Are calories just calories?

NikonPal

All IMHO. Yes, a calorie is a calorie and all I watch is my calorie intake…sort of.

Because I have set a low daily calorie target, I want to eat things that will be nutritious enough to satisfy and sustain energy levels. I add broccoli as “filler” to many meals. A cup of peas can have 125 calories and a cup of raw broccoli flower clusters is only 20 calories.

According to Forbes list of the worst alcohol drinks a single Long Island Ice Tea has 780 calories (I have only allowed myself 2 glasses of wine in 10 months on special occasions).

So 95% of the time, I eat mostly “healthy” choices (we all know what those are) and I allow myself (pre-planned) to enjoy something “not-so-healthy” once every week or two. My treat is usually 5 oz. fried fresh haddock with 2 ounces of fries (all weighed). I never eat fast food like McDonalds and in the last 10 months, I have only eaten pizza twice on special occasions.

That’s my rant…works for me.

ninerbuff

Yes. All institutions of science or physiology will agree that a calorie is a calorie. Just a like a meter is a meter, a liter is a liter and a kilogram is a kilogram regardless of material.

Weight loss comes down to calories in/out. Not disputed again.

WHAT you consume does matter when it comes to nutritional needs, goals and health.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

JustinAnimal

At some point, we have to consume vitamins, right? I agree that macros are important and I do my best to track them (really, to make sure I get enough protein), but I've become so consumed with that before that I've gone weeks at a time without eating a salad or fruit or something (b/c rice, beans and chicken are cheap enough). Is there a reason people take multivitamins? Isn't getting vitamins / micronutrients from natural food sources an important thing, too?

I agree with you, OP. Regardless of what anyone's goal is, I think there's more to life than being under a calorie goal or eating the correct ratio of macronutrients.

northbanu

At some point, we have to consume vitamins, right? I agree that macros are important and I do my best to track them (really, to make sure I get enough protein), but I've become so consumed with that before that I've gone weeks at a time without eating a salad or fruit or something (b/c rice, beans and chicken are cheap enough). Is there a reason people take multivitamins? Isn't getting vitamins / micronutrients from natural food sources an important thing, too?

I agree with you, OP. Regardless of what anyone's goal is, I think there's more to life than being under a calorie goal or eating the correct ratio of macronutrients.

Yes you are right about that. BUT YOU"RE NOT LISTENING.
No one here is talking about "health" when they say a calorie is a calorie.

independant2406

At some point, we have to consume vitamins, right? I agree that macros are important and I do my best to track them (really, to make sure I get enough protein), but I've become so consumed with that before that I've gone weeks at a time without eating a salad or fruit or something (b/c rice, beans and chicken are cheap enough). Is there a reason people take multivitamins? Isn't getting vitamins / micronutrients from natural food sources an important thing, too?

I agree with you, OP. Regardless of what anyone's goal is, I think there's more to life than being under a calorie goal or eating the correct ratio of macronutrients.

Yes you are right about that. BUT YOU"RE NOT LISTENING.
No one here is talking about "health" when they say a calorie is a calorie.

Your also missing the OP's point. Her point is telling people to eat whatever they want in their calorie goal is not necessarily good advice.

Especially for those of us who are Diabetic, Pre-diabetic, Hypoglycemic, high cholesterol, high blood pressure etc (a growing part of the population and epidemic among the obese.) telling us to eat our 1500 calories in cake and potato chips is not only wrong its dangerous.

rprussell2004

telling us to eat our 1500 calories in cake and potato chips is not only wrong its dangerous.

Tasty, though!

At least we'd die happy.

ChrisM8971

At some point, we have to consume vitamins, right? I agree that macros are important and I do my best to track them (really, to make sure I get enough protein), but I've become so consumed with that before that I've gone weeks at a time without eating a salad or fruit or something (b/c rice, beans and chicken are cheap enough). Is there a reason people take multivitamins? Isn't getting vitamins / micronutrients from natural food sources an important thing, too?

I agree with you, OP. Regardless of what anyone's goal is, I think there's more to life than being under a calorie goal or eating the correct ratio of macronutrients.

Yes you are right about that. BUT YOU"RE NOT LISTENING.
No one here is talking about "health" when they say a calorie is a calorie.

