New Reader's Digest article - calories don't matter

bjjadale

There's a new article in this month's issue of Reader's Digest regarding calories and carbohydrates. Let me just give a couple of quotes from the article:

"What we tell people to do to lose weight - eat less and exercise - is exactly what you'd do if you wanted to make yourself hungry."

"If you take in an extra 20 calories a day and put it into your fat tissue, you will gain 20 pounts every decade..... No matter how good you are at counting calories, you can't do it."

"Not everyone gets fat from eating carbs, and getting rid of carbs might not make you lean. But it will make you the leanest you can be."

In other words, calories don't matter, carbs (especially from refined sugar and flour) do.

I know that most people on this website have had success from couting calories and exercising - as I have. Do you think it's because we've also been cuttng sugars?

This one's wide open for comments.

kcdrake

I'd never thought of it that way.
However, I think it'd have more to do with what kind of carbs you're eating. I know when I eat white rolls and whatnot my stomach kinda bloats. But, when I was losing weight quickly I was eating pasta at least 3 or 4 nights a week. They were whole grain pasta blends, but pasta none the less.
I also am always over on sugar, but that's more because I eat a lot of fruits and veggies than anything.

ladyhawk00

While I believe it's true that where cals come from matters - good carbs vs bad, good fat vs bad, etc - it is simply unrealistic to say "calories don't matter." If that were true, you could go out and eat 5000 cals of protein & fat and be fine. Not true, obviously.

Counting calroies and exercising naturally limits the "bad" foods for most people, as it's awfully hard to meet cal goals when eating crap all the time. For some people it doesn't work, but blanket statements like those you cited are just inflammatory (sensationalism that sells mags) and pretty irresponsible, IMO.

rosebarnalice

Interestingly, the cover story of this month's issue of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN is focused on the obesity epidemic, and summarizes about 50 years of scientific research into weight loss, weight gain, and obesity. Among the top tips from 50+ years of research:
* CALORIES OUT > CALORIES IN = WEIGHT LOSS; CALORIES OUT < CALORIES IN = WEIGHT GAIN
* LOGGING FOOD = GOOD -- calories matter; being aware of how many calories go in matters a lot
* CONSISTENT EXERCISE MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPORADIC INTENSE EXERCISE -- duration and intensity are less important than frequency and consistency. A regular walker/ stair climber will have more success in the long term than an intense "weekend warrior"
* GROUPS/ SOCIAL NETWORKS/ SUPPORT/ ACCOUNTABILITY = GOOD-- the article speaks a great deal about Weight Watchers and TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) because those are the two programs that have the longest research histories. But the point is that research shows consistently that having a group with which to share success and failure, and to whom to be accountable for gains and losses helps both in the "losing weight" process as well as in the "maintaining weight" process.

momma85

i don't know what i believe as far as all that goes... for decades it's been about counting calories and watching what you eat in general - and it's worked.

i think that people are still trying to find the next big thing as far as losing weight is concerned but it ALWAYS comes back to the same thing: DIET AND EXERCISE.

even if you eat the same amounts of food, but alter the type of food you eat to a more healthy variety, you will lose weight. *kitten* the calories and the carbs and the trans fats and all that. i think the biggest thing to keeping track of what you eat is to make you more aware of what you're putting into your body and how much and adjust accordingly. it's not so much about one thing, but everything...

and i'm rambling.... @_@

fitterpam

Well said Rose!!!

bjjadale

I know it's controversial, and I sure want to keep my head up and continue doing what I'm doing. He said in the article that you can eat all the low carb calories you want, like meat and eggs. To me that translates "calories don't matter, carbs do". He says easily digested carbs like sugar and flour immediately increase insulin which increases fat cells.

LoriT129

Are they researchers or are they selling something? Because honestly, it all comes back to the amount of cals that goes into your body and the amount of cals that are burned through exercise. Those are generalized statements. Obviously, what works for one doesn't work for another. Moderation in what you eat, and exercise, is what works. Calories are a HUGE part of that. Carbs on the other hand, is just one of the MANY variables that have to be taken into consideration. I think it is really irresponsible for someone to say that calories don't matter. If I eat 3000 calories a day but keep my carbs very low, I will still gain weight. That doesn't make sense.

ashley0616

I think I read that same article. Didn't he also say you could basically have as much animal fat as you want as long as you don't have toast with your bacon, sausage, and egg breakfast?

I think the biggest thing is being balanced. No, no one is going to get skinny eating 1200 calories a day of cupcakes and bread. But, carbs have to be part of your lifestyle especially if you are an avid exerciser. Your body NEEDS carbs. Fruits, grains, starchy vegetables. These things are all vital to life (in my opinion).

