Good Calories vs. Bad Calories?

prettymrsnelson

This may be a stupid question BUT...

What is the difference between good calories and bad calories as long as you stay under your daily calorie goal. Obviously I understand that junk food just isn't good for you and I'm trying to clean my diet up but if I have a cheat day and stay under my calorie goal will I still lose weight?

Thanks.

_Zardoz_

Weight loss is about calories you can eat twinkies if your under your calories you'll lose weight. There are no good or bad calories food is just well food. Get a variety of foods and eat things in moderation to get all the nutrient you need and don't classify foods as bad or good

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexypants&page=1#posts-18361594

zoeysasha37

Weight loss is about calories in verse calories out. You can eat the foods you love, but in moderation.

TeaBea

Weight loss is about calories in verse calories out. You can eat the foods you love, but in moderation.

This!^

Just eat what you like & log it. Keeping the weight you lost from coming back will require some sort of permanent commitment. Make changes you can live with for a long, long time.

The sexy pants thread is really helpful.

marissanik

Agree with what everyone else has stated.

However, I make it a point to eat as clean as I possibly can. I physically feel much better when I eat an apple as opposed to a twinkie (although the twinkie is soooo satisfying sometimes)

ana3067

Good calories = foods that I enjoy eating
Bad calories = foods I do not enjoy eating

I make sure that whatever I'm eating, I hit my minimum protein needs (160g of protein) and then ideally I hit my minimum on fat (65g) and the rest I will eat from carbs. But I can easily go over on protein, fat, or carbs and need to go under on either fat or carbs to ensure I do not go over my calorie needs.

ETA: I used to "eat clean," lost 50-60lbs and became skinny-fat, and then was unable to maintain the lifestyle and I ended up gaining weight back. Granted I also gained muscle, but I'm not stuck here with 15-20lbs of fat left to lose. Back when I demonized food and ate clean, I'd be more likely to have a bad binge episode and eat a whooole lot of calorie-dense food. Especially chocolate. But now that I don't demonize food, I can eat the junkier food with actual moderation. I had cheesecake 2 hours ago with brunch, and I'm planning on having some "fudge" I made as well. Yesterday I had a donut and kettle corn and probably cheesecake. But I've stayed under my calories and met my protein goals each time.

BombshellPhoenix

Weight loss is about calories you can eat twinkies if your under your calories you'll lose weight. There are no good or bad calories food is just well food. Get a variety of foods and eat things in moderation to get all the nutrient you need and don't classify foods as bad or good

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?hl=guide+to+sexypants&page=1#posts-18361594

^this

ThePersnicketyOtter

Weight loss is simply calories in vs calories out. If you have a higher input than output , you'll gain, the other way around and you'll lose.

"Good" calories and "bad" calories are more of an overall health related thing. You can't be healthy and eat nothing but double bacon cheeseburgers from McDonald's, y'know? But you CAN lose weight eating that way.

wrbiii

This may be a stupid question BUT...

What is the difference between good calories and bad calories as long as you stay under your daily calorie goal. Obviously I understand that junk food just isn't good for you and I'm trying to clean my diet up but if I have a cheat day and stay under my calorie goal will I still lose weight?

Thanks.

For me? A good calorie is one that keeps me full and keeps me fueled. A bad calorie is one that taste damn amazing, but generally outside of just enjoying the food is worthless.

The trick? Balancing the two to stay full, happy, and downward trending.

Neo82

You're counting calories to make sure that you're eating less calories than you are burning up...right.

The difference between good and bad calories is simple, it's nutrition. You can eat a twinkie or a bag of suger to hit your calorie goal.. and yes you will lose weight, but you will not feel satisfied after one twinkie... whereas a nice chicken fillet with some veggies will totally leave you satisfied and give you sustained energy.

