Why you SHOULDN'T count calories
Replies
-
This content has been removed.
-
Re: Diet Soda
I'll stick to water and vodka, thanks.0 -
It's a habit. Someone should probably smack me upside the head with a bottle of Coke Zero. Yum.
There's a hugely popular book called "The Wheat Belly Diet." It cites tons of sources that claim that wheat (and other sources of gluten) is bad for you, toxic even.What's wrong with you people?! Read a health book, please! I'm randomly jumping in here to stop the slaughter of the person who mentioned that diet soda is bad. My explanation will come from memory of books I have read that have, yes, cited their sources. Why is a cup of regular coke better than diet coke? It's better because it does not contain harmful sugar substitutes that is in it's zero calorie counterpart. Example of a harmful sugar substitute, you ask? Sure! ASPARTAME.
Aspartame is bad for you and don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise and hell yes, it is bad for you in any quantity. I don't even chew the bull sugar-free gum anymore and guess what?! Less gas, bloating, brain fog, diarrhea and all gone by eliminating gum with sorbitol and aspartame. How much you drink or chew will just slow down or speed up the "harmful" process. Aspartame,
One of my favorite books is the Truth About Beauty by Kat James. She cites all of her sources in that book (which include case studies not articles written by people with no credibility). It's a great read and you are free to purchase on amazon, if you like. There are also a ton of other books out there.
Aside from that, put down the diet soda for some time and stop chewing sugar free gum and watch the magic. It's all about how YOUR body responds to things. Again, I dropped the gum containing sorbitol and aspartame and I have not had the scary brain fog symptoms, gas, bloating and diarrhea. Try it and see.
When I eat gluten, I have an awful reaction. I gain ten pounds of bloat overnight, I get sores in my mouth and on my skin, I get headaches and gas and my already severe pain gets worse and my joints throb and I get awful heartburn and my crap smells worse than bad - toxic, even.
Obviously, I feel better when I don't eat it.
My husband, on the other hand, has none of those symptoms. Most people I know don't.
There are also a crap ton of studies and longstanding scientific evidence that show that a diet rich in whole grains (Gasp! Wheat!) lowers cholesterol, aids digestion, and has a myriad of other health benefits.
In other words, just because someone who wanted to get people to stop eating gluten found some research that they molded to suit their own opinions, and just because *I* feel better when I avoid it, doesn't mean that it's actually toxic. There is significantly more evidence (and significantly more people) that show that gluten is safe for the general population.
Aspartame, sucralose, whatever is the same. If you get sick from consuming it, don't do it. There are many more people who don't get sick from it, and there is more evidence that says it's generally safe than evidence to the contrary.
Stop with your logic, you bully!0 -
I decided to pull these two quickly because some of you guys are big babies. I should be sleeping or getting ready for work tomorrow and here I am pulling case studies regarding aspartame. You know what, drink diet soda until your heart is content. I feel bad for humanity. So, heartless and I'm actually disgusted with this thread to be quite honest. :brokenheart: Please do, though... drink away.. :drinker:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17684524
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25142179
I'm not going to read anymore of these. Most of these damn studies don't even include humans. Just freaking use yourself as an example or your peers. I find that much better sometimes. Eliminate it from your diet.. and then re-introduce sometime in the future. If you feel like crap immediately or sometime in the near future, it's bad. If you're fine, then go right ahead and enjoy. It's your body, not mine.
Livinghealthy may i suggest http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC548218/ and also Commission of the European Communities, Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General. Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food: update on the safety of aspartame. Brussels, 4 December 2002. (SCF/CS/ADD/EDUL/222 Final.) www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/aspartameopinion.pdf
As further reading material on aspartame (as it seems you dont wish to read the sticky on MFP) short point they both conclude that aspartame is perfectly safe and there is no correlation between tumor, epilepsy and other CNS (Central Nervous System) disorders, on any dose that a normal human being would consume, (<40mg/kg of bodyweight) Interesting to note in one of these double blind studies subjects complaining of headaches with aspartame use were tested with aspartame and placebo and the incidence of headaches was actually higher on the placebo dosing ???? i suggest that you look further into things before jumping to conclusions based on anecdotal evidence and rely more on peer reviewed materials.
