Is this true? Calories don't matter?

jjrichard83

Also for the "lol'er" if it is just calories in vs. calories out.

Average 200-210 lb. person burns about 3,953 during a marathon.

When training, Michael Phelps (200 lb.) consumes over 12,000 calories per day.

That would mean Phelps would have to run over 3 marathons, or swim laps for .... 20+ hours (according to the Mayo clinic) to burn those calories just to maintain his weight!

He really doesn't. I'm going to see if I can find the article that quotes him directly unlike the other tabloid magazine that claims he does.

ty.

found it.

ABC
CNN
3 fitness books
and a host of others reported it, along with his quotes. I would have thought the books & fact checking of such a star would not have lasted this long and gone through that many sources. My bad.

The idea that cold water increased the caloric burn rate seemed plausible, but not to that extent.

baconrocket

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6vpFV6Wkl4


Now everyone argue about it.

So nobody wants to spend an hour listening to some reason outside of what they might think is true?

witchy_wife

I'd say he is wrong and he is right. Dietry fat does not put you weight on, you shouldn't be afraid of fat. Many low fat things are full of rubbish and the full fat version are often better.

But of course calories count! If your TDEE is 2000 cals and you eat 3000 cals a day, you will gain weight. Whether it is 3000 cals of fat with no carbs, or 3000 cals of lettuce leaves (hard to do I guess but you see my point lol).

If the low fat is working for you and you are happy then go for it.

Shubbamoo

I think if you focus on nutrition then calories don't matter.
If the food you eat is the most nutritious and not full of processed rubbish then you will find that you naturally don't overeat, and therefore, calories don't matter.
You can lose weight by eating processed, low fat, rubbish completely lacking nutritional value but it's not to be recommended.

mmapags

I think if you focus on nutrition then calories don't matter.
If the food you eat is the most nutritious and not full of processed rubbish then you will find that you naturally don't overeat, and therefore, calories don't matter.
You can lose weight by eating processed, low fat, rubbish completely lacking nutritional value but it's not to be recommended.

Well I eat 95% food with minimal processing. No prepackaged, prepared foods and cook everything from scratch and if I don't pay attention to calories, I gain weight. I've heard this sentiment repeated often about eating nutrient dense foods and not needing to track calories but you can eat over your daily maintenance with healthy foods just as well as you can with rubbish. I think the whole concept of eating nutrient dense foods and not overeating or needing to track calories is a pipe dream!

Shubbamoo

I think if you focus on nutrition then calories don't matter.
If the food you eat is the most nutritious and not full of processed rubbish then you will find that you naturally don't overeat, and therefore, calories don't matter.
You can lose weight by eating processed, low fat, rubbish completely lacking nutritional value but it's not to be recommended.

Well I eat 95% food with minimal processing. No prepackaged, prepared foods and cook everything from scratch and if I don't pay attention to calories, I gain weight. I've heard this sentiment repeated often about eating nutrient dense foods and not needing to track calories but you can eat over your daily maintenance with healthy foods just as well as you can with rubbish. I think the whole concept of eating nutrient dense foods and not overeating or needing to track calories is a pipe dream!

I only joined this site yesterday but I've already got the impression that my way of eating (paleo) is not very well received, but, at the risk of causing people stress, which is not my intention, IMO, if you don't eat grains and only eat natural, unprocessed foods, it's unimportant how many calories you eat. I have found out, from inputting my daily food on to this site, that I go over my calories allowance every day but i am still losing weight. I've eaten this way for almost 3 years and have lost almost 8 stone. Without, until now, giving any consideration to calories.

Just my personal experience.

SkimFlatWhite68

Well he succeeded in getting you to buy his book. Clever fella.

Do what you think is right, I am counting calories for the first time in my life and finally feel like I'm learning something new about my body that would have saved me a lot of grief years ago.

amy1612

I think if you focus on nutrition then calories don't matter.
If the food you eat is the most nutritious and not full of processed rubbish then you will find that you naturally don't overeat, and therefore, calories don't matter.
You can lose weight by eating processed, low fat, rubbish completely lacking nutritional value but it's not to be recommended.

Well I eat 95% food with minimal processing. No prepackaged, prepared foods and cook everything from scratch and if I don't pay attention to calories, I gain weight. I've heard this sentiment repeated often about eating nutrient dense foods and not needing to track calories but you can eat over your daily maintenance with healthy foods just as well as you can with rubbish. I think the whole concept of eating nutrient dense foods and not overeating or needing to track calories is a pipe dream!

I only joined this site yesterday but I've already got the impression that my way of eating (paleo) is not very well received, but, at the risk of causing people stress, which is not my intention, IMO, if you don't eat grains and only eat natural, unprocessed foods, it's unimportant how many calories you eat. I have found out, from inputting my daily food on to this site, that I go over my calories allowance every day but i am still losing weight. I've eaten this way for almost 3 years and have lost almost 8 stone. Without, until now, giving any consideration to calories.

Just my personal experience.

Can I ask though, what is your calorie allowance?

TheVimFuego

I went through the whole Insulin Is The Problem thing. Just keep the carbs low, blunt the 'spikes' and chow down on the protein and fat, what can go wrong?

Well, you can put on fat is what, managed to do it eating whole, nutrient dense foods too. And not much extra either.

It pains me to say it but if I want to make progress I have to keep a tight rein on the energy in/out thang. It ain't natural but it is necessary.

Yeh, it's all approximations from the numbers on the packets to the estimates of BMR/TDEE but there ain't no shortcuts, no miracle food combinations.

Having said all that out of all this I have learnt not to fear the fat and get my protein in as a priority. No more freaking rice cakes ...

Shubbamoo

I think if you focus on nutrition then calories don't matter.
If the food you eat is the most nutritious and not full of processed rubbish then you will find that you naturally don't overeat, and therefore, calories don't matter.
You can lose weight by eating processed, low fat, rubbish completely lacking nutritional value but it's not to be recommended.

Well I eat 95% food with minimal processing. No prepackaged, prepared foods and cook everything from scratch and if I don't pay attention to calories, I gain weight. I've heard this sentiment repeated often about eating nutrient dense foods and not needing to track calories but you can eat over your daily maintenance with healthy foods just as well as you can with rubbish. I think the whole concept of eating nutrient dense foods and not overeating or needing to track calories is a pipe dream!

I only joined this site yesterday but I've already got the impression that my way of eating (paleo) is not very well received, but, at the risk of causing people stress, which is not my intention, IMO, if you don't eat grains and only eat natural, unprocessed foods, it's unimportant how many calories you eat. I have found out, from inputting my daily food on to this site, that I go over my calories allowance every day but i am still losing weight. I've eaten this way for almost 3 years and have lost almost 8 stone. Without, until now, giving any consideration to calories.

Just my personal experience.

Can I ask though, what is your calorie allowance?

It says 1750 for food reduced to 1480 with the exercise I put in. I hope this makes sense, as I say, I don't count calories. I joined this site yesterday just out of curiosity, and obviously for the support.

xtanyx

agree!

george29223

iam currently looking for women to be in my trail study of the no bra or underwear diet where you walk around bending over picking up imaginary pieces of paper all day

amy1612

It says 1750 for food reduced to 1480 with the exercise I put in. I hope this makes sense, as I say, I don't count calories. I joined this site yesterday just out of curiosity, and obviously for the support.

I just ask because I also eat paleo (well, more primal as I eat dairy and some rice) and I managed to gain weight eating paleo and not calorie counting. In fairness, the gains I've had have been pretty good, in that I havent gotten 'fatter' so to speak. Ive started to track my calories and macros in order to try and reduce body fat %, but am still eating 1600-1800 a day (not 'eating exercise calories' so to speak, but just eating a little more on the days that I workout).

amy1612

Having said all that out of all this I have learnt not to fear the fat and get my protein in as a priority. No more freaking rice cakes ...

I fecking love rice cakes. I had some last week after avoiding them for ages. I'd missed them so much,lol.

Shubbamoo

I just ask because I also eat paleo (well, more primal as I eat dairy and some rice) and I managed to gain weight eating paleo and not calorie counting. In fairness, the gains I've had have been pretty good, in that I havent gotten 'fatter' so to speak. Ive started to track my calories and macros in order to try and reduce body fat %, but am still eating 1600-1800 a day (not 'eating exercise calories' so to speak, but just eating a little more on the days that I workout).

The only dairy I eat regularly is butter, but I do eat small amounts of cheese and cream on occasion. I don't eat any grains or processed food and I don't mix high carb veg with high fat in the same meal. I know some people would say this is a restrictive diet but, for me, it's the easiest, most natural diet, I've ever had. IMO, it's far less restrictive than living off of wheat (cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, pasta for dinner, biscuits for snacks).

kristen6022

Your friend is right. Don't be afraid of fat and you say you are only doing this while losing weight - what happens when you start incorporating them into your diet once you have lost all you want? When your body is used to what you are giving it?

Calories do matter - it matters how many you have in a day - but "diet" food is only produced for people on "diets". Losing weight should be something that develops into a lifestyle.

BarringtonFinbarNash

well form my own perspective, the main issue is not the statement but the sweeping genralisation, it can easily lead to misinturpation.

calories do matter to a point, you have a certain amount you need to maintain a healthy body...excess calories are going to do stuff to your body regardless, the most common effect is to put on weight.

as for the statement about fat...there are a good number of natural soruces of fat and these seem to indicate...from figures i have put into mfp myself (directley off the labels) to have a much better effect, i would still have around the same calories reamining but i would have a better weight loss prediction over a week.

another point to consider how many times do you hear the words empty calories, particulay refernceing to processed foods, calories are only part of the battle the quailty of what you are getting for those is still the other part.

ultimatly you have to find what works for you, but you are right to be cautious of anyone who seems to be offering you what appears to be soemthing for nothing.