Does it REALLY matter where calories come from?

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  • If you want a really in-depth breakdown of the answer to your question. Check out the article below. Short answer is that it does matter where the calories come from long term for overall nutrition and meal satisfaction, but from a pure thermodynamic perspective a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Note that there is a difference in the different nutrients and how much energy is expended getting energy from them, but this effect is typically negligible with regard to the overall calorie burn of the day and therefore can be mostly ignored by the main stream dieter.

    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/is-a-calorie-a-calorie.html
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    <- I eat a LOT of sugar and salt.

    That's why you're so fat.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
    <- I eat a LOT of sugar and salt.

    That's why you're so fat.


    OMG, don't be so rude....
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    <- I eat a LOT of sugar and salt.

    That's why you're so fat.


    OMG, don't be so rude....

    But I'm not fat. Which was my and his point (he was joking not being rude).
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    I think he was joking...since its pretty obvious she's not fat based on the pic...
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    <- I eat a LOT of sugar and salt.

    That's why you're so fat.


    OMG, don't be so rude....

    But I'm not fat. Which was my and his point (he was joking not being rude).

    I lose a little more faith in humanity every day
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member

    Why should certain fruits be eaten earlier in the day?


    Because of the sugars and how your body burns them off. Grapes have 35g of sugar for 15, which is only a serving. Plus you don't want to spike your sugar's up before bed. They also say before yoga or stuff like that that banana's are good.

    no offense but this idea of eating certain things at certain times of the day has no foundation. It doesnt matter.

    Maybe not to you, but to some people it does matter. I for one can't go out an eat pizza or a burger for dinner and than not expect the scale to go up the next day. Also, if I go and have too much sugar (fruits) or sodium at dinner I do gain weight from it.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
    <- I eat a LOT of sugar and salt.

    That's why you're so fat.


    OMG, don't be so rude....

    But I'm not fat. Which was my and his point (he was joking not being rude).

    I lose a little more faith in humanity every day


    I apologize....my computer screwed up the pics as it loaded *damn you work firewall*
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member

    Why should certain fruits be eaten earlier in the day?


    Because of the sugars and how your body burns them off. Grapes have 35g of sugar for 15, which is only a serving. Plus you don't want to spike your sugar's up before bed. They also say before yoga or stuff like that that banana's are good.

    no offense but this idea of eating certain things at certain times of the day has no foundation. It doesnt matter.

    Maybe not to you, but to some people it does matter. I for one can't go out an eat pizza or a burger for dinner and than not expect the scale to go up the next day. Also, if I go and have too much sugar (fruits) or sodium at dinner I do gain weight from it.
    Meaningless water weight. Not fat gain. Losing and/or gaining water weight isn't going to make you look any different...not unless you're already at a very low body fat.

    Science says meal timing doesn't matter. Broscience says it does.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member

    Why should certain fruits be eaten earlier in the day?


    Because of the sugars and how your body burns them off. Grapes have 35g of sugar for 15, which is only a serving. Plus you don't want to spike your sugar's up before bed. They also say before yoga or stuff like that that banana's are good.

    no offense but this idea of eating certain things at certain times of the day has no foundation. It doesnt matter.

    Maybe not to you, but to some people it does matter. I for one can't go out an eat pizza or a burger for dinner and than not expect the scale to go up the next day. Also, if I go and have too much sugar (fruits) or sodium at dinner I do gain weight from it.

    alrighty then
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member

    Why should certain fruits be eaten earlier in the day?


    Because of the sugars and how your body burns them off. Grapes have 35g of sugar for 15, which is only a serving. Plus you don't want to spike your sugar's up before bed. They also say before yoga or stuff like that that banana's are good.

    no offense but this idea of eating certain things at certain times of the day has no foundation. It doesnt matter.

    Maybe not to you, but to some people it does matter. I for one can't go out an eat pizza or a burger for dinner and than not expect the scale to go up the next day. Also, if I go and have too much sugar (fruits) or sodium at dinner I do gain weight from it.

    Anything might make you "gain weight" if you weigh yourself everyday
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member

    Why should certain fruits be eaten earlier in the day?


    Because of the sugars and how your body burns them off. Grapes have 35g of sugar for 15, which is only a serving. Plus you don't want to spike your sugar's up before bed. They also say before yoga or stuff like that that banana's are good.

    no offense but this idea of eating certain things at certain times of the day has no foundation. It doesnt matter.

    Maybe not to you, but to some people it does matter. I for one can't go out an eat pizza or a burger for dinner and than not expect the scale to go up the next day. Also, if I go and have too much sugar (fruits) or sodium at dinner I do gain weight from it.

    Anything might make you "gain weight" if you weigh yourself everyday



    I weigh once a week, but I look heavier when I am bloated from water weight, cause as soon as I cut my sodium untake and the water weight goes away I look about 10lbs less. Unfort woman have the short end of the stick
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member

    Why should certain fruits be eaten earlier in the day?


    Because of the sugars and how your body burns them off. Grapes have 35g of sugar for 15, which is only a serving. Plus you don't want to spike your sugar's up before bed. They also say before yoga or stuff like that that banana's are good.

    no offense but this idea of eating certain things at certain times of the day has no foundation. It doesnt matter.

    Maybe not to you, but to some people it does matter. I for one can't go out an eat pizza or a burger for dinner and than not expect the scale to go up the next day. Also, if I go and have too much sugar (fruits) or sodium at dinner I do gain weight from it.
    If you eat out anywhere, it's likely you are consuming a bunch of sodium, which is likely going to cause your body to retain water - at least until the next morning. So I don't dispute your claim that if you go out for a pizza or burger, you will see a "weight gain" the next day.

    But I'm not convinced that isn't water weight. If you consumed at your calorie goal (assuming you are set to lose weight) and ONLY ate burgers and pizza, you would see a weight loss over the course of a week. Unless you have dietary/nutritional/biological exceptions, this is how it would play out for everyone else too. You probably won't feel great if all you consumed was burgers fries and pizza. But you could lose weight.

    And before anyone jumps in with "Why not lose weight in a healthy way?" or "My Members Only jacket still rocks!" understand that the reason many of us debunk these food myths is actually to be helpful. Too many people freak out because they ate a burger or ate pizza - or are so worried, they deny themselves food they love. And for some, their diet becomes so restrictive, they are set up for failure.

    Telling someone it's fine to eat pizza once in awhile is not promoting unhealthy weight loss. It's addressing our crazy obsessive monkey brains and promoting a reasonable weight loss plan. It's OK to eat "bad" foods sometimes. Some people do great eating only sparkling clean shiny pure food. Some people can eat burgers and fries IN MODERATION and still have a relatively healthy diet over the course of a week - and lose weight.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member

    Why should certain fruits be eaten earlier in the day?


    Because of the sugars and how your body burns them off. Grapes have 35g of sugar for 15, which is only a serving. Plus you don't want to spike your sugar's up before bed. They also say before yoga or stuff like that that banana's are good.

    no offense but this idea of eating certain things at certain times of the day has no foundation. It doesnt matter.

    Maybe not to you, but to some people it does matter. I for one can't go out an eat pizza or a burger for dinner and than not expect the scale to go up the next day. Also, if I go and have too much sugar (fruits) or sodium at dinner I do gain weight from it.
    If you eat out anywhere, it's likely you are consuming a bunch of sodium, which is likely going to cause your body to retain water - at least until the next morning. So I don't dispute your claim that if you go out for a pizza or burger, you will see a "weight gain" the next day.

    But I'm not convinced that isn't water weight. If you consumed at your calorie goal (assuming you are set to lose weight) and ONLY ate burgers and pizza, you would see a weight loss over the course of a week. Unless you have dietary/nutritional/biological exceptions, this is how it would play out for everyone else too. You probably won't feel great if all you consumed was burgers fries and pizza. But you could lose weight.

    And before anyone jumps in with "Why not lose weight in a healthy way?" or "My Members Only jacket still rocks!" understand that the reason many of us debunk these food myths is actually to be helpful. Too many people freak out because they ate a burger or ate pizza - or are so worried, they deny themselves food they love. And for some, their diet becomes so restrictive, they are set up for failure.

    Telling someone it's fine to eat pizza once in awhile is not promoting unhealthy weight loss. It's addressing our crazy obsessive monkey brains and promoting a reasonable weight loss plan. It's OK to eat "bad" foods sometimes. Some people do great eating only sparkling clean shiny pure food. Some people can eat burgers and fries IN MODERATION and still have a relatively healthy diet over the course of a week - and lose weight.


    You're 100% right, I don't deny myself the pizza, was just stating a fact. But I also have other medical reason why I probably shouldn't eat the pizza lol
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    No, it can't. To "negate the deficit," sugar would have to have some kind of magical power to produce energy beyond it's caloric value.

    Apparently you have never heard of the glycemic index?????

    Based on the poster's response to this thread and to other threads, I'd bet that he's familiar with the glycemic index.

    His statement is absolutely correct (though there is the extremely common improper use of an apostrophe)

    BTW, the glycemic index has nothing to do with the amount of calories in a food. It's an indicator about the rate at which carbohydrates enter the bloodstream.
  • I just finished as article based on a test ran of 600 participants all on different diets. No matter what diet, weight loss really came down to staying within calorie limit. I see others have posted additional inputs: retaining water is a biggy, especially for women. Also being on cycle might cause bloating. Finally, if your working out at all, remember you are building muscle. Mucsle does weigh more that fat. Are you tracking body measurements? You may not have lost weight, but did you lose inches? Just some thoughts.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    BTW, the glycemic index has nothing to do with the amount of calories in a food. It's an indicator about the rate at which carbohydrates enter the bloodstream.

    ^ And additionally, it's largely irrelevant in the context of weight gain/loss. Also, GI index is thrown all to hell when you start mixing foods.
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    And before anyone jumps in with "Why not lose weight in a healthy way?" or "My Members Only jacket still rocks!" understand that the reason many of us debunk these food myths is actually to be helpful. Too many people freak out because they ate a burger or ate pizza - or are so worried, they deny themselves food they love. And for some, their diet becomes so restrictive, they are set up for failure.

    Telling someone it's fine to eat pizza once in awhile is not promoting unhealthy weight loss. It's addressing our crazy obsessive monkey brains and promoting a reasonable weight loss plan. It's OK to eat "bad" foods sometimes. Some people do great eating only sparkling clean shiny pure food. Some people can eat burgers and fries IN MODERATION and still have a relatively healthy diet over the course of a week - and lose weight.

    Exactly. I do try and eat healthy as much as possible but this week made it a little tough and I'm not one to restrict everything because I know it won't be a lasting lifestyle change. The biggest thing for me is staying below my calories. Although it sounds like I should pay more attention to sodium and unnatural sugars...
  • kikiwinks
    kikiwinks Posts: 23 Member
    Umm, yes it does matter. Not all calories are the same. If you want to lose weight you will need to ease off the sugar. And remember sometimes you might not see a drop on the scale right away, it does take time. But again if you are eating bad foods then you will not see any progress.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    you don't want to go over sodium cause it makes you retain water and so does sugar, which will make you bloated and actually weight more even if you stay under your calorie goal. Do you track your sugar and sodium?
    This is completely worthless unless you actually care about losing and gaining water weight. I think most of us actually prefer fat loss.

    This is true...but I do also care about the number on the scale (which I probably should learn to stop caring about).

    Do yourself a huge favor and set some non-scale goals (preferably fitness related). The scale will fluctuate a lot depending on a lot of different factors and drive you completely nuts. If you stick to your calorie goal and work toward your fitness goals, the weight will come off as a side effect. Plus, you'll be in incredible shape when you're done.
  • JessG11
    JessG11 Posts: 345 Member
    Only from a nutritional point of view. There are small variations in the way the body will process molecules, but in the end a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Aim for the healthiest eating that fits into your lifestyle, move around a bit, be honest with yourself and educate yourself and you will be fine.

    This is exactly what my doc told me. He said you can eat 1500 calories of snickers or of clean foods and you'll lose, it's about how crappy you'll feel eating snickers...and how hungry you'll be, and sluggish...
  • Yes it does matter where your daily cals are coming from. Theres a huge difference between a 300 cal salad vs a 300 calorie burger, same with drink, a 200 cal protein shake vs a 200 cal bottle of beer. Its all about the nutrients too, plus your body burns healthy cals easier than bad ones.
  • kikiwinks
    kikiwinks Posts: 23 Member
    blood sugar still affects people whether diabetic or not
  • Tubby2Toned
    Tubby2Toned Posts: 130 Member
    "Does it REALLY matter where calories come from?"

    No.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    Umm, yes it does matter. Not all calories are the same. If you want to lose weight you will need to ease off the sugar. And remember sometimes you might not see a drop on the scale right away, it does take time. But again if you are eating bad foods then you will not see any progress.

    How was it that I ate ice cream and still lost weight?
  • kellyjamespro
    kellyjamespro Posts: 88 Member
    This is how its been for me!
    Good calories = More Energy = More Activity = More Calories Burned with workouts and regular activity= More weight loss
    Bad Calories = Less Energy = Tired and sluggishness = Less Calories burned = Less weight loss

    but everyone is different ...I think you just have to listen to your body.

    I have lost 40lbs so far...
  • dennydifferent
    dennydifferent Posts: 135 Member
    plus your body burns healthy cals easier than bad ones.

    I have no idea what this means.
  • kikiwinks
    kikiwinks Posts: 23 Member
    Umm, yes it does matter. Not all calories are the same. If you want to lose weight you will need to ease off the sugar. And remember sometimes you might not see a drop on the scale right away, it does take time. But again if you are eating bad foods then you will not see any progress.

    How was it that I ate ice cream and still lost weight?

    You can have a cheat meal and still lose weight. You can't eat ice cream all day everyday and expect to lose weight.
  • galegetsthin
    galegetsthin Posts: 1,340 Member
    For me, it does. If I eat a lot of sweets, doesnt matter the calories, I will not lose weight. I feel like it matters anyway because our bodies are designed to process certain things, like fruits, veggies, meat..... things you would likely eat if you were an animal. I just dont think we are set up to use chemicals, sweets, dyes and preservatives in the most efficient manner. I would rather eat something that I know is good for my body and still lose weight, than load it down with things that are not. I feel like you would still lose weight with other stuff..... just not be as healthy. I dont want to be skinny and unhealthy.....I want to be healthy and super hot!
  • From an energy in, energy out standpoint - No, it does not matter. Your weight loss, or lack thereof may be due to fluid retention or other factors which could explain the numbers on the scale. For example, 2 cups of water weighs about a pound. If you're retaining water or experiencing any swelling it's easy for weight to "hide" there. Personally, I feel that if I've only got "x" calories to play with, I'm going to make sure they're packed with as many nutrients as possible so I'm not staring at the cupboard at the end of the day.


    Amen to that! I think of calories like a budget - I only have so many to spend per day and I need to meet my nutritional requirements with them first. Leftover calories after that are a bonus - can be used for a glass of wine or treat OR not used and left to contribute to greater weight loss in the long haul (like an extra mortgage payment to own my house sooner).
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