Agree ^^^^^

The vast majority of the times "its all about calories" is used on this site seems to be in response to the "why am I not losing weight" threads where the inevitable advice seems to be:

Cut out carbs
Eat clean
Try oil pulling
Your gaining muscle

Or some other weird and wonderful solution that will obviously cause the weight to drop off no matter how many calories the person asking the question is eating.

Its also frustrating that those cures are given out before the obvious question of "are you sure that you are tracking calories eaten and calories burnt accurately" is even considered

ETA Once you are accurately estimating your calories in and out then concentrate on the nutrient content of the foods you are eating

MityMax96

At some point, we have to consume vitamins, right? I agree that macros are important and I do my best to track them (really, to make sure I get enough protein), but I've become so consumed with that before that I've gone weeks at a time without eating a salad or fruit or something (b/c rice, beans and chicken are cheap enough). Is there a reason people take multivitamins? Isn't getting vitamins / micronutrients from natural food sources an important thing, too?

I agree with you, OP. Regardless of what anyone's goal is, I think there's more to life than being under a calorie goal or eating the correct ratio of macronutrients.

If you want to bring health into the picture, fine.
But we are discussing calories.

Like I said earlier and others have as well.

BE SMART WITH WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH

I assume that ppl on these boards are adults and have some common sense.....(trust me I know about assuming).
I therefore assume that said adults, will make smart choices for the foods they eat....
But if they don't...so be it....go forth, be stupid, enjoy

psuLemon

At some point, we have to consume vitamins, right? I agree that macros are important and I do my best to track them (really, to make sure I get enough protein), but I've become so consumed with that before that I've gone weeks at a time without eating a salad or fruit or something (b/c rice, beans and chicken are cheap enough). Is there a reason people take multivitamins? Isn't getting vitamins / micronutrients from natural food sources an important thing, too?

I agree with you, OP. Regardless of what anyone's goal is, I think there's more to life than being under a calorie goal or eating the correct ratio of macronutrients.

Yes you are right about that. BUT YOU"RE NOT LISTENING.
No one here is talking about "health" when they say a calorie is a calorie.

Your also missing the OP's point. Her point is telling people to eat whatever they want in their calorie goal is not necessarily good advice.

Especially for those of us who are Diabetic, Pre-diabetic, Hypoglycemic, high cholesterol, high blood pressure etc (a growing part of the population and epidemic among the obese.) telling us to eat our 1500 calories in cake and potato chips is not only wrong its dangerous.

1. OP is a guy
2. Once the OP's disclose there is a medical condition, the advice on this board changes. Medical conditions are separate and distinct.

TavistockToad

BE SMART WITH WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH

i bet you say that to all the girls...

northbanu

At some point, we have to consume vitamins, right? I agree that macros are important and I do my best to track them (really, to make sure I get enough protein), but I've become so consumed with that before that I've gone weeks at a time without eating a salad or fruit or something (b/c rice, beans and chicken are cheap enough). Is there a reason people take multivitamins? Isn't getting vitamins / micronutrients from natural food sources an important thing, too?

I agree with you, OP. Regardless of what anyone's goal is, I think there's more to life than being under a calorie goal or eating the correct ratio of macronutrients.

Yes you are right about that. BUT YOU"RE NOT LISTENING.
No one here is talking about "health" when they say a calorie is a calorie.

Your also missing the OP's point. Her point is telling people to eat whatever they want in their calorie goal is not necessarily good advice.

Especially for those of us who are Diabetic, Pre-diabetic, Hypoglycemic, high cholesterol, high blood pressure etc (a growing part of the population and epidemic among the obese.) telling us to eat our 1500 calories in cake and potato chips is not only wrong its dangerous.

If you are diabetic, and eat 1500 calories in potato chips and sugar you're a damn fool. The "calorie is a calorie" statement usually revolves around dispelling the myth that carbs prevent weight loss, or that one should not eat sugar or processed foods.

It's already been done in this thread several times, and the OP implied it.

MityMax96

BE SMART WITH WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH

i bet you say that to all the girls...

I do....
it's how I get them to drop their panties. :noway: :noway: :noway: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

MityMax96

If you are diabetic, and eat 1500 calories in potato chips and sugar you're a damn fool. The "calorie is a calorie" statement usually revolves around dispelling the myth that carbs prevent weight loss, or that one should not eat sugar or processed foods.

