A Calorie is NOT just a Calorie

Options
1404143454651

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,023 Member
    Options

    Bravo.

    Just say it exactly the way you just did. The problem I see is a LOT of people are NOT saying "But the occasional treat is okay too!" They're just saying "A calorie is a calorie so eat whatever you want". And to prove the point we get the anecdote of one guy in Uraguay who lost weight eating nothing but Cinnabon. And even when they begrudgingly, breaking cult rules, admit it's not a great idea, they say it's because it wouldn't be healthy. Well yeah. But no. It's because you couldn't do it. You'd burn though that sugar in no time and be starving for the rest of the day. Normal people couldn't maintain that very long.

    As you said, it isn't all or nothing. In other words, neither extreme is appropriate. And advocating one extreme is no better than advocating the other. So let's stop doing it.

    "It's about balance. Moderation. Finding a happy medium."

    Well said. And that implies that you need to be at least SOMEWHAT selective in your diet choices. And another way of saying that might be that all foods are not equal. Or yet another way of saying that might be "a calorie is NOT a calorie". And yet, if someone dare suggest such heresy against the cult, the members rally to shun the unbeliever!

    It's become some kind of self feeding echo chamber of weirdness on here. I get it. Just take it down a notch. Or 100.

    The above quote is yours, fast_eddie_72...

    LOL fast_eddie_72.... You know it would have been a lot more respect-worthy simply to say "you know what? I thought about what you said and I think you're right" rather than pretending that you'd agreed all along... especially given that this is all here in text for everyone to see
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRLNY0evpfrMUeOnsn6aP7OwBtg2mRUQdP89SKfMZXb3P5tFbFi
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Options
    I have to say I love that this is still going...

    I love your profile pic :D

    yours is great too, because I think a lot of people see fit people and think they were born fit and never had to work to get there.... your message challenges that idea
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Options
    I have to say I love that this is still going...

    I love your profile pic :D

    yours is great too, because I think a lot of people see fit people and think they were born fit and never had to work to get there.... your message challenges that idea

    Where as mine says I got that way by just posing in the mirror. :laugh: :laugh:

    Mirey just keeps those MFP fitspirations coming, doesn't she?
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Options

    Bravo.

    Just say it exactly the way you just did. The problem I see is a LOT of people are NOT saying "But the occasional treat is okay too!" They're just saying "A calorie is a calorie so eat whatever you want". And to prove the point we get the anecdote of one guy in Uraguay who lost weight eating nothing but Cinnabon. And even when they begrudgingly, breaking cult rules, admit it's not a great idea, they say it's because it wouldn't be healthy. Well yeah. But no. It's because you couldn't do it. You'd burn though that sugar in no time and be starving for the rest of the day. Normal people couldn't maintain that very long.

    As you said, it isn't all or nothing. In other words, neither extreme is appropriate. And advocating one extreme is no better than advocating the other. So let's stop doing it.

    "It's about balance. Moderation. Finding a happy medium."

    Well said. And that implies that you need to be at least SOMEWHAT selective in your diet choices. And another way of saying that might be that all foods are not equal. Or yet another way of saying that might be "a calorie is NOT a calorie". And yet, if someone dare suggest such heresy against the cult, the members rally to shun the unbeliever!

    It's become some kind of self feeding echo chamber of weirdness on here. I get it. Just take it down a notch. Or 100.

    The above quote is yours, fast_eddie_72...

    LOL fast_eddie_72.... You know it would have been a lot more respect-worthy simply to say "you know what? I thought about what you said and I think you're right" rather than pretending that you'd agreed all along... especially given that this is all here in text for everyone to see
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRLNY0evpfrMUeOnsn6aP7OwBtg2mRUQdP89SKfMZXb3P5tFbFi

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
    Options

    Bravo.

    Just say it exactly the way you just did. The problem I see is a LOT of people are NOT saying "But the occasional treat is okay too!" They're just saying "A calorie is a calorie so eat whatever you want". And to prove the point we get the anecdote of one guy in Uraguay who lost weight eating nothing but Cinnabon. And even when they begrudgingly, breaking cult rules, admit it's not a great idea, they say it's because it wouldn't be healthy. Well yeah. But no. It's because you couldn't do it. You'd burn though that sugar in no time and be starving for the rest of the day. Normal people couldn't maintain that very long.

    As you said, it isn't all or nothing. In other words, neither extreme is appropriate. And advocating one extreme is no better than advocating the other. So let's stop doing it.

    "It's about balance. Moderation. Finding a happy medium."

    Well said. And that implies that you need to be at least SOMEWHAT selective in your diet choices. And another way of saying that might be that all foods are not equal. Or yet another way of saying that might be "a calorie is NOT a calorie". And yet, if someone dare suggest such heresy against the cult, the members rally to shun the unbeliever!

    It's become some kind of self feeding echo chamber of weirdness on here. I get it. Just take it down a notch. Or 100.

    The above quote is yours, fast_eddie_72...

    I know you don't care. You're just fighting. That's fine. But I'll explain it anyway.

    I was responding to a post that said it's about balance and moderation. If a calorie is a calorie, why moderation? I didn't say a calorie isn't a calorie. I said that the person who posted about "moderation" was making a distinction between some calories and other calories. Right? We good so far? You can't disagree with that.

    So follow me. If you make a distinction between some calories and other calories, what are you saying? How can they be the same... and different? I didn't say a calorie isn't a calorie. The person I was responding to, who swears up and down that c=c, said something other than c=c.

    And you did too.
    And it'll save your sanity and improve your long term chances of success, because you can tailor your own eating plan to include all the foods you want to eat (in moderation, so you still get all the nutrition you need), rather than fearfully avoiding demonised foods that it's not even necessary to avoid.

    If c=c, why moderation? If c=c, why do I have to watch what I eat for nutrition? They're all exactly the same. A calorie is a calorie. It doesn't imply that they're identical, it says it in so many words.

    I've never disagreed (and have made a point of saying so over and over again) that it is accurate to say that, with regard to weight loss, it doesn't matter where the calories come from as long as there is a deficit. What I said is the same thing you said. There's more to it than that. It's accurate, but it's not the whole story. And if you want, in your words, "long term chances of success" you should "include all the foods you want to eat in moderation". Which is something different from "eat whatever you want" and "a calorie is a calorie". That's all.

    As has been pointed out, it's semantics. And c=c WITH NO OTHER EXPLANATION is poor and misleading advice for someone who wants to lose weight and keep it off.

    I've said exactly the same thing very clearly over and over again and STILL people who AGREE insist on arguing with me. So I'm really out of this one at this point. It's not possible anyone can be unclear about what I'm saying.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Options
    :huh:
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Options
    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***?
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    Options
    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.
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
    Options
    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?
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,023 Member
    Options

    Bravo.

    Just say it exactly the way you just did. The problem I see is a LOT of people are NOT saying "But the occasional treat is okay too!" They're just saying "A calorie is a calorie so eat whatever you want". And to prove the point we get the anecdote of one guy in Uraguay who lost weight eating nothing but Cinnabon. And even when they begrudgingly, breaking cult rules, admit it's not a great idea, they say it's because it wouldn't be healthy. Well yeah. But no. It's because you couldn't do it. You'd burn though that sugar in no time and be starving for the rest of the day. Normal people couldn't maintain that very long.

    As you said, it isn't all or nothing. In other words, neither extreme is appropriate. And advocating one extreme is no better than advocating the other. So let's stop doing it.

    "It's about balance. Moderation. Finding a happy medium."

    Well said. And that implies that you need to be at least SOMEWHAT selective in your diet choices. And another way of saying that might be that all foods are not equal. Or yet another way of saying that might be "a calorie is NOT a calorie". And yet, if someone dare suggest such heresy against the cult, the members rally to shun the unbeliever!