Back on track calorie counting has worked for me in the pastand i willcontinue to do so, as it appears that every week there is a foodscare reported that is then debunked in the near future as better and more organised research is performed.
Edited to.add both of the links you provided use the interesting phrasing of could be and might be, both phrases that are far from conclusive, i.e. when i go out today i Could be hit by a bus.0 -
Hey I eat 1 ounce of 85% or higher Dark Chocolate everyday !!!!
You do have to know your calories in versus out ...
However not all calories are equal and metabolize differently the best way is having a proper balance to have the quick fuel for energy to get that metabolism burning and fuel activity, but not so much that the logs( fat) do not burn ..... If you keep pouring alcohol on the log while on fire the log will never burn.... You need to not only push past the point where your body is taking energy from converting stored fat, but also that it is tapping a little into the calories/energy from proteins ( the 10% used for longer more taxing workout situations) do this through strength training and your body's metabolism/fire will remain stoked while you sleep and the calories from protein are used as they are broke down and absorbed in the muscle healing process...
the very process of converting macro nutrients into fuel takes energy and it takes much more to convert complex carbohydrates than it does simple... SO by the very nature of what you eat your body is using more or less energy before you even step on the treadmill or lift a weight.... As most said when you eat healthy and add exercise you are most likely going to end up in a deficit anyway... but much harder to do consuming all junk....
Find your proper balance, Burn more than you consume, and try to maintain a neutral to alkaline PH and you will Lose, You will Maintain, and you will be healthier!!!!
and Still eat a little chocolate daily if you want to , but I suggest the good stuff 85% or higher cocoa !
p.s. I do think DIET sodas and drinks are a joke and personally do not think they are a good replacement to water and lemon, or unsweetened green tea... My only question is do people really like the taste, because I do not !0 -
Toasters are harmful.
In fact, if anyone says that toasters aren't harmful, don't listen to them. I've done my research on toasters and I'm not going to research them for you. In fact, toasters aren't natural! They are made in a factory!
Do your research.
Is this an okay post?0 -
I have a friend who doesn't believe in calories - as in she doesn't believe they exist. She is the largest person I know.0
-
Hey I eat 1 ounce of 85% or higher Dark Chocolate everyday !!!!
You do have to know your calories in versus out ...
However not all calories are equal and metabolize differently the best way is having a proper balance to have the quick fuel for energy to get that metabolism burning and fuel activity, but not so much that the logs( fat) do not burn ..... If you keep pouring alcohol on the log while on fire the log will never burn.... You need to not only push past the point where your body is taking energy from converting stored fat, but also that it is tapping a little into the calories/energy from proteins ( the 10% used for longer more taxing workout situations) do this through strength training and your body's metabolism/fire will remain stoked while you sleep and the calories from protein are used as they are broke down and absorbed in the muscle healing process...
the very process of converting macro nutrients into fuel takes energy and it takes much more to convert complex carbohydrates than it does simple... SO by the very nature of what you eat your body is using more or less energy before you even step on the treadmill or lift a weight.... As most said when you eat healthy and add exercise you are most likely going to end up in a deficit anyway... but much harder to do consuming all junk....
Find your proper balance, Burn more than you consume, and try to maintain a neutral to alkaline PH and you will Lose, You will Maintain, and you will be healthier!!!!
and Still eat a little chocolate daily if you want to , but I suggest the good stuff 85% or higher cocoa !
p.s. I do think DIET sodas and drinks are a joke and personally do not think they are a good replacement to water and lemon, or unsweetened green tea... My only question is do people really like the taste, because I do not !