In the end, if you just want to lose weight, then yeah, eat whatever you want. But if you want to lose weight, feel full and be healthy, you should stick to "good" calories.

cherrilovee

As people have already said, weight loss is all about moderation. You can basically eat whatever you want as long as you take in less calories than you're burning during the day. Someone said "You can eat twinkies if your under calories you'll lose weight." Yeah I guess that is technically true, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be eating healthier choices. We've all seen the food pyramid, you should be eating fats, protein and carbs.

dcristo213

At least for me, good calories equals me not being hungry and being able to lose weight without me even noticing. And bad calories equal me being hungry and not satisfied and likely to not keep up with my diet.

Below is what good and bad calories are for me. Everyone is different and you have to do what works for you.

Good Calories = Low Carb (5-10%), Moderate Protein (20-30%), and High Fat (60-70%).
Bad Calories = Sugar and Simple Carbs

6ftamazon

Bad calories are put in the corner.

But seriously, there's no difference...some food is more nutritious than other foods and will keep you full longer, but you can very easily lose weight eating "junk" foods, as long as you stay in a deficit.

cwolfman13

calories are just a unit of energy like a kilowatt...nothing more, nothing less. Nutrition is another matter entirely. I would also add that while CICO is by and large the most important aspect of weight loss, a lack of proper nutrition can mess with your metabolism to an extent in that your hormones get jacked around when you're not getting proper, balanced nutrition.

diannethegeek

I don't believe in good calories and bad calories. There are foods that fit into my calories and macros for the day and foods that don't. The foods that don't aren't "bad" foods, they just don't fit my goals today. They might fit my goals tomorrow or later when I'm maintaining, though. Unless it's spoiled, you're allergic, or it doesn't taste good, then most foods can be a part of a balanced diet in moderation.

dcristo213

My whole life I believed that all calories are created equal and in the CICO equation. But, I've learned that the body is more complicated than that. And all calories are not the same!

Noogynoogs

What's a twinkie? Just eat in moderation and vary food groups

Hornsby

In the end, if you just want to lose weight, then yeah, eat whatever you want. But if you want to lose weight, feel full and be healthy, you should stick to MOSTLY "good" calories.

Fixed that to make it more appropriate.

lemurcat12

At least for me, good calories equals me not being hungry and being able to lose weight without me even noticing. And bad calories equal me being hungry and not satisfied and likely to not keep up with my diet.

Good Calories = Low Carb (5-10%), Moderate Protein (20-30%), and High Fat (60-70%).
Bad Calories = Sugar and Simple Carbs

So a potato=bad calories, because it's mostly carbs, check.

What about chicken breast? It's certainly not moderate protein, high fat. It has little fat and is high protein.

If your point is that context matters, I totally agree.

Anyway, I like your rationale that it's good to eat a diet that's satisfying and bad to eat one that leaves you hungry (and I'd add, with less energy or feeling bad in any way).

For me, simple carbs (which include fruit) don't do that. What does is eating an unbalanced diet, which for me would be a meal that's really heavily carbs without something more to balance it out. So long as I make sure I get enough protein and have adequate fat (I do 30%), carbs (even the ones without fiber, which is what makes more of a difference than simple vs. complex, IMO) don't affect me badly at all. I keep sweet treats in moderation, because calories plus eating enough other stuff, but I find that a little something right after a meal has none of the bad effects that a by itself treat (or idiotic breakfast made up of just a plain bagel) used to have for me.

dcristo213

At least for me, good calories equals me not being hungry and being able to lose weight without me even noticing. And bad calories equal me being hungry and not satisfied and likely to not keep up with my diet.

Good Calories = Low Carb (5-10%), Moderate Protein (20-30%), and High Fat (60-70%).
Bad Calories = Sugar and Simple Carbs

So a potato=bad calories, because it's mostly carbs, check.

What about chicken breast? It's certainly not moderate protein, high fat. It has little fat and is high protein.

If your point is that context matters, I totally agree.

Anyway, I like your rationale that it's good to eat a diet that's satisfying and bad to eat one that leaves you hungry (and I'd add, with less energy or feeling bad in any way).

For me, simple carbs (which include fruit) don't do that. What does is eating an unbalanced diet, which for me would be a meal that's really heavily carbs without something more to balance it out. So long as I make sure I get enough protein and have adequate fat (I do 30%), carbs (even the ones without fiber, which is what makes more of a difference than simple vs. complex, IMO) don't affect me badly at all. I keep sweet treats in moderation, because calories plus eating enough other stuff, but I find that a little something right after a meal has none of the bad effects that a by itself treat (or idiotic breakfast made up of just a plain bagel) used to have for me.

Like I said, you have to do what works for you. Avoiding potatoes works for me, eating a rib eye steak with side of kale sauteed in olive oil, satisfies me.

Woodspoon

No such thing as good or bad calories.
A calorie is just a unit of measurement, like an inch, pound, mile, meter centigrade, fahrenheit and everything else.
If I remember right it's the unit of measurement for heat energy, the amount of energy it takes to raise a unit of water by 1 degree.

Good or bad is purely down to the person counting the calories

Commander_Keen

You're counting calories to make sure that you're eating less calories than you are burning up...right.

The difference between good and bad calories is simple, it's nutrition. You can eat a twinkie or a bag of suger to hit your calorie goal.. and yes you will lose weight, but you will not feel satisfied after one twinkie... whereas a nice chicken fillet with some veggies will totally leave you satisfied and give you sustained energy.

In the end, if you just want to lose weight, then yeah, eat whatever you want. But if you want to lose weight, feel full and be healthy, you should stick to "good" calories.

*** This.

lemurcat12

Like I said, you have to do what works for you.

It wasn't clear you were speaking just for yourself, and acknowledging the subjectivity. "Bad" to me suggests more of a general claim. But since you say you weren't making such a claim, no argument.

stealthq

Good - food that fits in my calories and does not prevent me from meeting my macros and micros for the day (or week if you prefer to measure that way).
Bad - food that doesn't fall in the 'Good' category.

So, anything is fair game for the Good category depending on what else I've eaten or am planning on eating.

tr3kkie9rl

People have different opinions of what "good" and "bad" foods are, or even whether or not things should be labeled as such, and as you've already seen, some of them are quite contradictory. YOU are the only one that can decide all of that. I personally know what works for me, and when I eat higher amounts of carbs, I feel like crap (sluggish/tired sometimes to the point of severe exhaustion, sore joints, chronic headaches, etc). I have been tested for celiac disease, and I don't have it. Gluten sensitivity? Maybe. I just know that I feel much better when my diet includes more protein and "good" fat (of course that is a whole other can-o-worms conversation haha) and the less carbs the better I feel. HOWEVER I don't completely ban anything. I like junk food, so I indulge in chips or cookies occasionally. I crave pasta every so often, so I'll have some spaghetti if that's what I really want. It's really just about finding what works for you

Warchortle

New science vs. Old Science

navyrigger46

You can't be healthy and eat nothing but double bacon cheeseburgers from McDonald's

Says who?

Rigger

parkscs

You can't be healthy and eat nothing but double bacon cheeseburgers from McDonald's

Says who?

Rigger

Says malnutrition?

That said, I don't know why people bother with silly hypotheticals like this in the first place though. "If you ate nothing but chicken then chicken is unhealthy" and other similar anecdotes really add nothing to a discussion of what makes for an overall healthy diet.

Kevalicious99

A "Calorie" or food calorie is approximately the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius.

They are ALL THE SAME in this world ... there is no such thing as good or bad Calories. It is a unit of measure.

Warchortle

navyrigger46

You can't be healthy and eat nothing but double bacon cheeseburgers from McDonald's

Says who?

Rigger

Says malnutrition?

That said, I don't know why people bother with silly hypotheticals like this in the first place though. "If you ate nothing but chicken then chicken is unhealthy" and other similar anecdotes really add nothing to a discussion of what makes for an overall healthy diet.

While McDonalds is not my first choice, or even in the top ten for a cheeseburger, said sandwich still has a pretty good macro balance. Depending on where you go, and what's on the burger, a double bacon cheeseburger is a pretty dang good choice. I'm not saying that you're not missing out on some micro's, but you can be healthy subsisting on cheeseburgers.

Rigger