    It's become some kind of self feeding echo chamber of weirdness on here. I get it. Just take it down a notch. Or 100.

    The above quote is yours, fast_eddie_72...

    I know you don't care. You're just fighting. That's fine. But I'll explain it anyway.

    I was responding to a post that said it's about balance and moderation. If a calorie is a calorie, why moderation? I didn't say a calorie isn't a calorie. I said that the person who posted about "moderation" was making a distinction between some calories and other calories. Right? We good so far? You can't disagree with that.

    So follow me. If you make a distinction between some calories and other calories, what are you saying? How can they be the same... and different? I didn't say a calorie isn't a calorie. The person I was responding to, who swears up and down that c=c, said something other than c=c.

    And you did too.
    And it'll save your sanity and improve your long term chances of success, because you can tailor your own eating plan to include all the foods you want to eat (in moderation, so you still get all the nutrition you need), rather than fearfully avoiding demonised foods that it's not even necessary to avoid.

    If c=c, why moderation? If c=c, why do I have to watch what I eat for nutrition? They're all exactly the same. A calorie is a calorie. It doesn't imply that they're identical, it says it in so many words.

    I've never disagreed (and have made a point of saying so over and over again) that it is accurate to say that, with regard to weight loss, it doesn't matter where the calories come from as long as there is a deficit. What I said is the same thing you said. There's more to it than that. It's accurate, but it's not the whole story. And if you want, in your words, "long term chances of success" you should "include all the foods you want to eat in moderation". Which is something different from "eat whatever you want" and "a calorie is a calorie". That's all.

    As has been pointed out, it's semantics. And c=c WITH NO OTHER EXPLANATION is poor and misleading advice for someone who wants to lose weight and keep it off.

    I've said exactly the same thing very clearly over and over again and STILL people who AGREE insist on arguing with me. So I'm really out of this one at this point. It's not possible anyone can be unclear about what I'm saying.

    I said
    Yeah, people just get caught up in semantics mostly. People confuse a calorie is a calorie with not all calories are created equal all the time.


    Then you said
    There's the hat trick! Sometimes it's good to be me.

    You were on a roll about this time.......your endorphins were ramping up pretty good.
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
    Options
    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.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    Options
    "If a pound is a pound, why would you rather have a feather fall on your head than a rock?"
    Cause some things have more of it and you might, MIGHT!, not want to have too much at the same time because apparently some people can't control themselves if they get hungry.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Options
    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?
    Must people that accept "a calorie is a calorie" don't discount that there are benefits to getting adequate micro-nutrients too.
    Thankfully they don't tend to expect every morsel of food to be packed full of micronutrients they already have plenty of in general.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Options
    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.

    HOW DID I MISS THIS! Aw, you guys had a debate without me....... :sad:

    Hey, fast eds, you're wrong.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Options
    "If a pound is a pound, why would you rather have a feather fall on your head than a rock?"
    Cause some things have more of it and you might, MIGHT!, not want to have too much at the same time because apparently some people can't control themselves if they get hungry.

    More of what? Too much of what?
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
    Options
    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?
    Must people that accept "a calorie is a calorie" don't discount that there are benefits to getting adequate micro-nutrients too.
    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.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Options
    I've not found that, but then I've never tried to tell such people a calorie isn't a calorie either :).
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
    Options
    Yup...

    as long as your TDEE is around 3500 and that is McDonalds...7 cheeseburgers=2100 calories, fries=300 calories, shake is 660 calories...

    My son could eat that everyday and lose weight...husband would maintain.

    I wish.....

    homersimpson20061fd8.jpg
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    Options
    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?
    Because I've been in my car all day and haven't had access to a grocery store or microwave. Most days I've eaten 4 servings of veges before noon. I LOVE veges.

    What nutrition bills? .
    "Nutrition bills" is a metaphor for the micro & macro nutrients that I need.
    It refers to bills like electricity, water, etc. that I pay because I'm a grown up.
    All calories are exactly the same. Just have two more donuts. Eat whatever you want
    I might just have more donuts later if I have calories left over. I will probably choose something else, however, because we are out of donuts.

    Protein is not a calorie.
    Vitamin A is not a calorie.
    A calorie is a calorie, just like a US dollar is a US dollar.
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
    Options

    Bravo.

    Just say it exactly the way you just did. The problem I see is a LOT of people are NOT saying "But the occasional treat is okay too!" They're just saying "A calorie is a calorie so eat whatever you want". And to prove the point we get the anecdote of one guy in Uraguay who lost weight eating nothing but Cinnabon. And even when they begrudgingly, breaking cult rules, admit it's not a great idea, they say it's because it wouldn't be healthy. Well yeah. But no. It's because you couldn't do it. You'd burn though that sugar in no time and be starving for the rest of the day. Normal people couldn't maintain that very long.

    As you said, it isn't all or nothing. In other words, neither extreme is appropriate. And advocating one extreme is no better than advocating the other. So let's stop doing it.

    "It's about balance. Moderation. Finding a happy medium."

    Well said. And that implies that you need to be at least SOMEWHAT selective in your diet choices. And another way of saying that might be that all foods are not equal. Or yet another way of saying that might be "a calorie is NOT a calorie". And yet, if someone dare suggest such heresy against the cult, the members rally to shun the unbeliever!

    It's become some kind of self feeding echo chamber of weirdness on here. I get it. Just take it down a notch. Or 100.

    The above quote is yours, fast_eddie_72...

    I know you don't care. You're just fighting. That's fine. But I'll explain it anyway.

    I was responding to a post that said it's about balance and moderation. If a calorie is a calorie, why moderation? I didn't say a calorie isn't a calorie. I said that the person who posted about "moderation" was making a distinction between some calories and other calories. Right? We good so far? You can't disagree with that.

    So follow me. If you make a distinction between some calories and other calories, what are you saying? How can they be the same... and different? I didn't say a calorie isn't a calorie. The person I was responding to, who swears up and down that c=c, said something other than c=c.

    And you did too.
    And it'll save your sanity and improve your long term chances of success, because you can tailor your own eating plan to include all the foods you want to eat (in moderation, so you still get all the nutrition you need), rather than fearfully avoiding demonised foods that it's not even necessary to avoid.

    If c=c, why moderation? If c=c, why do I have to watch what I eat for nutrition? They're all exactly the same. A calorie is a calorie. It doesn't imply that they're identical, it says it in so many words.

    I've never disagreed (and have made a point of saying so over and over again) that it is accurate to say that, with regard to weight loss, it doesn't matter where the calories come from as long as there is a deficit. What I said is the same thing you said. There's more to it than that. It's accurate, but it's not the whole story. And if you want, in your words, "long term chances of success" you should "include all the foods you want to eat in moderation". Which is something different from "eat whatever you want" and "a calorie is a calorie". That's all.

    As has been pointed out, it's semantics. And c=c WITH NO OTHER EXPLANATION is poor and misleading advice for someone who wants to lose weight and keep it off.

    I've said exactly the same thing very clearly over and over again and STILL people who AGREE insist on arguing with me. So I'm really out of this one at this point. It's not possible anyone can be unclear about what I'm saying.

    I said
    Yeah, people just get caught up in semantics mostly. People confuse a calorie is a calorie with not all calories are created equal all the time.


    Then you said
    There's the hat trick! Sometimes it's good to be me.

    You were on a roll about this time.......your endorphins were ramping up pretty good.

    "A calorie is a calorie" =/= "Not all calories are created equal all the time"

    Schrodenger's cat is alive. Schrodenger's cat is dead.