I've found that I lose the most weight when I limit my grains and take in carbs as fruits and veggies. I do not eliminate anything from my diet ever.

Calories will always matter. Like many have already said, you won't lose weight if you eat more than you expend. It's just not possible. However, again, eating your day's worth of calories in crappy choices isn't going to help you lose weight either, no matter how much you work out. Especially in fatty areas like the belly, thighs, and butt.

LoriT129

Low carbs, high protein can lead to kidney damage. I KNOW that is a controversial statement because there are so many on the Adkins diet but it IS a reality and it DOES happen. Thanks, no....

LaurieKPhoto1972

I did the low carb diet a few years ago and lost 65 pounds in 4 months. So it definitely works but it can be very unhealthy especially the way I did it. I would eat fast food all the time. Double cheeseburgers without the buns, huge steaks, TONS of cheese and butter. My cholesterol did go down almost 100 points but I think that is from the weight loss and I feel like if I would have continued eating that way it would have just gone up again. I mean eating that way can't be good for your heart.

So this time around I am doing the lower calorie eating plan and I know it will take more time but I feel like it's better over all for my body. Anyone who says that cutting carbs doesn't work hasn't tried it because it totally works but it's a short term solution to a long term issue and I feel like calorie cutting on a moderate level is the way to go. Just my 2 cents.

ladyhawk00

I know it's controversial, and I sure want to keep my head up and continue doing what I'm doing. He said in the article that you can eat all the low carb calories you want, like meat and eggs. To me that translates "calories don't matter, carbs do". He says easily digested carbs like sugar and flour immediately increase insulin which increases fat cells.

Low carb diets often work short term - but they are rarely sustainable, and they ignore the fact that the body NEEDS carbs (good carbs). Sooner or later, the need for carbs ends up derailing the "diet". And again, I completely disagree with anyone saying "eat a whole cow and you'll be fine." Too much food, of any kind = too much energy taken in = fat storage.

dianemar

i think when you eliminate certain foods you lose calories, and to eat 'good' foods that fill you up quickly you also lose calories over all. i am learning not to use food as entertainment, and that has helped a lot!

dlaplume2

I think that is too broad an approach. I think there are good carbs and bad carbs. Just like there are good fats and bad fats. I think those of us that are counting calories are making better choices. We need to look at the whole food and watch the impact it has on us as an individual. There might me the same number of carbs in say a peice of toast as in a glass of coolaid. The peice of toast is better for you. The same thing goes with calories. Some people can eat one cookie and be fine some of us eat one cookie and crave 6 more. It's how our body reacts.

IceFaith

I have reduced my carbs by quite a bit but I'm also keeping an eye on my glucose levels because of Pre Diabetes. I usually stay between 60-120 carbs a day. I did notice that before I reduced my carbs I had stopped loosing weight. I was staying under my calorie goal 90% of the time and exercising. So I reduced the carbs and have been eating fewer calories as well. I'm averaging about a 5 lbs a month loss since May '10.

I also think it's hard to just have a general statement of *low carb*. What would be low carb to me, might not be the same to someone else. Most of my carbs come from veggies. I've cut out potatoes, rice and most of the time breads. I do indulge in pasta occasionally and some sweets.

I can't be good all the time...lol

bjjadale

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I know that since watching calories I have made much better choices and cutting out sugars on my own - mainly because I look at it and think "well if I have that, I can't eat much else today..." It seems pretty unanimous that keeping a tight reign on "bad" carbs and watching calories is the way to go, of course with exercise...

tessjordan88

I've never worried about tracking carbs, and I've lost 28 pounds since August. According to MFP, I should have no more than 165 carbs per day, and I'm consistantly over that, rarely under, and sometimes even double that. I would disregard the article, or any other like it that is not backed by a licensed nutritionist after years of research, and concurred by several others.

My point? Do what works for YOU! What one person recommends may not work for everybody. Personalize your diet and fitness to your own body. Experiment and find what works best.

sixpackgoal

I use complex carbs to fuel my workouts. I have kept 90 pounds off for a few years now.
Low carbs may work short term for non excercisers but once weight down they should switch to sustainable diet of 40/40/20 macro nutrient mix or similiar.
You still gotta burn more than you eat.
You gotta burn 500 calories more of pie or carrots. Your furnace has to work overtime. 500 cals burned of anything x 7 days equals one pound (3500 cal) lost. When I lost 90 pounds I had to burn 335,000 calories though calorie reduction and exercise.