned a big shout out to side steel for helping her with his great advice on weight loss, so kudos to you my man. I love reading those success stories because they tell how they lost weight without making a buck so you gotta believe em, you know?0
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Thanks dude,
Hopefully this will answer a few of our questions.
Do you have any reference links you can suggest for the members who want to check out a bit more info on the energy balance equation?0 -
Sorry dude need to clarify some thing.
Are you saying that the energy you get from a calorie regardless of its source is consumed (used) by the body in the same way and to the same efficiency?
Differences in diet induced thermogensis are represented on the calories-out side of the equation. Isocaloric foods across different macronutrients would have identical calories but you would expend a different amount of calories digesting them.
I don't think that's what he was asking. Thermic effect of food is pretty standard across the board, isocalorically speaking.
I think his question was to do with the how efficient a specific macro is at giving the body energy... in which case the order of play is carbs, fat then protein.
But even so, that doesn't change the fact that a calorie is a calorie and up to whatever your TDEE is, your body really doesn't care where it gets its energy from because it's so efficient at making what it needs from what it gets. Essential AAs and such aside.
ETA: Never mind, saw your later elaboration.0 -
Sustainment and diet adherence are the reason for moderation.
So we all agree a calorie is a just a calorie, but what's your thoughts on calorie in / calorie out As per the op report?
Please refer to one of my last 10 or so post. My thoughts have been detailed many times.0 -
Wow one statement from side steel and your back in the thread.
are you referring to me?
I never said I left... I just said I gave up trying to explain.
But, I'm glad you missed me.
0 -
No I was questioning the fact a comment was made that it doesn't matter where you get your calories from - be it a Twinkie or something else.
Before disputing this I wanted to clarify the statement meant the energy was used by the body in the same way.0 -
Wow one statement from side steel and your back in the thread.
are you referring to me?
I never said I left... I just said I gave up trying to explain.
But, I'm glad you missed me.
Soz you said you were giving up, just assumed. And yes i missed ya0 -
Mostly because you seem to be purposely twisting their words around.
Must people that accept "a calorie is a calorie" don't discount that there are benefits to getting adequate micro-nutrients too.It's all there in the last post. I'm done arguing with you. Not possible that you could be unclear. I spelled it out, did the math, and showed my work. You want more questions? Answer mine. Why moderation if all calories are exactly the same? Why watch what I eat for nutrition if all calories are exactly the same?
Thankfully they don't tend to expect every morsel of food to be packed full of micronutrients they already have plenty of in general.
Somehow, even though that's true, they'll argue with you when you say so. Weird.
Kinda the opposite, really.
We're trying to talk about calories but you ALWAYS seem to be going on about "this and that is more calorie dense" "this and that has better protein".
The thing with the donuts was exactly the same.
I have NEVER said something has better protein. I wouldn't know the difference. You're confused.0 -
Thanks dude,
Hopefully this will answer a few of our questions.
Do you have any reference links you can suggest for the members who want to check out a bit more info on the energy balance equation?
EDIT: I'm not sure if this is directed at me so I will reply to it anyways and if it isn't, then oh well
I don't specifically on the energy balance equation primarily because I don't know that getting an in depth understanding of all the complexities of it would be a functional use of time for the majority of the population who are just looking to increase their fitness level or see abs or shed some fat. In my opinion, having a very basic understanding of the general concepts along with the ability to track intake (if that's the method you choose, which happens to be the case for members of this forum), is all you need as it pertains to understanding calories in vs calories out.
There certainly are other things that could be valuable to learn as far as dieting strategies/etc. There are a few sites in my profile that I like to recommend and I'd also add Armi Leggi's site at www.evidencemag.com -- he's got quite a bit of solid and practical information to offer a wide range of fitness enthusiasts and general public.0 -
Sustainment and diet adherence are the reason for moderation.
Is diet adherence required for losing weight?0 -
better = more
Mostly because you seem to be purposely twisting their words around.
Must people that accept "a calorie is a calorie" don't discount that there are benefits to getting adequate micro-nutrients too.It's all there in the last post. I'm done arguing with you. Not possible that you could be unclear. I spelled it out, did the math, and showed my work. You want more questions? Answer mine. Why moderation if all calories are exactly the same? Why watch what I eat for nutrition if all calories are exactly the same?
Thankfully they don't tend to expect every morsel of food to be packed full of micronutrients they already have plenty of in general.
Somehow, even though that's true, they'll argue with you when you say so. Weird.
Kinda the opposite, really.
We're trying to talk about calories but you ALWAYS seem to be going on about "this and that is more calorie dense" "this and that has better protein".
The thing with the donuts was exactly the same.
I have NEVER said something has better protein. I wouldn't know the difference. You're confused.
and yes you were constantly going on about eating this or that and picking what to eat, which is fine and dandy but has nothing to do with the calories per se but with macros or with eaters not being able to restrain themselves should they go hungry again.
Again, you're talking about a lot of things, but not the nature of calories.0
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