Calories vs Nutrition

GameGirl777

Just a random poll: How many of you care about WHAT you eat instead of just counting calories?

Yes you can eat a 150 calorie cupcake and burn it off with exercise. But what about the trans fat that clogs your arteries; the sugar the makes your pancreas work harder to create insulin; the hydrogenated oils that get into your blood stream and effects your cells composition?

Does anyone read food labels to avoid processed foods? Does anyone buy organic fruit so that you aren't ingesting pesticides? Does anyone care about their insides or is it all about calories in and calories out?

SherryTeach

Lots of people care about those things. Why would you think otherwise?

diannethegeek

I watch my calories. I also watch my macros to make sure I'm getting enough protein. And I keep an eye on my micronutrients to be sure I'm getting enough (this week my hurdle is iron - way too low on iron). I eat lean meats, fish, whole wheat bread, fruits and veggies. And I try to fit in a couple of servings of ice cream or a beer whenever possible.

GameGirl777

Just wanted to get a sample. I take it you read food labels and avoid processed foods? thanks :ohwell:

AllOutof_Bubblegum

ah, not worth my time.

cwolfman13

I care a great deal about both proper nutrition and proper energy consumption...they're both pretty important.

Also, I had a homemade cupcake for desert after lunch...I hardly think it negates the 8 servings of vegetables I'm going to end up with by the time I go to bed and all of my other nutrition...around 145 grams of protein and 70 grams of fat.

In fact, that cupcake provided me with a very nice boost of quick energy after a healthy lunch and a 15 mile ride. When I ride long miles I suck on Jolly Ranchers...one about every 1/2 hour...sugar is rocket fuel...not necessarily some demon spawn from hell trying to give you diabetes.

Kayden1986

A can of worms has been opened here today.

diannethegeek

Just wanted to get a sample. I take it you read food labels and avoid processed foods? thanks :ohwell:

I can't tell if this was directed at me or the poster above me. I do read food labels. I do not avoid processed foods.

SugaryLynx

I had no idea there were holy rollers in nutrition.

It would just blow your mind to know you could be healthy and enjoy enjoy a cupcake, wouldn't it?

Veil5577

I have started trying to eat better; instead of potato chips and ice cream I'm going for fruits and vegetables and protein; still need to cut down my sugar a little. But I don't have the time or patience to read food labels and I can't avoid processed foods all the time because buying fresh food is expensive for someone who only has 100 dollars to eat on for two weeks.

lemurcat12

Of course I care about what I eat and nutrition. I don't think that's the key to losing weight, however. For that I count calories.

BarbellApprentice

Just a random poll: How many of you care about WHAT you eat instead of just counting calories?

Yes you can eat a 150 calorie cupcake and burn it off with exercise. But what about the trans fat that clogs your arteries; the sugar the makes your pancreas work harder to create insulin; the hydrogenated oils that get into your blood stream and effects your cells composition?

Does anyone read food labels to avoid processed foods? Does anyone buy organic fruit so that you aren't ingesting pesticides? Does anyone care about their insides or is it all about calories in and calories out?

It's all about the in and out.

Sabine_Stroehm

Absolutely. I try to be quite diligent about my diet. I try to build the most nutrient dense and satisfying meals I can. This isn't just about the number on the scale, it's about my quality of life. Now, and when I'm 70.
I only wish I had started thinking about nutrient dense healthier eating in my 20s instead of my late 30s.

KnM0107

I read labels. I don't avoid any foods except those I am allergic to. No I don't avoid processed foods, they just make up a small percentage of my intake.

Mr_Knight

Does anyone read food labels to avoid processed foods?

If it has a food label, it's "processed food" by definition.

If you're really concerned about these things, you shouldn't be eating anything that requires a food label.

Holly_Roman_Empire

OP, it would blow your mind to know what "organic produce" really consists of, wouldn't it? Hint: There are pesticides on those fruits! So is wax, but no one raises hell about that.

3bambi3

Just a random poll: How many of you care about WHAT you eat instead of just counting calories?

Yes you can eat a 150 calorie cupcake and burn it off with exercise. But what about the trans fat that clogs your arteries; the sugar the makes your pancreas work harder to create insulin; the hydrogenated oils that get into your blood stream and effects your cells composition?

Does anyone read food labels to avoid processed foods? Does anyone buy organic fruit so that you aren't ingesting pesticides? Does anyone care about their insides or is it all about calories in and calories out?

Just an FYI: organic foods contain pesticides. They just have to be natural. Which doesn't make them any less harmful.

"A recent study compared the effectiveness of a rotenone-pyrethrin mixture versus a synthetic pesticide, imidan. Rotenone and pyrethrin are two common organic pesticides; imidan is considered a "soft" synthetic pesticide (i.e., designed to have a brief lifetime after application, and other traits that minimize unwanted effects). It was found that up to 7 applications of the rotenone- pyrethrin mixture were required to obtain the level of protection provided by 2 applications of imidan.

It seems unlikely that 7 applications of rotenone and pyrethrin are really better for the environment than 2 applications of imidan, especially when rotenone is extremely toxic to fish and other aquatic life."

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~lhom/organictext.html

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/food/organics.htm

SandraJN

I do not eat processed food or fast food. I read labels, I buy organic and I grow my own organic fruit and vegetables. We buy eggs and chicken from my neighbor's organic farm, we buy pork from a local sustainable farmer and I get beef from a friend of a friend. Our dairy comes from Cedar Summit Farm, a local, long time organic dairy and creamery. We belong to a local co-op as well.

There is nothing wrong with a cupcake or any other baked good in moderation, but it is better for you if it is homemade without partially hydrogenated oil and no high fructose corn syrup. I love to bake. I love to cook. And, why I am here, I love to eat!

sympha01

Ugh this false equivalence bugs. It's not as though it's only possible to care about / track proper nutrition OR calories.

Pro-tip: CARE ABOUT BOTH.

tedrickp

The biggest help for me losing weight is realizing I don't have to choose between calories and nutrition.

I can stay under my calories, "care about my insides", hit my macronutrient needs, hit my micronutrient needs (quite easily in fact) all while enjoying a balance of whole foods, processed foods, "evil" chemicals and yes - cupcakes.

csuhar

I view it like a big dartboard. The outer ring- what i do to basically land on the target, is "Calories". At the very least, I try to reach that goal. The next ring in is "Macros". Inside that is "non-microwave meals". Depending on how I feel, I may toss in "organic" as one of the smaller rings.

But, to be honest, my goal is to meet those first priorities of not exceeding my calorie goal, meeting my macro goals, and accomplishing those using meals I made instead of the kind that I pull out of the freezer and put in the microwave.

There are some days where all I can say is that I stayed within my caloric limits. Other days, I can say I met my calorie and macro goals, but there's a Hungry Man, Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, or Marie Callender meal somewhere in there. If I can meat my calorie goal, my macro goals, and do so with meals I make at home from ingredients I bought, I consider that a good day.

zyxst

I only care about calories and sodium. There's not that much trans fat in cupcakes. Hells, there's not that much trans fat in anything these days.

lemurcat12

Yes you can eat a 150 calorie cupcake and burn it off with exercise. But what about the trans fat that clogs your arteries; the sugar the makes your pancreas work harder to create insulin; the hydrogenated oils that get into your blood stream and effects your cells composition?

Why would a cupcake have transfats or hydrogenated oil? I make mine with butter (yes, I'm sure this is "bad" too). Admittedly, not that often anyway, since I'm not that into baking, too much measuring and accuracy required. But since it lends itself to measuring, I checked my recipe file, and my only cupcake recipe (makes 12, not a diet version, but the cupcake I traditionally make on Easter) has .75 cups of sugar in the cupcake and another cup of powdered sugar for the icing, for a total of about 84 calories or 21 grams of sugar per cupcake. Hardly going to wreck my pancreas to have one, especially as an occasional treat.

