Calorie Question

HaesMom

I know that 3500 calories equals a pound, but I was just wondering is every calorie the same? No right, I mean eating an extra piece of fruit (which I've been doing the last few days) has got to be better then eating "junk food" right?

Just wondering. . .

jmo325

A calorie is a measurement of energy. So, yes, they are all the same. However, fats are not. The "junk food" you're probably avoiding is full not only of calories, but fats and probably lots of sodium. Eating a piece of fruit is definitely the better option because it has vitamins and such in it. However, the calories still count, or at least I count them.

JaymeDeee

Junk food is "empty calories"...they have zero nutritional value and do nothing for you! Don't waste your daily calories on them...they aren't worth it.

Eating an extra fruit a day isn't going to do the damage the junk food would do (not even close). It's recommended you don't eat as many fruit servings in a day than you do vegetable servings. Even though they are the same category in the pyramid your daily intake should be veggie heavy...

Hope this helped???

S_H84

You already answer your own question. Calories are not the same, because you have to look at fat calories as well.
For example, you can eat a piece of banana bread from Starbucks which has 490 calories, 170 coming from fat OR you can have a foot long sub (i.e. roast beef or turkey and ham) for 480 calories, which only have 70-80 fat calories.

Hope this helps

ThaTravelBug

For the record, a calorie is not just a calorie. Fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are all processed by the body differently. It takes your stomach longer to break down the chemical makeup of protein than it does to break down a carbohydrate. Therefore, If you eat a doughnut and your body isn't in immediate need for that unit of energy, then it is surely going to be stored as fat. However, if you eat a piece of chicken with the same amount of calories, it takes longer for the body to break it down and be assimilated by the body. And since your body uses protein to repair muscle tissue it will more likely be used to repair the body than be stored. Your body will use more energy digesting the protein than it would digesting the doughnut. This is why someone who eats 1200 calories a day on a high protein diet can actually lose more wait than someone on a simple 1200 calorie a day plan that doesn't limit carbohydrates. Your body will tell you when to eat and when to stop if you simply listen to its clues. Ever notice that your hungry an hour after eating a piece of bread but still full after a couple of hours eating a high protein meal. . .

When it comes to fat, the body uses only what it needs and stores what it doesn't. You can not use fat to repair muscle. Eat a high fat meal all in one sitting and you can bet that much of it will go to your hips. The best advice I can give is to listen to your body. Eat when you are actually hungry, not just bored. Stop when you are satisfied, not full. Make sure you eat a mix of carbs, proteins, and fats at each meal. This will help keep your blood sugar stable. If you get a burst of energy then you've eaten too much carbs and you'll be sure to crash soon after and be hungry all over again. Also, if you eat too much protein in one sitting you'll get really sleepy because all the blood will be rushing to your tummy as your body tries to break down the protein. Also, chose whole foods over juice. There is no fiber to slow the digestion of juice. it rushes through your body spiking your blood sugar. Any extra calories not immediately burned off is stored.

For more info check out Clean Eating magazine and Oxygen magazine. They are a great resource for managing your weight and have tons of great recipes. Remember to eat foods in their most natural state. Kick the boxed junk. They're toxic. Eat clean. Hope this helps.

Juno99

@ThaTravelBug. Wow that's a really great advise. Thanks! :flowerforyou: