A CALORIE IS NOT A CALORIE

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Replies

  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    On the studies, the way I interpret them, is that there are two things going on: (1) weight loss and (2) LBM maintenance. The PRO groups lost more weight than the CHO groups while also maintaining more LBM (or in the first study's case, lost the same), so that means that the PRO groups actually lost a LOT more FAT than the CHO (or "normal") groups. I was trying to not couple these (maintain LBM and increased fat loss) as I thought it would muddy the waters because weight loss has a couple factors that affect the numbers on the scale -- (1) muscle loss, (2) fat loss and (3) water retention. People with more CHO in their diets, retain more water, correct? That's why you see a huge initial weight loss in ketogenic/carb restricted diets -- it's that loss of 5-7+ lbs of water, right? I wasn't sure if they accounted for that in their weight loss numbers or not, in either study, so that can skew the weight loss results whereas when measuring for LBM, that's always apples to apples. So, I was using the study to emphasize the maintenance of LBM in the PRO groups rather than discussing the weight/fat issue as it's not as straightforward. Perhaps I'm wrong on this, but that's how I read it.

    And I have seen several sources showing that the catabolization of 1 lb muscle releases 600-1500 kcals whereas 1 lb of fat releases 3500 kcals, and I don't think anyone is disputing that. So, if the PRO group also lost more or the same weight than the CHO.normal groups while maintaining a greater amount of LBM, they lost a LOT more lbs of fat (or possibly water). That tracks, right?

    In the end, I was just trying to take an easy illustration to show that not all calories are created equal, especially as regards macros. So caloric deficit while important (and likely essential for weight loss) is not the only factor that determines (1) how much weight you lose and (2) what type of weight you lose (i.e. muscle vs fat). There are several other factors that affect that, including the type of food/calories you eat.

    I didn't even want to get into the "clean" debate, as I think there is less research on it and the effects are likely less dramatic than macros differences. For me, I think it's possible that it tracks the idea of macros as well -- that "cleaner" food may result in greater weight loss/fat loss. The more nutrient dense food you eat, the less total calories you likely will need to eat to feel full, satiated and meet your nutrient requirements (essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals ,etc.). I've seen theories on that -- that too many modern diets have too much low nutrient food. So to get all the nutrients you need, your body will crave more of the food and people end of overeating (or just really hungry while on a diet -- and that's one reason why such a lifestyle is difficult to sustain longterm). Now, I haven't seen any study on that, just theories people have discussed. But, to me, that seems plausible and why you MAY benefit from focusing on nutrient dense food as opposed to food with low nutrient count (i.e. lots of empty calories) for (1) satiety and (2) essential nutrients, especially while in a caloric deficit. But, once again, I haven't seen any studies on that per se -- or don't remember any that were cited by people discussing the theory. If anyone knows of any, I'd love to read them.
    Wait, you're not sure if they accounted for water weight, and you say that can affect the weight loss numbers, but measuring for LBM is a perfect comparison, even though water is a component of LBM. Water weight loss would show as a decrease in LBM. So how can you discount one number (weight loss) due to possible water weight fluctuation, but you don't discount the other number (LBM) due to the same water weight fluctuation? I believe that's called "cherry picking."

    I'm just giving possibilities. I haven't read the study in detail for a while, and I'm not particularly interested in doing so now just to get the exact details right in explanation. Feel free to read the details for yourself and compare rather than rely on my memory or explanation.

    In the end, either way you cut it, I think it shows that not all calories are the same. That higher protein diet affects weightloss and LBM -- that the higher protein groups lost either weight or presumably more fat and retain more LBM than their CHO/normal counterparts. And that was the thrust of my argument from the very beginning -- that not all calories are the same or result in the same weight loss for the same deficit. So looking at what you eat is important as well -- that it isn't just about how many total calories you consume.

    kateeatingcherry2.gif
  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
    Colbert+Sucker.gif
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    back in for the gifs
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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  • Charlottesometimes23
    Charlottesometimes23 Posts: 687 Member
    I'm just giving possibilities. I haven't read the study in detail for a while, and I'm not particularly interested in doing so now just to get the exact details right in explanation. Feel free to read the details for yourself and compare rather than rely on my memory or explanation.

    In the end, either way you cut it, I think it shows that not all calories are the same. That higher protein diet affects weightloss and LBM -- that the higher protein groups lost either weight or presumably more fat and retain more LBM than their CHO/normal counterparts. And that was the thrust of my argument from the very beginning -- that not all calories are the same or result in the same weight loss for the same deficit. So looking at what you eat is important as well -- that it isn't just about how many total calories you consume.

    Oh no, look what I found! It seems to be suggesting that A CALORIE IS A CALORIE :noway:

    Effects of 4 weight-loss diets differing in fat, protein, and carbohydrate on fat mass, lean mass, visceral adipose tissue, and hepatic fat: results from the POUNDS LOST trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22258266

    OBJECTIVE: We determined whether energy-reduced diets that emphasize fat, protein, or carbohydrate differentially reduce total, visceral, or hepatic fat or preserve lean mass.

    DESIGN: In a subset of participants in a randomized trial of 4 weight-loss diets, body fat and lean mass (n = 424; by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and abdominal and hepatic fat (n = 165; by using computed tomography) were measured after 6 mo and 2 y. Changes from baseline were compared between assigned amounts of protein (25% compared with 15%) and fat (40% compared with 20%) and across 4 carbohydrate amounts (35% through 65%).

    CONCLUSION: Participants lost more fat than lean mass after consumption of all diets, with no differences in changes in body composition, abdominal fat, or hepatic fat between assigned macronutrient amounts.
  • SpencersHeart
    SpencersHeart Posts: 170 Member
    What's the "quality" calorie that is going to help me lose weight faster? Just wondering :wink:

    The one that you don't eat...or maybe it was the other one...

    :laugh: Got it thanks.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    I'm just giving possibilities. I haven't read the study in detail for a while, and I'm not particularly interested in doing so now just to get the exact details right in explanation. Feel free to read the details for yourself and compare rather than rely on my memory or explanation.

    In the end, either way you cut it, I think it shows that not all calories are the same. That higher protein diet affects weightloss and LBM -- that the higher protein groups lost either weight or presumably more fat and retain more LBM than their CHO/normal counterparts. And that was the thrust of my argument from the very beginning -- that not all calories are the same or result in the same weight loss for the same deficit. So looking at what you eat is important as well -- that it isn't just about how many total calories you consume.

    Oh no, look what I found! It seems to be suggesting that A CALORIE IS A CALORIE :noway:

    Effects of 4 weight-loss diets differing in fat, protein, and carbohydrate on fat mass, lean mass, visceral adipose tissue, and hepatic fat: results from the POUNDS LOST trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22258266

    OBJECTIVE: We determined whether energy-reduced diets that emphasize fat, protein, or carbohydrate differentially reduce total, visceral, or hepatic fat or preserve lean mass.

    DESIGN: In a subset of participants in a randomized trial of 4 weight-loss diets, body fat and lean mass (n = 424; by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and abdominal and hepatic fat (n = 165; by using computed tomography) were measured after 6 mo and 2 y. Changes from baseline were compared between assigned amounts of protein (25% compared with 15%) and fat (40% compared with 20%) and across 4 carbohydrate amounts (35% through 65%).

    CONCLUSION: Participants lost more fat than lean mass after consumption of all diets, with no differences in changes in body composition, abdominal fat, or hepatic fat between assigned macronutrient amounts.

    Was this study based on self-reported nutrient intake? Or was a strict diet regime followed?

    From looking at the link quickly, it looks like it was the former and it even said that "Dietary goals were not fully met; self-reported contrasts were closer to 2% protein, 8% fat, and 14% carbohydrate at 6 mo and 1%, 7%, and 10%, respectively, at 2 y", though I'm not sure what the actual percentages are referencing.

    One of the biggest pieces of advice many members give people is to closely track your calories -- weigh everything -- as most know that's one of, if not the biggest, source of error. So, if this was a self-reporting study, that looks like a large area of potential error that may undercut its ultimate conclusions.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    Totally random thought:

    You know those people who have to have the last word in real life? I wonder if they're the same way online.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    I'm just giving possibilities. I haven't read the study in detail for a while, and I'm not particularly interested in doing so now just to get the exact details right in explanation. Feel free to read the details for yourself and compare rather than rely on my memory or explanation.

    In the end, either way you cut it, I think it shows that not all calories are the same. That higher protein diet affects weightloss and LBM -- that the higher protein groups lost either weight or presumably more fat and retain more LBM than their CHO/normal counterparts. And that was the thrust of my argument from the very beginning -- that not all calories are the same or result in the same weight loss for the same deficit. So looking at what you eat is important as well -- that it isn't just about how many total calories you consume.

    Oh no, look what I found! It seems to be suggesting that A CALORIE IS A CALORIE :noway:

    Effects of 4 weight-loss diets differing in fat, protein, and carbohydrate on fat mass, lean mass, visceral adipose tissue, and hepatic fat: results from the POUNDS LOST trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22258266

    OBJECTIVE: We determined whether energy-reduced diets that emphasize fat, protein, or carbohydrate differentially reduce total, visceral, or hepatic fat or preserve lean mass.

    DESIGN: In a subset of participants in a randomized trial of 4 weight-loss diets, body fat and lean mass (n = 424; by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and abdominal and hepatic fat (n = 165; by using computed tomography) were measured after 6 mo and 2 y. Changes from baseline were compared between assigned amounts of protein (25% compared with 15%) and fat (40% compared with 20%) and across 4 carbohydrate amounts (35% through 65%).

    CONCLUSION: Participants lost more fat than lean mass after consumption of all diets, with no differences in changes in body composition, abdominal fat, or hepatic fat between assigned macronutrient amounts.

    Was this study based on self-reported nutrient intake? Or was a strict diet regime followed?

    From looking at the link quickly, it looks like it was the former and it even said that "Dietary goals were not fully met; self-reported contrasts were closer to 2% protein, 8% fat, and 14% carbohydrate at 6 mo and 1%, 7%, and 10%, respectively, at 2 y", though I'm not sure what the actual percentages are referencing.

    One of the biggest pieces of advice many members give people is to closely track your calories -- weigh everything -- as most know that's one of, if not the biggest, source of error. So, if this was a self-reporting study, that looks like a large area of potential error that may undercut its ultimate conclusions.


    Perhaps they would have better luck doing such a study in a correctional facility, as it was over the course of two years. 'Course then it's not exactly a "free living" study, as this was intended to be.
  • Charlottesometimes23
    Charlottesometimes23 Posts: 687 Member
    I'm just giving possibilities. I haven't read the study in detail for a while, and I'm not particularly interested in doing so now just to get the exact details right in explanation. Feel free to read the details for yourself and compare rather than rely on my memory or explanation.

    In the end, either way you cut it, I think it shows that not all calories are the same. That higher protein diet affects weightloss and LBM -- that the higher protein groups lost either weight or presumably more fat and retain more LBM than their CHO/normal counterparts. And that was the thrust of my argument from the very beginning -- that not all calories are the same or result in the same weight loss for the same deficit. So looking at what you eat is important as well -- that it isn't just about how many total calories you consume.

    Oh no, look what I found! It seems to be suggesting that A CALORIE IS A CALORIE :noway:

    Effects of 4 weight-loss diets differing in fat, protein, and carbohydrate on fat mass, lean mass, visceral adipose tissue, and hepatic fat: results from the POUNDS LOST trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22258266

    OBJECTIVE: We determined whether energy-reduced diets that emphasize fat, protein, or carbohydrate differentially reduce total, visceral, or hepatic fat or preserve lean mass.

    DESIGN: In a subset of participants in a randomized trial of 4 weight-loss diets, body fat and lean mass (n = 424; by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and abdominal and hepatic fat (n = 165; by using computed tomography) were measured after 6 mo and 2 y. Changes from baseline were compared between assigned amounts of protein (25% compared with 15%) and fat (40% compared with 20%) and across 4 carbohydrate amounts (35% through 65%).

    CONCLUSION: Participants lost more fat than lean mass after consumption of all diets, with no differences in changes in body composition, abdominal fat, or hepatic fat between assigned macronutrient amounts.

    Was this study based on self-reported nutrient intake? Or was a strict diet regime followed?

    From looking at the link quickly, it looks like it was the former and it even said that "Dietary goals were not fully met; self-reported contrasts were closer to 2% protein, 8% fat, and 14% carbohydrate at 6 mo and 1%, 7%, and 10%, respectively, at 2 y", though I'm not sure what the actual percentages are referencing.

    One of the biggest pieces of advice many members give people is to closely track your calories -- weigh everything -- as most know that's one of, if not the biggest, source of error. So, if this was a self-reporting study, that looks like a large area of potential error that may undercut its ultimate conclusions.
    Read the study. They used biomarkers such as nitrogen balance and RQ as well as self-reported dietary data. Although dietary goals were not met, they still provided contrasts for analysis.

    So, what fully controlled dietary manipulation studies can YOU provide to back YOUR claims Lyndsey?

    You're grasping at straws to avoid losing face. You will find just as many studies showing macronutrient distribution within reasonable limits has an effect as you will find studies showing little or no effect. The human organism is extremely complex and no doubt there is a lot going on that we are yet to discover. The other aspect is the difficulties of human dietary manipulation studies. (Actually, this is one of the things that irk me with regards to people who write diet books and cite lovely cherry picked studies to back their claims).

    Anyways, are we going for the 500 for part 2. :wink:
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I'm just giving possibilities. I haven't read the study in detail for a while, and I'm not particularly interested in doing so now just to get the exact details right in explanation. Feel free to read the details for yourself and compare rather than rely on my memory or explanation.

    In the end, either way you cut it, I think it shows that not all calories are the same. That higher protein diet affects weightloss and LBM -- that the higher protein groups lost either weight or presumably more fat and retain more LBM than their CHO/normal counterparts. And that was the thrust of my argument from the very beginning -- that not all calories are the same or result in the same weight loss for the same deficit. So looking at what you eat is important as well -- that it isn't just about how many total calories you consume.

    Oh no, look what I found! It seems to be suggesting that A CALORIE IS A CALORIE :noway:

    Effects of 4 weight-loss diets differing in fat, protein, and carbohydrate on fat mass, lean mass, visceral adipose tissue, and hepatic fat: results from the POUNDS LOST trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22258266

    OBJECTIVE: We determined whether energy-reduced diets that emphasize fat, protein, or carbohydrate differentially reduce total, visceral, or hepatic fat or preserve lean mass.

    DESIGN: In a subset of participants in a randomized trial of 4 weight-loss diets, body fat and lean mass (n = 424; by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and abdominal and hepatic fat (n = 165; by using computed tomography) were measured after 6 mo and 2 y. Changes from baseline were compared between assigned amounts of protein (25% compared with 15%) and fat (40% compared with 20%) and across 4 carbohydrate amounts (35% through 65%).

    CONCLUSION: Participants lost more fat than lean mass after consumption of all diets, with no differences in changes in body composition, abdominal fat, or hepatic fat between assigned macronutrient amounts.

    Was this study based on self-reported nutrient intake? Or was a strict diet regime followed?

    From looking at the link quickly, it looks like it was the former and it even said that "Dietary goals were not fully met; self-reported contrasts were closer to 2% protein, 8% fat, and 14% carbohydrate at 6 mo and 1%, 7%, and 10%, respectively, at 2 y", though I'm not sure what the actual percentages are referencing.

    One of the biggest pieces of advice many members give people is to closely track your calories -- weigh everything -- as most know that's one of, if not the biggest, source of error. So, if this was a self-reporting study, that looks like a large area of potential error that may undercut its ultimate conclusions.
    Read the study. They used biomarkers such as nitrogen balance and RQ as well as self-reported dietary data. Although dietary goals were not met, they still provided contrasts for analysis.

    So, what fully controlled dietary manipulation studies can YOU provide to back YOUR claims Lyndsey?

    You're grasping at straws to avoid losing face. You will find just as many studies showing macronutrient distribution within reasonable limits has an effect as you will find studies showing little or no effect. The human organism is extremely complex and no doubt there is a lot going on that we are yet to discover. The other aspect is the difficulties of human dietary manipulation studies. (Actually, this is one of the things that irk me with regards to people who write diet books and cite lovely cherry picked studies to back their claims).

    Anyways, are we going for the 500 for part 2. :wink:

    does not matter….she is always right ..na na na na na na ….
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    In for part 2 because...gifs...and everyone's educational resume.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    In for part 2 because...gifs...and everyone's educational resume.

    apparently you have to have an iq of 10,00 or greater to contribute to this thread….
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    In for part 2 because...gifs...and everyone's educational resume.

    apparently you have to have an iq of 10,00 or greater to contribute to this thread….

    In that case, I would like to amend my previous post and instead state that I was just retested and scored a 10,01...

    ...so still in.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    In for part 2 because...gifs...and everyone's educational resume.

    I'm only here for the beer. Mmmm beer. :drinker:
  • kjo9692
    kjo9692 Posts: 430 Member
    This wasn't rolled in.

    4jqbyu.gif
  • Charlottesometimes23
    Charlottesometimes23 Posts: 687 Member
    Are self reported degrees and IQs sufficient or should we measure? :laugh:
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    apparently you have to have an iq of 10,00 or greater to contribute to this thread….

    An IQ of 10 ? LOL - I assume you're not using the continental European convention of a "," as the decimal separator.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member

    Was this study based on self-reported nutrient intake? Or was a strict diet regime followed?

    There was a published response to it at http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/95/3/535.long with some criticism of the methodology.

    The article itself states "Despite the intensive behavioral counseling in our study, macronutrient targets were not fully met, which complicated the interpretation of our null result. We aimed to test a contrast in protein energy of 10% but achieved only an ∼3% contrast, which our trial was not powered to detect."
  • SpencersHeart
    SpencersHeart Posts: 170 Member
    Are self reported degrees and IQs sufficient or should we measure? :laugh:

    Or is it the "quality" of the the degree that's important? :smile: maybe quantity matters too? <head spinning>
  • Charlottesometimes23
    Charlottesometimes23 Posts: 687 Member

    Was this study based on self-reported nutrient intake? Or was a strict diet regime followed?

    There was a published response to it at http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/95/3/535.long with some criticism of the methodology.

    The article itself states "Despite the intensive behavioral counseling in our study, macronutrient targets were not fully met, which complicated the interpretation of our null result. We aimed to test a contrast in protein energy of 10% but achieved only an ∼3% contrast, which our trial was not powered to detect."
    Actually by 2 years only fat was significantly different I believe, and participants had also gained 40% of the weight lost with no differences between the groups. There were contrasts at 6 months though (although only minimal for protein) with no difference in weight lost or body composition. Six months is a long time for these types of studies.
  • Charlottesometimes23
    Charlottesometimes23 Posts: 687 Member
    Look what else I found...

    IS A CALORIE A CALORIE? http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/79/5/899S.full

    "Conclusion: We conclude that a calorie is a calorie. From a purely thermodynamic point of view, this is clear because the human body or, indeed, any living organism cannot create or destroy energy but can only convert energy from one form to another. In comparing energy balance between dietary treatments, however, it must be remembered that the units of dietary energy are metabolizable energy and not gross energy. This is perhaps unfortunate because metabolizable energy is much more difficult to determine than is gross energy, because the Atwater factors used in calculating metabolizable energy are not exact. As such, our food tables are not perfect, and small errors are associated with their use.

    In addition, we concede that the substitution of one macronutrient for another has been shown in some studies to have a statistically significant effect on the expenditure half of the energy balance equation. This has been observed most often for high-protein diets. Evidence indicates, however, that the difference in energy expenditure is small and can potentially account for less than one-third of the differences in weight loss that have been reported between high-protein or low-carbohydrate diets and high-carbohydrate or low-fat diets. As such, a calorie is a calorie. Further research is needed to identify the mechanisms that result in greater weight loss with one diet than with another."
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    In for part 2 because...gifs...and everyone's educational resume.

    apparently you have to have an iq of 10,00 or greater to contribute to this thread….

    In that case, I would like to amend my previous post and instead state that I was just retested and scored a 10,01...

    ...so still in.

    lol whoops 10,000
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    This wasn't rolled in.

    4jqbyu.gif

    ^^^^ this

    because some threads just won't die and need gifs

    and bonobos
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    This wasn't rolled in.

    4jqbyu.gif

    ^^^^ this

    because some threads just won't die and need gifs

    and bonobos

    Are you saying that this thread just needs to look at the flowers?
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    calorie.gif
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    Ugh I fought it and fought it but since this bad boy is still going and has now evolved to a gif-fest I just can't proceed with my Sunday unless I contribute. I feel like sausage will make everything better (yes, I'm on a sausage kick this morning)

    giphy.gif
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Actually by 2 years only fat was significantly different I believe, and participants had also gained 40% of the weight lost with no differences between the groups. There were contrasts at 6 months though (although only minimal for protein) with no difference in weight lost or body composition. Six months is a long time for these types of studies.

    Six months is indeed a long time. The way they handle the dropouts in the numbers can make a big difference too. If the thing was underpowered you have to look past the "not statistically significant at the 95% confidence level" type statements to see what differences did exist and what chance they were accidental.

    I was a bit worried that all the subjects had the same RQ when it was supposed to be trialling different macros too.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    *sigh*

    A calorie is a calorie, just as a pint is a pint.

    The food/macro from which that calorie is derived is different (just as a pint of beer is different to a pint of vodka). The impact of the source of the calorie on energy output, health and body composition is not the same.

    Right you are! And some foods also don't give up all their calories during digestion. Some nuts, for example. Meanwhile highly processed foods (yum mac & cheese) are easy to digest, meaning less energy expenditure during digestion and full absorption. Maybe that little difference doesn't matter when you have a lot of weight to lose, but it sure adds up when you are trying to maintain or shed only a few more pounds.