It's already been done in this thread several times, and the OP implied it.

I am thinking candidate for a Darwin award.
if someone wishes to be stupid, please hurry up and do more of it...remove yourself from the gene pool and do us all a favor

lemurcat12

I do not believe a calorie is a calorie. For example, 140 calories of a Soda vs. 140 calories of almonds, the almonds provide you with fiber and healthy fat that do not trigger your liver produce insulin which generates fat. It has been my experience you'll also feel much better eating almonds instead of drinking soda or a sugary snack.

Honestly, this seems like a willful misunderstanding.

No one says food is food (well, except people who have too little of it, maybe). Certainly no one says a soda is an almond, and no one says it doesn't matter what you eat. And clearly no one recommends that people eat 1200 calories of soda or sugar or whatever the strawman is today. Nor do I think you should eat 1200 calories of broccoli, even if you could manage it. You'd be failing basic nutrition then too, and that's not a slam on broccoli.

What a calorie is a calorie means is that for weight loss purposes only, in theory what determines whether you lose is how many calories you eat. You can be a "tiny eater" and yet eat high calorie stuff and gain, which seems to surprise some overweight people I know, and you can eat "clean" (meaning whole foods or whatever) and gain if your whole foods include lots of calories in total, again like some people I know, and like me in the past (although thank the Lord I never used the obnoxious term "clean" in that way).

What it does not mean, again, is that there are no differences between foods or that it makes no difference for any purpose what you eat. Obviously, at least for many or most people, it affects how you feel and how sustainable a way of eating is, and it may affect overall health (though perhaps not as much as some people think).

Rather than assuming that people who state the basic truth that a calorie is a calorie when it comes to weight loss eat McDonald's fries exclusively, why not talk to them about what they eat? I kind of think that a lot of this is recent converts to "clean" eating (or in some cases actual, sensible, nutrition-based eating) who seem to assume that everyone else around here eats the way they used to.

JoeCWV

Well whether you eat "clean" or not is irrelevant. You can eat super clean (whatever that is) and still weight 400 pounds. You can eat like a crazed kid in a candy store and be thin as a rail. It really is all about calories in VS calories out.

No one is done a disservice with this advice. People eat what they eat. If I want to encourage someone to lose weight I will beat the calories in VS calories out. To go any further risks overwhelming him/her. To start in weight loss simply keep eating what you have always eaten just lower your intake. It is really that simple.

Once a person starts down the road to weight loss and is seeing success THEN is the time to discuss nutrition. I am sure many will disagree with me but what I am saying is that the proper approach is to FIRST get the individual into a deficit and once that is accomplished then start the nutrition conversation.

For the record I do not eat "clean", I have never eaten "clean" and likely never will. In fact I had ice cream last night and chocolate candy after my oatmeal this morning. I also drink a pot or two of coffee a day. I also run or swim every day. I am 54 years old and am in better physical condition than most eighteen year olds. No I don't have washboard abs. No one will ever change my way of thinking to "clean" eating and if I thought I needed to eat "clean" to lose weight I would still weight 265 pounds.

Chief_Rocka

You can look good eating McDonald's, but you'll be like a house with brand new siding but bad plumbing and wiring.

yopeeps025

BE SMART WITH WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH

i bet you say that to all the girls...

I do....
it's how I get them to drop their panties. :noway: :noway: :noway: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

There no gif for cartmen and butters talking about what to put in mouths.

Timorous_Beastie

Of course a calorie is a calorie, because that's just a unit of energy. It's like saying "Is a watt just a watt?" because a 20 watt bulb might be enough to light your refrigerator, but not an entire room.

For weight loss alone, a calorie is a calorie. For health and performance, where those calories come from matters.

northbanu

BE SMART WITH WHAT YOU PUT IN YOUR MOUTH

i bet you say that to all the girls...

I do....
it's how I get them to drop their panties. :noway: :noway: :noway: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

There no gif for cartmen and butters talking about what to put in mouths.

That gif was posted several times last night in the second part of a similar thread.
Eventually that thread was (at least part 2) was pulled.

PRMinx

You can look good eating McDonald's, but you'll be like a house with brand new siding but bad plumbing and wiring.