Stoking fires??? Excuse me while I light my spliff.0 -
holy crap i cant believe i just took half hour out of my day to read these comments. LMAO. Love MFP and the debates...
I went to bed yesterday evening after I posted and now everyone went crazy on this topic
lol 0 -
Excess carbs and sugers will be stored as fat
No. Excess calories will be stored as fat, regardless of their macro...0 -
If she's not counting calories, how does she know she's eating 2000+ calories?0
-
Original question was about counting calories and it led to pages of redundant discussion about diet soda. You people are seriously entertaining lol.0
-
All I know is, substituting a candy bar for a banana is not healthier for me. Because after I eat that banana, I'm still going to eat the candy bar. There's just no substitute for yummy foods.
^^ YEP!
0 -
No no, it's not THAT girl who posted that pic on tumblr.If she's not counting calories, how does she know she's eating 2000+ calories?
But the pic made me think of her, because she only eats things that are considered healthy, mainly fruit, but she doesn't seem to gain, she's super skinny.0 -
IKROriginal question was about counting calories and it led to pages of redundant discussion about diet soda. You people are seriously entertaining lol. 0 -
Some of the calories are probably "negative calories" ---lemons, grapefruit, apples, etc. They take more to breakdown than the calories they actually contain. So they're essentially free with a bonus LOL.
And I agree. Probably more to the story than they're showing.
I got to this this post and this happened:0 -
Oh, I see! Sorry. :-)0
-
Some of the calories are probably "negative calories" ---lemons, grapefruit, apples, etc. They take more to breakdown than the calories they actually contain. So they're essentially free with a bonus LOL.
No... just no...0 -
There's a hugely popular book called "The Wheat Belly Diet." It cites tons of sources that claim that wheat (and other sources of gluten) is bad for you, toxic even.What's wrong with you people?! Read a health book, please! I'm randomly jumping in here to stop the slaughter of the person who mentioned that diet soda is bad. My explanation will come from memory of books I have read that have, yes, cited their sources. Why is a cup of regular coke better than diet coke? It's better because it does not contain harmful sugar substitutes that is in it's zero calorie counterpart. Example of a harmful sugar substitute, you ask? Sure! ASPARTAME.
Aspartame is bad for you and don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise and hell yes, it is bad for you in any quantity. I don't even chew the bull sugar-free gum anymore and guess what?! Less gas, bloating, brain fog, diarrhea and all gone by eliminating gum with sorbitol and aspartame. How much you drink or chew will just slow down or speed up the "harmful" process. Aspartame,
One of my favorite books is the Truth About Beauty by Kat James. She cites all of her sources in that book (which include case studies not articles written by people with no credibility). It's a great read and you are free to purchase on amazon, if you like. There are also a ton of other books out there.
Aside from that, put down the diet soda for some time and stop chewing sugar free gum and watch the magic. It's all about how YOUR body responds to things. Again, I dropped the gum containing sorbitol and aspartame and I have not had the scary brain fog symptoms, gas, bloating and diarrhea. Try it and see.
When I eat gluten, I have an awful reaction. I gain ten pounds of bloat overnight, I get sores in my mouth and on my skin, I get headaches and gas and my already severe pain gets worse and my joints throb and I get awful heartburn and my crap smells worse than bad - toxic, even.
Obviously, I feel better when I don't eat it.
My husband, on the other hand, has none of those symptoms. Most people I know don't.
There are also a crap ton of studies and longstanding scientific evidence that show that a diet rich in whole grains (Gasp! Wheat!) lowers cholesterol, aids digestion, and has a myriad of other health benefits.
In other words, just because someone who wanted to get people to stop eating gluten found some research that they molded to suit their own opinions, and just because *I* feel better when I avoid it, doesn't mean that it's actually toxic. There is significantly more evidence (and significantly more people) that show that gluten is safe for the general population.
Aspartame, sucralose, whatever is the same. If you get sick from consuming it, don't do it. There are many more people who don't get sick from it, and there is more evidence that says it's generally safe than evidence to the contrary.
Disturbing thing #1) This post.
Disturbing thing #2) People subsequently applauding this post.0 -
I count calories and it's the only way I have lost weight consistently.
I used to eat 'healthy' - maybe more than eight portions of fruit a day, and stayed overweight. Why? Because it's very easy to overeat when you think you're eating healthy, and then you realize that by snacking on those super-sized peaches and mangoes and plums you're adding almost 600 calories a day. For someone small and mostly sedentary, that is about half my daily caloric requirement.
When it comes to weight, it boils down to calories in - calories out. When you talk about nutrition and getting what your body really needs, it is better to eat a variety of things - what's worked best for me is mainly fruit and veggies, and lean protein.0 -
I lost 30 lbs very quickly by limiting sugar and refined grains once about 10 years ago. The thing is, even though I was not counting calories, I likely was eating a low calorie diet, because healthy food often fills you up before you eat too much of it.
The problem for me was in maintaining. In order to eat well and keep it healthy, I was cooking everything from scratch ( that way I could have healthy whole grain waffles, low sugar cookies, etc). Although it was quite tasty, it worked me to death! I was exhausted from all the prep ( I had two toddlers at home as well at the time!). Also, I could not eat easily outside my own kitchen. Pot lucks, dinners out, dinners at grandma's, etc were very difficult because I often could not eat the food that was served and still stay on my eating plan. So it didn't take me long to gain all the weight back, plus 15 lbs more!
Personally, I find counting calories and moderation to be much more sustainable. After all, I want to be able to include treats from time to time! Although I have struggled some with maintenance this time around, I have managed to stay within a healthy weight range for over four years.0 -
Sigh, ok, how is it worse for your health, assuming you are meeting your nutrient goals?i semi count calories but you are right a 0cal diet coke is worse than a 150cal smoothie people get way to into the calorie counting and ignore over all nutrition its a tricky balence sometimes
Worse in what way?
For your over all health as well as weightloss
Is this discussion actually taking place on planet earth? We have actually sunk so far as to even consider that a 0cal diet coke is NOT worse for you than a 150cal smoothie (assuming that the smoothie was made with real food?). Has all this calorie counting made us disregard what is actually being put in our mouths? I heard Windex may have zero calories as well. Options galore!!!!0 -
lol people are very defensive of their diet sodas lmao no ones taking them away just pointing out how unhealthy they are you are still free to drink them calm your hormones
Insight. Well done.0 -
the way i see it is that not all calories are created equal, it is not the same to eat fat from olive oil or processed disgusting transfats, it's not the same to eat a raw- vegan cake made with organic natural ingredients and to eat choclate cake made with bleaches flour, refined sugar, etc even if it's the same number of calories, the key thing here is how does your body use and process different foods.
calories are not the whole story,the nutritional content affects everything from digestion, to hormone production to energy levels.
Insight. it's a wonderful thing. Thanks for having it.0 -
Sigh, ok, how is it worse for your health, assuming you are meeting your nutrient goals?i semi count calories but you are right a 0cal diet coke is worse than a 150cal smoothie people get way to into the calorie counting and ignore over all nutrition its a tricky balence sometimes
Worse in what way?
For your over all health as well as weightloss
Is this discussion actually taking place on planet earth? We have actually sunk so far as to even consider that a 0cal diet coke is NOT worse for you than a 150cal smoothie (assuming that the smoothie was made with real food?). Has all this calorie counting made us disregard what is actually being put in our mouths? I heard Windex may have zero calories as well. Options galore!!!!
Did you not read the post you are responding to?
Not worse IF you are meeting your nutrient goals.
For example, let's say that 2 people want to lose weight. Both have eaten nutrient-dense meals that day consisting of adequate protein and the recommended number of fruits and vegetables for a total of 1700 calories. Both maintain at about 2000. It's 9 pm. Person A says "hmm, I want a little something other than water" and decides on a caffeine free diet soda or some flavored water. Person B says "hmm, I want a little something other than water, but I don't want that horrible calorie-free soda stuff, ick, bah," and makes a smoothie with (I forget, so will make up my own) a banana, some raspberries, some soy milk (I'm assuming person B is anti dairy), and a tablespoon of almond butter, plus some kale for a total calorie count of 350. [The OP said a 350 calorie smoothie, but make it 150 if you want and change the other numbers accordingly. Also, if you really want maybe person A munches some kale with her diet soda, since it's hardly impossible to eat the soda PLUS something else if you are actually hungry.]
I would say that person A is doing better at meeting her goals and there is no reason to say that person B is eating in a more healthy way.
Similarly (because I like overkill), let's say that person A has eaten nutrient-dense meals that day consisting of adequate protein and the recommended number of fruits and vegetables for a total of 1500 calories. Person B has eaten none of those terrible grains or potatoes and no dairy (of course), but also is low on protein and has had just a couple of salads with iceberg lettuce and raw carrots (she doesn't really like vegetables). She's had a total of 1150 calories. Both maintain at 2000. At 9 pm, person A wants a little something but wants to keep her 500 deficit and goes with the diet soda. Person B is hungry and sees she's low on calories and eats the smoothie. In that context, both are making the choice that is better for their individual goals, so arguably the more healthy choice.
And person A has the healthier diet, IMO, despite the dreaded diet soda, etc.0 -
Sigh, ok, how is it worse for your health, assuming you are meeting your nutrient goals?i semi count calories but you are right a 0cal diet coke is worse than a 150cal smoothie people get way to into the calorie counting and ignore over all nutrition its a tricky balence sometimes
Worse in what way?
For your over all health as well as weightloss
Is this discussion actually taking place on planet earth? We have actually sunk so far as to even consider that a 0cal diet coke is NOT worse for you than a 150cal smoothie (assuming that the smoothie was made with real food?). Has all this calorie counting made us disregard what is actually being put in our mouths? I heard Windex may have zero calories as well. Options galore!!!!
This is not an answer.0 -
There also could be a reason why clean eating is called "clean" eating.0
-
Oh in.0
-
Not only is it not an answer, it's a ridiculous analogy comparing a known safe food stuff to a known toxin.
Sigh, ok, how is it worse for your health, assuming you are meeting your nutrient goals?i semi count calories but you are right a 0cal diet coke is worse than a 150cal smoothie people get way to into the calorie counting and ignore over all nutrition its a tricky balence sometimes
Worse in what way?
For your over all health as well as weightloss
Is this discussion actually taking place on planet earth? We have actually sunk so far as to even consider that a 0cal diet coke is NOT worse for you than a 150cal smoothie (assuming that the smoothie was made with real food?). Has all this calorie counting made us disregard what is actually being put in our mouths? I heard Windex may have zero calories as well. Options galore!!!!
This is not an answer.
Reading comprehension seems poor as well.0 -
Sigh, ok, how is it worse for your health, assuming you are meeting your nutrient goals?i semi count calories but you are right a 0cal diet coke is worse than a 150cal smoothie people get way to into the calorie counting and ignore over all nutrition its a tricky balence sometimes
Worse in what way?
For your over all health as well as weightloss
Is this discussion actually taking place on planet earth? We have actually sunk so far as to even consider that a 0cal diet coke is NOT worse for you than a 150cal smoothie (assuming that the smoothie was made with real food?). Has all this calorie counting made us disregard what is actually being put in our mouths? I heard Windex may have zero calories as well. Options galore!!!!
This is not an answer.
Where's your evidence that nail polish remover is bad for you? It better be peer-reviewed. The link. Let me see the link. That's what I thought. You can't back it up.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 430 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions