Is this true? Calories don't matter?
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If calories don't matter, I don't know how the heck I lost this 50lbs.
becoming aware of healthier choices?
I have done extensive tests with professionals. I need 2600 calories a day to lose 1 lb. I am eating 1900 and only eating back 1/4 of my exercised calories. I've gained one inch in the chest, lost an inch in the legs, stomach, etc. If it were that simple as calories in/out I would not be at this weight for the last 8 days - I should have lost about 3 lb.
I also should not have lost 27 lb in the first month - no way I was 95,000 calories below my monthly intake requirements.
Not saying it isn't so, but calories are the easiest way for most to keep track - not accurate, but if we are all playing the same game, it doesn't matter.
Lol0 -
Someone on my Facebook made a post about how they lost weight and I shared some of the differences I've been making in my diet to attain my goals. I ended up talking with someone else on their friends list, which led to this conversation. And note, I do consume full-fat foods on occasion, such as avocados, nuts, etc.
JB: @Sarah: Do your body a favor and switch to full fat. Non-fat is a refined food virtually devoid of nutrition. Here's a good article to consider:
http://behealthynow.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/a-tale-of-two-meals/
Me: Yeah, I know full fat is way better for you, in some cases. (or at least low fat!) I'm just doing this while I'm dieting, to save calories.
JB: As is elaborated in the article above that I wrote, calories are meaningless. It's the bull**** of the diet world. I work as a health coach and specialize in weight loss
Me: Well, it's helping me right now. I'm just trying to lose 20 pounds or so and I figure it's better than bingeing on Oreos and fast food. Just trying to get my BMI into the medium-normal category.
JB: That's the thing, calories are meaningless by themselves. It's the food itself that affects the body in a physiological manner. 200 calories of sugar will affect the body differently than 200 calories of fat, since sugar boosts insulin, which causes inflammation, and makes the body store fat. Dietary fat helps the body with insulin resistance, is quite satiating, and medium chain fatty acids burn fat.
Me: Okay, well if I start going out and buying full fat everything that will most likely make me put on weight. Especially if I'm not watching any calories. I'm not trying to dispute you or anything, but I know that if I don't watch it a little I'm prone to overdoing/overeating.
JB: Sarah, your choice is your own, but dietary fat doesn't put fat on you. Half of the point behind a high fat diet is that it is satiating. There is not overeating. Calories themselves are meaningless. It's simply a unit of energy.
This is the program I use for my clients:
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Fat-Lose-Healthy-Alternative/dp/0452285666
The book is short, cheap, and absolutely one of the best I've read (topped only by Nina Planck's "Real Food: What to Eat and Why")
I'm just not sure I agree with any of it. I've done the whole not counting calories thing, intuitive eating, and ate high fat things, and guess what? I still overate. I'm not sure this guy knows anything about eating disorders and things that can trigger a person to binge that leads to yes, overeating and gaining weight. Calories can be important to some people in being healthy, as long as they're kept in a reasonable amount, during weight loss and maintenance. Yes, fats can be good, but anything in excess most likely will lead to weight gain. I don't know...I just thought what he said was sort of questionable.
Thoughts?
um, no.
Protein, fats, and carbs HAVE CALORIES. They are NOT calories.
Calories are ENERGY.
To lose weight you must burn more energy(calories) than you consume. Doesn't matter how the macro nutrients effect your body, makes no difference to weight loss. Weight loss is about energy deficit. If you don't consume enough energy to maintain your activity, your energy reserves(fat) gets used up and you lose weight.
Has nothing to do with Carbs/fats/protein.
Funny how everyone is some sort of specialist and doesn't know what they're talking about.
Fat does put fat on you. That's a rediculouse claim that it does not. It works through the ASP metabolic path way. Ask this guy "SO if I consume 5,000 calories of fat a day i'd lose weight?" that's just non sense.
if you could, check my diet. I have not lost weight in about 8 days. Drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. If it's as easy as calories in vs. calories out, then why do some hit plateaus?
I've worked out - but cardio - & VERY little weights at the moment. maybe 15 mins a week in total0 -
Calories matter. If I was capable of "normal " eating patterns without keeping track like I do, then maybe it wouldn't matter. But I'm not, and it does. Its not the only thing that matters in eating more healthfully, but for losing weight and learning to make better choices, yes. Calories matter. Someone who says they don't doesn't have a complete understanding of how complex the subject of obesity and weight loss can be.0
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Calories matter. If I was capable of "normal " eating patterns without keeping track like I do, then maybe it wouldn't matter. But I'm not, and it does. Its not the only thing that matters in eating more healthfully, but for losing weight and learning to make better choices, yes. Calories matter. Someone who says they don't doesn't have a complete understanding of how complex the subject of obesity and weight loss can be.
Suggestions for my comment then? Not saying it doesn't matter, I am saying that it's not always that simple.0 -
Calories do indeed matter. I track what I eat. Not just to make sure I'm not going over a certain number, but also to make sure I'm eating ENOUGH. I find sometimes I will under eat if I don't pay attention. I eat full fat products, and lots of them. Saturated fats are perfectly healthy so long as they are from the right sources. I don't eat any of that weird "low fat" or "non fat" stuff. When the fat is removed, sugar and other undesirable stuff is typically added. High fat is satiating, that is true. But eating enough protein is also important. Just eat real food in reasonable quantities and exercise.
See my weight loss ticker? That has worked out pretty well for me.0 -
The guy is speaking from his *kitten*. What does he know? Has he tried calorie counting? You can find a thousand people just on myfitnesspal who will prove to you that calories DO count. You shouldn't just rely on one article. Yes, maybe if you ate only junk food all day, even if it was within your calorie goal, you wouldn't lose weight. But most people do not do that.0
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If calories don't matter, I don't know how the heck I lost this 50lbs.
Or gained enough calories to tip the scales in the 200lb range. LOL Calories do matter -- eat less lose weight, eat more gain weight.0 -
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!0 -
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.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/05/michael-phelps-12000-calorie-diet-just-a-myth/1#.USFi3zkTs4Y0 -
Someone on my Facebook made a post about how they lost weight and I shared some of the differences I've been making in my diet to attain my goals. I ended up talking with someone else on their friends list, which led to this conversation. And note, I do consume full-fat foods on occasion, such as avocados, nuts, etc.
JB: @Sarah: Do your body a favor and switch to full fat. Non-fat is a refined food virtually devoid of nutrition. Here's a good article to consider:
http://behealthynow.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/a-tale-of-two-meals/
Me: Yeah, I know full fat is way better for you, in some cases. (or at least low fat!) I'm just doing this while I'm dieting, to save calories.
JB: As is elaborated in the article above that I wrote, calories are meaningless. It's the bull**** of the diet world. I work as a health coach and specialize in weight loss
Me: Well, it's helping me right now. I'm just trying to lose 20 pounds or so and I figure it's better than bingeing on Oreos and fast food. Just trying to get my BMI into the medium-normal category.
JB: That's the thing, calories are meaningless by themselves. It's the food itself that affects the body in a physiological manner. 200 calories of sugar will affect the body differently than 200 calories of fat, since sugar boosts insulin, which causes inflammation, and makes the body store fat. Dietary fat helps the body with insulin resistance, is quite satiating, and medium chain fatty acids burn fat.
Me: Okay, well if I start going out and buying full fat everything that will most likely make me put on weight. Especially if I'm not watching any calories. I'm not trying to dispute you or anything, but I know that if I don't watch it a little I'm prone to overdoing/overeating.
JB: Sarah, your choice is your own, but dietary fat doesn't put fat on you. Half of the point behind a high fat diet is that it is satiating. There is not overeating. Calories themselves are meaningless. It's simply a unit of energy.
This is the program I use for my clients:
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Fat-Lose-Healthy-Alternative/dp/0452285666
The book is short, cheap, and absolutely one of the best I've read (topped only by Nina Planck's "Real Food: What to Eat and Why")
I'm just not sure I agree with any of it. I've done the whole not counting calories thing, intuitive eating, and ate high fat things, and guess what? I still overate. I'm not sure this guy knows anything about eating disorders and things that can trigger a person to binge that leads to yes, overeating and gaining weight. Calories can be important to some people in being healthy, as long as they're kept in a reasonable amount, during weight loss and maintenance. Yes, fats can be good, but anything in excess most likely will lead to weight gain. I don't know...I just thought what he said was sort of questionable.
Thoughts?
um, no.
Protein, fats, and carbs HAVE CALORIES. They are NOT calories.
Calories are ENERGY.
To lose weight you must burn more energy(calories) than you consume. Doesn't matter how the macro nutrients effect your body, makes no difference to weight loss. Weight loss is about energy deficit. If you don't consume enough energy to maintain your activity, your energy reserves(fat) gets used up and you lose weight.
Has nothing to do with Carbs/fats/protein.
Funny how everyone is some sort of specialist and doesn't know what they're talking about.
Fat does put fat on you. That's a rediculouse claim that it does not. It works through the ASP metabolic path way. Ask this guy "SO if I consume 5,000 calories of fat a day i'd lose weight?" that's just non sense.
if you could, check my diet. I have not lost weight in about 8 days. Drinking at least 2 liters of water a day. If it's as easy as calories in vs. calories out, then why do some hit plateaus?
I've worked out - but cardio - & VERY little weights at the moment. maybe 15 mins a week in total
There are 2 things that can cause a plateau, not eating below your TDEE or caloris to low. If calories are too low this will result in dieters edema it's when the body holds water. Fat and water have roughly the same density, th glycerol molecule in fat can attract water. This means water can literally fill up your fat cells.
Since density of fat and water are very similar, if you lost 10lbs of fat and gained 10lbs o water, you'd look exactly the same. But keep in mind you're losing fat if this happens. So it's still about calories.
A way to combat dieters edema is full fasting like ESE (Fast 24hrs once a week) or eating at maintenance for a little bit.
I do a cheat meal every now and then. So You're saying that it's not really that simple calories in vs. calories out? I have to think about "dieters edema". You're also saying there is a "sweet spot" for your calories in that would produce the highest fat loss?
I thought spiking my calorie intake weekly (just once a week) would be all thats needed. TY, I'll experiment with increasing intake.0 -
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.0 -
So nobody wants to spend an hour listening to some reason outside of what they might think is true?0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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!0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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?0 -
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 ...0 -
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.0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6vpFV6Wkl4
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