    Then there is the issue of packaged processed foods that aren't really properly measured for portion. Servings can be wildly inaccurate, meaning you can be getting a lot more calories than you think you are. It's a good idea to weigh and measure even packaged foods to make sure you're not getting extra.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    On the studies, the way I interpret them, is that there are two things going on: (1) weight loss and (2) LBM maintenance. The PRO groups lost more weight than the CHO groups while also maintaining more LBM (or in the first study's case, lost the same), so that means that the PRO groups actually lost a LOT more FAT than the CHO (or "normal") groups. I was trying to not couple these (maintain LBM and increased fat loss) as I thought it would muddy the waters because weight loss has a couple factors that affect the numbers on the scale -- (1) muscle loss, (2) fat loss and (3) water retention. People with more CHO in their diets, retain more water, correct? That's why you see a huge initial weight loss in ketogenic/carb restricted diets -- it's that loss of 5-7+ lbs of water, right? I wasn't sure if they accounted for that in their weight loss numbers or not, in either study, so that can skew the weight loss results whereas when measuring for LBM, that's always apples to apples. So, I was using the study to emphasize the maintenance of LBM in the PRO groups rather than discussing the weight/fat issue as it's not as straightforward. Perhaps I'm wrong on this, but that's how I read it.

    And I have seen several sources showing that the catabolization of 1 lb muscle releases 600-1500 kcals whereas 1 lb of fat releases 3500 kcals, and I don't think anyone is disputing that. So, if the PRO group also lost more or the same weight than the CHO.normal groups while maintaining a greater amount of LBM, they lost a LOT more lbs of fat (or possibly water). That tracks, right?

    In the end, I was just trying to take an easy illustration to show that not all calories are created equal, especially as regards macros. So caloric deficit while important (and likely essential for weight loss) is not the only factor that determines (1) how much weight you lose and (2) what type of weight you lose (i.e. muscle vs fat). There are several other factors that affect that, including the type of food/calories you eat.

    I didn't even want to get into the "clean" debate, as I think there is less research on it and the effects are likely less dramatic than macros differences. For me, I think it's possible that it tracks the idea of macros as well -- that "cleaner" food may result in greater weight loss/fat loss. The more nutrient dense food you eat, the less total calories you likely will need to eat to feel full, satiated and meet your nutrient requirements (essential fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals ,etc.). I've seen theories on that -- that too many modern diets have too much low nutrient food. So to get all the nutrients you need, your body will crave more of the food and people end of overeating (or just really hungry while on a diet -- and that's one reason why such a lifestyle is difficult to sustain longterm). Now, I haven't seen any study on that, just theories people have discussed. But, to me, that seems plausible and why you MAY benefit from focusing on nutrient dense food as opposed to food with low nutrient count (i.e. lots of empty calories) for (1) satiety and (2) essential nutrients, especially while in a caloric deficit. But, once again, I haven't seen any studies on that per se -- or don't remember any that were cited by people discussing the theory. If anyone knows of any, I'd love to read them.
    Wait, you're not sure if they accounted for water weight, and you say that can affect the weight loss numbers, but measuring for LBM is a perfect comparison, even though water is a component of LBM. Water weight loss would show as a decrease in LBM. So how can you discount one number (weight loss) due to possible water weight fluctuation, but you don't discount the other number (LBM) due to the same water weight fluctuation? I believe that's called "cherry picking."

    I'm just giving possibilities. I haven't read the study in detail for a while, and I'm not particularly interested in doing so now just to get the exact details right in explanation. Feel free to read the details for yourself and compare rather than rely on my memory or explanation.

    In the end, either way you cut it, I think it shows that not all calories are the same. That higher protein diet affects weightloss and LBM -- that the higher protein groups lost either weight or presumably more fat and retain more LBM than their CHO/normal counterparts. And that was the thrust of my argument from the very beginning -- that not all calories are the same or result in the same weight loss for the same deficit. So looking at what you eat is important as well -- that it isn't just about how many total calories you consume.
    Such a great response...

    "I'm just making all of this up, so if you find that the evidence I'm posting doesn't actually support my claims, it doesn't matter. Just know that I'm right because appeal to authority."

    I mean why would you want to actually take the time to make sure your argument is actually correct? It's WAY easier to just play the "I'm smart, so I'm right, guys!" card.