is a calorie just a calorie?
Replies
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FOR ME, a calorie is not a calorie.
I have severe insulin resistance.
When I eat higher carb, I am more sluggish, lethargic, etc. I am pretty darn sure that what I eat actually ultimately changes my BMR. I can feel it when my body is and isn't working properly.
I tried counting calories for years and years and years. I just couldn't cut them enough to fight the metabolic issues that came along with the carbs. Then I went low carb and lost 100 pounds over two years, and have maintained the loss for 7 years so far, eating low - moderate carb.
Now I am ready to lose more weight, and after (once again) not succeeding just counting calories, I am back to eating low carb.0 -
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html
Actually you can eat Twinkies all day and lose weight. Yes in terms of weight loss a calories is a calorie. Healthwise not as much.
n=10 -
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html
Actually you can eat Twinkies all day and lose weight. Yes in terms of weight loss a calories is a calorie. Healthwise not as much.
n=1
N=20
Note the results of the diet that was 43% sucrose (table sugar)
Metabolic and behavioral effects of a high-sucrose diet during weight loss. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 Apr;65(4):908-15.
www.ajcn.org/content/65/4/908.full.pdf
[/quote]Weight, REE, percentage total body fat, and percentage trunk body fat
Change in weight for the high- and low-sucrose groups across the course of the study is shown in Figure 1. There were
no significant differences between groups in mean weight, REE, percentage total body fat, or percentage trunk fat (Table
4). The time effect was significant for weight (P < 0.001, rı2 = 0.88), percentage total body fat (P < 0.001, rj2 0.51), percentage trunk fat (P < 0.001, rj2 0.50), REE (P < 0.001, ı2 0.54), and diastolic (P > 0.001, iı2 0.10) and systolic (P > 0.001, ı2 0.10) blood pressure; all scores decreased over the duration of the study. All group-by-time interactions were nonsignificant (Table 4), indicating that the groups did not differ in the magnitude of this decrease over the duration of the study, ie, there were no treatment effects. As also shown in Table 4, the proportion of variance explained by the interaction term was uniformly small for all variables.
Fasting glucose, TSH, FT3, and FT4
No significant group differences were found for fasting glucose, urine norepinephrine, TSH, VFı, or VF4 (Table 5).
There was a significant time effect for norepinephrine (P < 0.001, ı 0.15) and VF3 (P < 0.001, ij2 0.51), with concentrations decreasing over time. There was a small but significant increase over time in Ff4 (P = 0.001, ‘rj2 0.13). No significant group-by-time interactions were detected (Table 5).
Plasma lipids
Mean concentrations of fasting total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triacylglycerol were not significantly
different between groups (Table 6). The time effect was significant for all lipid measures: total cholesterol (P < 0.001, ı2 0.63), HDL cholesterol (P < 0.001, ij2 0.73), LDL cholesterol (P < 0.001, ‘q2 0.32), and triacyiglycerol (P 0.04, ı2 0.10). The time-by-group effect, however, was significant for total cholesterol (P = 0.009, ‘rı2 0.16) and LDL cholesterol (P = 0.014, ıj2 0.15), with the low-sucrose group exhibiting a larger decrease than the high-sucrose group for both of these measures (Table 6).
Psychologic and behavioral variables
There were no significant group differences in mean levels of hunger, negative affect, positive affect, depression, or anxiety,
or in the vigilance task (Table 7). The time effect was significant for negative affect (P < 0.001, tıj2 0.47), depression (P < 0.001, q2 0.29), positive affect (P < 0.001, ı 0.43), and the vigilance task (P = 0.005, q2 0.13), with all subjects improving on these measures. The time effect was also significant for hunger (P = 0.008, ij2 0.08); all subjects reported lower levels of hunger at the end of the study than at the beginning. No significant time-by-group interactions were detected.0 -
No ! A calorie is absolutely not just a calorie ! If somebody consumes 1200 calories of fast food, processed foods, sugary snacks and soda ~ vs ~ somebody whom consumes 1200 calories of nuts, seeds, veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and fish ... I guarantee you the person with poor diet choices will not feel the benefits of a healthy diet. With that being said ... Can you lose weight eating like that ??? Sure ... But you will never get that lean look and have a healthy lifestyle. Not only does your body thrive on nutrients ... But it's just not about the fat or weight loss. Your brain power, heart,, cardiovascular health, hair, nails, skin, muscles ... All depend on healthy choices. When we eat crap ... We generally feel like crap !
Go ahead .. Test the theory ... See how good it feels to fuel a machine ( your body ) with optimum performance foods ... There is no better feeling in the world than knowing your running on prime nutrients !
I am not saying you can't splurge ... Enjoy your favorites ... Just be certain to have a nice mix .... Like the perfect cocktail !
I may be out numbered by the folks who say ... " a calorie is just a calorie " ... But I ask you to just try to implement more " one ingredient " foods in your menus and see the difference in how you feel !
Best of luck my friend ... Cheers to choices ! :drinker:
Again, since people are having a few issues reading correctly. In fact, I'll use CAPS so everyone can see.
A CALORIE IS A CALORIE IN TERMS OF WEIGHT LOSS.
This was the entire argument. Of course no one is going to eat nothing but chocolate bars all day, every day and not have health problems down the road, but that person will in fact lose fat AND muscle if he did as long as he ate a deficit...therefore LOSING WEIGHT. Tada!
Why oh why can't people READ and UNDERSTAND this!? I'll never know.
Well Hell ... now that your screaming .... I ask you this : Why would anybody want to lose weight that included losing muscle ???? That's just diabolical !
If you want to compare apples to oranges ... sure, your right ... THEIR BOTH FRUITS !
Btw ... I understood the question ... just felt like maybe a little " Knowledge " could benefit the thread ... but then again, that's what we have SIDESTEAL and Acg67 for ! Trust me ... these guys know there stuff !!!! I just get a little more " factual " ... rather than " matter of fact ".
Again ... Cheers to losing the weight the right way ! :flowerforyou:0 -
WHile I was being a bro, and getting my swole on. I thought about what you said acg, about holding the protein constant, at a specific calorie level and increasing the carbs in one group.
That proves nothing. If calories where constant, head to head carbs with protein in thermogenic effects, protein will win. You compared protein and fat vs protein and carbs, carbs have a greater thermogenic effect compared to fat.
I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say, but according to you the lower carb group should burn more bodyfat due to the lower insulin levels, so now you're saying that the low carb group won't cause carbs have a higher tef then fat?
Most often you hear the uninformed talk about transitioning from being "sugar burners" to "fat burners" hence they lose more fat, and fat oxidation does increase on low carb diets, but that is in response to higher fat intake, it does not mean burning more bodyfat.0 -
Btw ... I understood the question ... just felt like maybe a little " Knowledge " could benefit the thread ... but then again,that's what we have SIDESTEAL and Acg67 for ! Trust me ... these guys know there stuff !!!! I just get a little more " factual " ... rather than " matter of fact ".
But I don't I guess? K.0 -
Btw ... I understood the question ... just felt like maybe a little " Knowledge " could benefit the thread ... but then again,that's what we have SIDESTEAL and Acg67 for ! Trust me ... these guys know there stuff !!!! I just get a little more " factual " ... rather than " matter of fact ".
But I don't I guess? K.
Sooo sorry ... I don't know you !
I am sure you do ... It's just that I have learned sooooo much from being friends with those guys. I certainly didn't mean to bruise your ego ... you apparently know what your talking about and I apologize for the misunderstanding.
And No ... " She is NOT new "
I should learn to stay on my side of the playground ... you guys are tough !
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Twinkies are only 150 calories........................................NO WAY--yummy and low in calories.........0
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Btw ... I understood the question ... just felt like maybe a little " Knowledge " could benefit the thread ... but then again,that's what we have SIDESTEAL and Acg67 for ! Trust me ... these guys know there stuff !!!! I just get a little more " factual " ... rather than " matter of fact ".
But I don't I guess? K.
Sooo sorry ... I don't know you !
I am sure you do ... It's just that I have learned sooooo much from being friends with those guys. I certainly didn't mean to bruise your ego ... you apparently know what your talking about and I apologize for the misunderstanding.
And No ... " She is NOT new "
I should learn to stay on my side of the playground ... you guys are tough !
am just giving you a hard time, i know you're knot new, i seen you around. I my question how do you know what they said is valid? and congratulations on your weight loss. Acg is very convincing.
" i know you're knot new, i seen you around " .... Why do I feel violated ???? LOL LOL LOL !!!! :laugh:
Listen ... those guys are " machines " in their own right ... I could NEVER do what Acg does ... he continues to amaze me on a daily basis ... but we can all take a little bit of knowledge from each individual's journey ... with ABS like his ... how can he NOT know what he's talking about ??? He's definitely figured out what works for him .... key words being " what works for him ".
SIDESTEAL has helped me recently overcome a plateau ... and I am grateful for both of their friendships. I honestly knew you were giving me a hard time ... BUT ... I sooooooo wanted to play ! LOL !
One day ... I will " earn " my spot too ... for now, I just smile and wave ! :drinker:0 -
One day ... I will " earn " my spot too ... for now, I just smile and wave ! :drinker:
I think with 135 lbs lost you have earned your right to comment on weight loss....I mean unless someone else lost your weight for you!0 -
And good reason why a low carb diet has no metabolic advantage, when protein is held constant.WHile I was being a bro, and getting my swole on. I thought about what you said acg, about holding the protein constant, at a specific calorie level and increasing the carbs in one group.
That proves nothing. If calories where constant, head to head carbs with protein in thermogenic effects, protein will win. You compared protein and fat vs protein and carbs, carbs have a greater thermogenic effect compared to fat.0 -
Broscience is defined as getting results without understanding how they happened.Btw ... I understood the question ... just felt like maybe a little " Knowledge " could benefit the thread ... but then again,that's what we have SIDESTEAL and Acg67 for ! Trust me ... these guys know there stuff !!!! I just get a little more " factual " ... rather than " matter of fact ".
But I don't I guess? K.
Sooo sorry ... I don't know you !
I am sure you do ... It's just that I have learned sooooo much from being friends with those guys. I certainly didn't mean to bruise your ego ... you apparently know what your talking about and I apologize for the misunderstanding.
And No ... " She is NOT new "
I should learn to stay on my side of the playground ... you guys are tough !
am just giving you a hard time, i know you're knot new, i seen you around. I my question how do you know what they said is valid? and congratulations on your weight loss. Acg is very convincing.
" i know you're knot new, i seen you around " .... Why do I feel violated ???? LOL LOL LOL !!!! :laugh:
Listen ... those guys are " machines " in their own right ... I could NEVER do what Acg does ... he continues to amaze me on a daily basis ... but we can all take a little bit of knowledge from each individual's journey ... with ABS like his ... how can he NOT know what he's talking about ??? He's definitely figured out what works for him .... key words being " what works for him ".
SIDESTEAL has helped me recently overcome a plateau ... and I am grateful for both of their friendships. I honestly knew you were giving me a hard time ... BUT ... I sooooooo wanted to play ! LOL !
One day ... I will " earn " my spot too ... for now, I just smile and wave ! :drinker:
One of my friend's has the best body I have ever seen.He says the complete opposite of what is being said here. He said "ketosis is key in super low bodyfat levels" I am just saying sometimes there is more than to what meets the eye.0 -
Btw ... I understood the question ... just felt like maybe a little " Knowledge " could benefit the thread ... but then again,that's what we have SIDESTEAL and Acg67 for ! Trust me ... these guys know there stuff !!!! I just get a little more " factual " ... rather than " matter of fact ".
But I don't I guess? K.
Sooo sorry ... I don't know you !
I am sure you do ... It's just that I have learned sooooo much from being friends with those guys. I certainly didn't mean to bruise your ego ... you apparently know what your talking about and I apologize for the misunderstanding.
And No ... " She is NOT new "
I should learn to stay on my side of the playground ... you guys are tough !
am just giving you a hard time, i know you're knot new, i seen you around. I my question how do you know what they said is valid? and congratulations on your weight loss. Acg is very convincing.
" i know you're knot new, i seen you around " .... Why do I feel violated ???? LOL LOL LOL !!!! :laugh:
Listen ... those guys are " machines " in their own right ... I could NEVER do what Acg does ... he continues to amaze me on a daily basis ... but we can all take a little bit of knowledge from each individual's journey ... with ABS like his ... how can he NOT know what he's talking about ??? He's definitely figured out what works for him .... key words being " what works for him ".
SIDESTEAL has helped me recently overcome a plateau ... and I am grateful for both of their friendships. I honestly knew you were giving me a hard time ... BUT ... I sooooooo wanted to play ! LOL !
One day ... I will " earn " my spot too ... for now, I just smile and wave ! :drinker:
One of my friend's has the best body I have ever seen.He says the complete opposite of what is being said here. He said "ketosis is key in super low bodyfat levels" I am just saying sometimes there is more than to what meets the eye.
Again ... your friend has found what works for him. I am a firm believer that there are many solutions to the mysteries of a healthy lifestyle. I can only hope that one day, I too ... will find what works best for me !
Kudos to all of these guys who have achieved such amazing results .. regardless of who's right or wrong ... you can't deny their success. I have done a lot of research on all kinds of information .... and then one day I realized ... it doesn't have to be this difficult ... you just have to find your place in this forever changing world of fitness.
Thank you for revving my engine tonight ... I needed that ! 0 -
No ! A calorie is absolutely not just a calorie ! If somebody consumes 1200 calories of fast food, processed foods, sugary snacks and soda ~ vs ~ somebody whom consumes 1200 calories of nuts, seeds, veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and fish ... I guarantee you the person with poor diet choices will not feel the benefits of a healthy diet. With that being said ... Can you lose weight eating like that ??? Sure ... But you will never get that lean look and have a healthy lifestyle. Not only does your body thrive on nutrients ... But it's just not about the fat or weight loss. Your brain power, heart,, cardiovascular health, hair, nails, skin, muscles ... All depend on healthy choices. When we eat crap ... We generally feel like crap !
Go ahead .. Test the theory ... See how good it feels to fuel a machine ( your body ) with optimum performance foods ... There is no better feeling in the world than knowing your running on prime nutrients !
I am not saying you can't splurge ... Enjoy your favorites ... Just be certain to have a nice mix .... Like the perfect cocktail !
I may be out numbered by the folks who say ... " a calorie is just a calorie " ... But I ask you to just try to implement more " one ingredient " foods in your menus and see the difference in how you feel !
Best of luck my friend ... Cheers to choices ! :drinker:
Again, since people are having a few issues reading correctly. In fact, I'll use CAPS so everyone can see.
A CALORIE IS A CALORIE IN TERMS OF WEIGHT LOSS.
This was the entire argument. Of course no one is going to eat nothing but chocolate bars all day, every day and not have health problems down the road, but that person will in fact lose fat AND muscle if he did as long as he ate a deficit...therefore LOSING WEIGHT. Tada!
Why oh why can't people READ and UNDERSTAND this!? I'll never know.
So your saying most people don't have a deficit when eating this crap all day and its hard to have a deficit or stop yourself eating when you eat this way. But also the weight loss will be fat and muscle.0 -
One day ... I will " earn " my spot too ... for now, I just smile and wave ! :drinker:
I think with 135 lbs lost you have earned your right to comment on weight loss....I mean unless someone else lost your weight for you!
Agree! Unless you were giving another adult a piggy back, that's incredible!0 -
One day ... I will " earn " my spot too ... for now, I just smile and wave ! :drinker:
I think with 135 lbs lost you have earned your right to comment on weight loss....I mean unless someone else lost your weight for you!
Thank you .... But these " Boys " are a tough bargain .. more than a " simple " girl can take on ! Ha !
I wish somebody could lose these last 20 lbs for me .... then I would be convinced of all these theories ! But until then, I'll just keep eating healthy and exercising ! :flowerforyou:0 -
Yup a cal is just a cal. Some foods contain other chemicals that make your body not as healthy. A corn muffin is pretty healthy and carbs are not the enemy. You don't have to be perfect to be thin. You just have to be aware of how much your eating.
The weight loss gurus take everything too far. You have to live in the real world, can you really exercise an hour and a half a day? Do you really have to eat perfectly? No, you don't. Over exercising can damage your body, and one scientist proved you can lose weight by eating only junk food. He stayed under his calorie allowance and lost 20 lbs. The takeaway is eat to make yourself feel good, exercise for that same reason and stay at the calorie level for the weight you want to be. A pure diet of twinkies doesn't make anyone feel energetic and good. Sitting on the couch all day doesn't either. Getting used to your real optimum calorie levels takes some time, but once you get there you are comfortable , happy and not in a struggle.0 -
Are all calories treated the same or does the type of food matter with weight loss? For example, I struggle to get to 2,100 calories per day. I might eat a corn muffin in order to add on an extra 200 calories. Should I be eating something "healthier" or does it not matter where the calorie comes from? Besides obviously the fat and carb content, which I stay under my goals without any trouble.
It depends on how 'healthy' you want to be. I try to eat more fruits and veggies (emphasis on try) because I want to be a overall healthy person. I try to limit the amount of sugar I consume (again..emphasis on try), but I will eat an occassional snack or partake in a celebration. I think the healthier food choices you make, you will reach optimal results and your body will be able to perform it's essential functions to the best of its ability.0 -
No ! A calorie is absolutely not just a calorie ! If somebody consumes 1200 calories of fast food, processed foods, sugary snacks and soda ~ vs ~ somebody whom consumes 1200 calories of nuts, seeds, veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and fish ... I guarantee you the person with poor diet choices will not feel the benefits of a healthy diet. With that being said ... Can you lose weight eating like that ??? Sure ... But you will never get that lean look and have a healthy lifestyle. Not only does your body thrive on nutrients ... But it's just not about the fat or weight loss. Your brain power, heart,, cardiovascular health, hair, nails, skin, muscles ... All depend on healthy choices. When we eat crap ... We generally feel like crap !
Go ahead .. Test the theory ... See how good it feels to fuel a machine ( your body ) with optimum performance foods ... There is no better feeling in the world than knowing your running on prime nutrients !
I am not saying you can't splurge ... Enjoy your favorites ... Just be certain to have a nice mix .... Like the perfect cocktail !
I may be out numbered by the folks who say ... " a calorie is just a calorie " ... But I ask you to just try to implement more " one ingredient " foods in your menus and see the difference in how you feel !
Best of luck my friend ... Cheers to choices ! :drinker:
Again, since people are having a few issues reading correctly. In fact, I'll use CAPS so everyone can see.
A CALORIE IS A CALORIE IN TERMS OF WEIGHT LOSS.
This was the entire argument. Of course no one is going to eat nothing but chocolate bars all day, every day and not have health problems down the road, but that person will in fact lose fat AND muscle if he did as long as he ate a deficit...therefore LOSING WEIGHT. Tada!
Why oh why can't people READ and UNDERSTAND this!? I'll never know.
So your saying most people don't have a deficit when eating this crap all day and its hard to have a deficit or stop yourself eating when you eat this way. But also the weight loss will be fat and muscle.
Huh? This made no sense.0 -
This is a small study both in length and in number of subjects, but it does indicate that calories are not necessarily equal:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19396658/?i=11&from=bmr insulin0 -
This is a small study both in length and in number of subjects, but it does indicate that calories are not necessarily equal:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/19396658/?i=11&from=bmr insulin
Read the study again, and tell me what you see. In fact it's in the subject line.0 -
Yes, I am aware that the study was about weight GAIN. That doesn't necessarily make it irrelevant though. If all calories aren't equal where weight gain is concerned, maybe they aren't where weight loss is concerned either.
The proportion of people with some amount of insulin resistance is not overly small. If you have insulin resistance, the more carbs you eat, the higher your insulin levels. The higher your insulin levels, the lower your BMR. The lower your BMR, the harder it is to create a deficit and lose weight. The source of calories can matter.0 -
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/145544.phpYes, I am aware that the study was about weight GAIN. That doesn't necessarily make it irrelevant though. If all calories aren't equal where weight gain is concerned, maybe they aren't where weight loss is concerned either.
The proportion of people with some amount of insulin resistance is not overly small. If you have insulin resistance, the more carbs you eat, the higher your insulin levels. The higher your insulin levels, the lower your BMR. The lower your BMR, the harder it is to create a deficit and lose weight. The source of calories can matter.
High Protein and High fat diets also contribute to insulin resistance. It's got nothing to do with eating carbs. Being overweight causes insulin resistance, losing weight improves insulin resistance. Excess fat, protein, and carbs all contribute to insulin resistance.0 -
2000-1500=500The higher your insulin levels, the lower your BMR. The lower your BMR, the harder it is to create a deficit and lose weight.
1500-1000=500
25,000,500-25,000,000=500
O_o0 -
Bumping to read through later.0
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I wonder if one of you could explain these numbers then
For six weeks I ate 1500 net cals per day, including 100 grams carbs. I lost no weight.
Now I eat 1200 net cals per day, including 50 grams carbs. Protein and exercise are the same as before. I am losing 3 pounds per week.
300 calories lower x 7 days = 2100 calories lower. That's not even the calories in one pound of fat, let alone three.0 -
Making it simple: a calorie is a calorie. It's a unit of energy an is the same whether it's a carb, protein, or fat. How each is utilized depends on how your body chemically reacts on it's own metabolism.
So while a calorie is a calorie, MACRONUTRIENT content will dictate how your metabolism uses those macronutrients. Some respond better to a carb rich diet, some don't. Some high protein, some don't. I had issues with both and can only find out if I experiment a little with clients to see how their bodies react to macronutrient ratios.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I wonder if one of you could explain these numbers then
For six weeks I ate 1500 net cals per day, including 100 grams carbs. I lost no weight.
Now I eat 1200 net cals per day, including 50 grams carbs. Protein and exercise are the same as before. I am losing 3 pounds per week.
300 calories lower x 7 days = 2100 calories lower. That's not even the calories in one pound of fat, let alone three.
how long have you done the low carb bit (for context) ? 50g of carbs is 200 calories, so you subtracted something else to get to 1200 ?0 -
I wonder if one of you could explain these numbers then
For six weeks I ate 1500 net cals per day, including 100 grams carbs. I lost no weight.
Now I eat 1200 net cals per day, including 50 grams carbs. Protein and exercise are the same as before. I am losing 3 pounds per week.
300 calories lower x 7 days = 2100 calories lower. That's not even the calories in one pound of fat, let alone three.
You are making the assumption you are losing pure fat, that none of the weight loss is water or anything else0 -
Why would anybody want to lose weight that included losing muscle ????
I can see how less leg muscle would be necessary to support and move 168 lbs than 200 lbs, perhaps ?0
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