Does anyone read food labels to avoid processed foods?

Doesn't having a label mean something is processed? (I'm never sure what "processed" is supposed to mean in these discussions.) But, yes, I read all labels. The majority of the food I eat doesn't have labels, but I don't eliminate foods that do.

Does anyone buy organic fruit so that you aren't ingesting pesticides?

I'm not concerned about pesticides, but I buy a good portion of my fruit from local farmers and the green market I happen to like is all organic, as is the farm I have a fruit and vegetable share from. However, I also like bananas and fruit that's not in season from time to time (very little in the way of fruit is in season where I live at present and it's already early June, so clearly that applies much of the year).

Does anyone care about their insides or is it all about calories in and calories out?

I don't see it as an either/or. Losing weight (if you need to) is extremely good for your health. It's easier to lose weight for many or most people when you focus at least to some extent on nutrition, as it leads to eating foods that are more filling. That doesn't mean that there's some additional benefit to never eating any but the most nutrient dense foods or that I should buy organic bananas or avoid anything not locally grown (sadly no coffee grown in my area, for example). Also, although I have made certain decisions on these issues for myself, I don't assume that people who make different decisions must not have thought about it or care about it.

Leonidas_meets_Spartacus

Nutrition is key for me, I track calories but don't count them.

SoDamnHungry

A lot of us care about nutrition as well. You want to make sure you get enough protein and nutrients. I notice a huge difference when I eat fruits and vegetables, even when the calorie count is the same. But I definitely indulge in all the delicious junk food. However, I don't eat it exclusively.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Hey, I just thought of something? What cupcakes are 150 calories? Those must be magical because the ones I make are at least 200 a piece.

I'm making these for my daughter's next birthday.

GameGirl777

Thanks for your insights :flowerforyou:

Yes, it would blow my mind to know what is on organic fruit. I thought regular apples were ok, then I read about all the pesticides on them, now you're saying organic has it, too?! Is there no clean food?

I guess it depends on what your goals are, too. Mine has changed from "losing weight" (calories) to "eating healthy" (nutrition).

diannethegeek

I guess it depends on what your goals are, too. Mine has changed from "losing weight" (calories) to "eating healthy" (nutrition).

Personally, I think you're still missing the point of a lot of the comments here.

diannethegeek

Hey, I just thought of something? What cupcakes are 150 calories? Those must be magical because the ones I make are at least 200 a piece.

I'm making these for my daughter's next birthday.

Oh man, those look amazing. I hope you'll be sharing?

kgeyser

Thanks for your insights :flowerforyou:

Yes, it would blow my mind to know what is on organic fruit. I thought regular apples were ok, then I read about all the pesticides on them, now you're saying organic has it, too?! Is there no clean food?

I guess it depends on what your goals are, too. Mine has changed from "losing weight" (calories) to "eating healthy" (nutrition).

Once again, false equivalency. Most people here lose weight and eat healthy. It may not be your personal definition of healthy, but they are getting all their required nutrients while still enjoying the occasional treat.

segovm

Thanks for your insights :flowerforyou:

Yes, it would blow my mind to know what is on organic fruit. I thought regular apples were ok, then I read about all the pesticides on them, now you're saying organic has it, too?! Is there no clean food?

I guess it depends on what your goals are, too. Mine has changed from "losing weight" (calories) to "eating healthy" (nutrition).

I'm pretty sure the more one looks into the international food chain the more one can appreciate that the only people eating "clean" are those that own their own farms and go out of their way to limit the stuff they introduce to the food. Even rainwater and soil has horrible stuff in there now a days.

On the plus side, unless you happen to have a farm, there's not much to be done about it. Eat as well as you can, exercise as often as possible and watch out for random busses is about the best we can do.