Are calories just calories?

independant2406

Like I stated in a previous post I am new to MFP, but I am not all that new to fitness and nutrition. Well, I am new enough to nutrition and clean eating that I needed to get a nutritionist to help me gain weight in a good way

Anyway I see quite a few post were a reply is "as long as you are under your calories it doesn't matter what you eat" or words very similar to that. I am sorry, but I will have to politely disagree with those statements. I think it is a disservice to people starting out to make a statement along those lines. Not all calories are the same. A thousand calories from say sugar are not the same a 1000 calories from a healhty source. Maybe I am all wet, but to me, it is vitally important as to what calories we put in our bodies compared to just the amount.

Now don't jump all over me about being holier than thou or 100% clean eater, I am far from it. I just see those types of statements and it concerns me than conflicting messages to folks just starting out.

Sorry for the rant.

I totally agree! There are ways to eat that are much healthier and still stick to a calorie goal. Weather you're trying to gain or lose weight.. the WHAT you put in your body matters just as much as HOW MUCH.

Especially for those of us who are Diabetic, Pre Diabetic, Hypoglycemic, high cholestoral etc (a growing part of the population..duh) telling us to eat our 1500 calories in cake and potato chips is not only wrong its dangerous.

Who has ever said that?

Now we're looking at the whole debate in extremes (as usually), so I fully expect shenanigans and gifs.

1500 calories of cake and chips. Please when you debate use more believable information. Debates using extremes usually turn out to suck.

Please. How many times do we see responses with " It's possible to lose weight and eat junk." Chips and Cake are Junk no? I've seen it in this thread too. (I took " It's possible to lose weight and eat junk." as a direct quotation from this thread).

This is bad advice and unhealthy advice. This type of response is what the OP was ranting about to begin with. The OP didn't argue that eating the right amount of calories will put you in a deficit and you'll lose (OP even said as much). OP's point was telling people to eat junk is not going to improve peoples lives and may even do more harm than good.

Keep in mind for each person who posts a "how do I lose weight" thread there are 100's of others reading it/lurking. These people may or may not have health conditions that they may or may not be aware of. If they aren't diabetic before starting a junk foodie approved diet then they very well might be by the end of it. "It's possible to lose weight and eat junk." is terrible advice. I'm sorry.

Need2Exerc1se

Now don't jump all over me about being holier than thou or 100% clean eater, I am far from it. I just see those types of statements and it concerns me than conflicting messages to folks just starting out.

I agree. Sure in a lab a calorie is a calorie, for the most part. And yes, for weight loss alone, a calorie surplus is what is needed to lose weight.

But for satiety, sanity, health and fitness the statement is not true.

For determining how many calories one should eat for weight loss, it's often not true. The exact same diet, exact same calories, will do different things in different bodies.

So, yeah, calories are just calories if we are talking word definitions. But for health, fitness and weight loss, it's a misleading statement.

Hmm. I don't think MFP asks you all the other factors to consider like how is your stress right now. MFP seems to be working though right.

If you mean people lose weight losing this tool, then yes, it seems to working for some. Not sure what that has to do with my post, though.

SoDamnHungry

For weight loss, a calorie just a calorie. For overall health, Hostess Cupcakes and Chicken breasts are not the same at all.