Calorie Counting

Samitue

When you are counting calories based on BMR set by your height and weight....does it matter WHAT type of calories you are taking in as long as they are within your range? I was raised to believe their are Good and Bad Fats as well as Good and Bad Calories. What are your thoughts?

rgunn02

I think there are good/bad fats and good/bad calories (ie calories from an apple = good, calories from a candy bar = bad) But, I think a calorie is a calorie regardless of where it comes from.
To be successful your calories in (regardless of good/bar) has to be less than your calories out.

coderedcoderedjkjk

If you stay under the calories, you'll lose weight. But if you take in the wrong ones you might lose weight you don't want to lose, like muscle mass. I suggest doing it healthier. It will make you look and feel better.

Sesilje

I'd say that the most important to watch for weight loss is calories in vs. calories out.

But then some types of fats (saturated), and some types of carbs (sugar) are not gonna have the same health benefits and are less likely to help you stick to your goals.
Sugar will give you an instant energy boost that is gonna pass pretty quickly and leave your body with low energy levels - making you wanna eat more sugar or spend the night in front of the TV - when you could instead be doing something more active. Getting your carbs through fibres is good for the digestive system and will help you feeling full while eating less.

KidP

When i first joined here, i thought "hey, it doesn't matter what kind of stuff i eat as long as i'm under my goal each day". I now think that's not true.

If all someone was concerned about was losing weight, then it's possible that the bad vs good calories argument would be irrelevant. But - health goes far beyond simple weight loss and health is directly related to the kinds of things we eat. And - my guess is that if you want to keep weight off once you've lost it, eating mostly bad food is going to eventually lead you down the wrong path. With this in mind, i try to stay away from things like fast food, frozen precooked meals, etc. Most of the time, i try to eat stuff that is going to deliver the goods. It's an ongoing challenge.

cheangela

Calorie counting only helps you long term if you're filling yourself with nourishing things that keep you satiated. If you're still eating the same crap, it's not going to last and it is not going to be a lifestyle change. Your body wants nutrients, it will beg for more food if you're not giving the right fuels.