Is a calorie a calorie?

MoreBean13

Here is an example my nutritionist, Alexe, told about quantity vs quality :
1 rice krispies square = 31 whole cucumbers.
do we agree that after 1 cucumber you would feel as full as the rice krispies without the fat and sugar.

I think that in a longer term it will affect your weight since your body will probably want to keep some of that fat or sugar aside since it's been deprived of it.

Hmmmm, I would check the numbers on that.

Cucumber - With peel, raw, 31 cucumber (8-1/4") 1,400 cal

That's a pretty big rice crispie treat. I think your nutritionist may have been exaggerating, or doesn't actually know their stuff!

I don't know where you are getting your numbers, but a cucumber is most definitely not 1,400 calories. It's more along the lines of 50-60 calories.

Its from the database. and it's 31 cucumbers.

FTR, 31 cucumbers are equal to a little over 9 "original" rice krispie treats.

KaidaKantri

The reason I ask is because on occasion I've eaten or drank some stuff that isn't particularly healthy yet despite it being higher than my normal foods when I've imputed it into MFP I've still come under my daily calorie goal. The fat content of it wasn't great either but again still under my daily goal (just). Yet it doesn't seem to have affected my weight loss which, in all honestly, has slowed a bit but I expected that.

I want to lose weight an 95% of the time I stick to my daily calorie limits but on the flip side I'm not a monk and I do want to enjoy life.

Essentially if I occasionally stray into eating "naughty" foods but ensure that even then I don't go over my daily calories limits will weight loss still occur?

You're approach is spot in.

Eat sensibly the vast majority of the time, and then the odd treat within your macros is fine. Plus it helps keep you sane.

The sane part is totally agreeable. When I tried the 1200 cal diet for me, I couldn't stick to it because I kept craving chocolates, and soda, and ice cream. When I upped my calorie limit to 1400 and allowed myself the occasional ice cream (low cal) But was still within my limit, Ive been able to stick with it, and find myself for the most part if I'm not exercising staying closer to 1200 on most days.

rachellem86

Here is an example my nutritionist, Alexe, told about quantity vs quality :
1 rice krispies square = 31 whole cucumbers.
do we agree that after 1 cucumber you would feel as full as the rice krispies without the fat and sugar.

I think that in a longer term it will affect your weight since your body will probably want to keep some of that fat or sugar aside since it's been deprived of it.

Hmmmm, I would check the numbers on that.

Cucumber - With peel, raw, 31 cucumber (8-1/4") 1,400 cal

That's a pretty big rice crispie treat. I think your nutritionist may have been exaggerating, or doesn't actually know their stuff!

I don't know where you are getting your numbers, but a cucumber is most definitely not 1,400 calories. It's more along the lines of 50-60 calories.

Its from the database. and it's 31 cucumbers.

FTR, 31 cucumbers are equal to a little over 9 "original" rice krispie treats.

No need to be rude about it! I saw my error and fixed it accordingly.

babycook

There was an article I read yesterday where they did research on that exact question. In the end it urged what we are told, whole grain, fruit and veggies, lean protein is the best. But I don't remember a link and it didn't say how big the study was or how long they followed the people for. So for me the study may as well be useless.

I think you need to eat good calories the majority and have a treat once in a while. This is a lifestyle. Don't deprive yourself. Learn moderation.

sigma54

A calorie is a unit of measurement for energy. 1 calorie = 4.18400 Joules

So yes, a calorie IS a calorie.

True. But in case anyone is converting from calories to joules or vice-versa, it is important to note that the calories we talk about in food and fitness are actually kilocalories. That is to say that 1 food calorie = 1000 'real' calories. I suppose that somewhere along the line the 'kilo' bit got dropped out so now people refer to food and exercise calories that way. You don't need to worry it, though, unless you are doing conversions to different units or trying to do some other calculation that requires the actual energy value.

MoreBean13

Here is an example my nutritionist, Alexe, told about quantity vs quality :
1 rice krispies square = 31 whole cucumbers.
do we agree that after 1 cucumber you would feel as full as the rice krispies without the fat and sugar.

I think that in a longer term it will affect your weight since your body will probably want to keep some of that fat or sugar aside since it's been deprived of it.

Hmmmm, I would check the numbers on that.

Cucumber - With peel, raw, 31 cucumber (8-1/4") 1,400 cal

That's a pretty big rice crispie treat. I think your nutritionist may have been exaggerating, or doesn't actually know their stuff!

I don't know where you are getting your numbers, but a cucumber is most definitely not 1,400 calories. It's more along the lines of 50-60 calories.

Its from the database. and it's 31 cucumbers.

FTR, 31 cucumbers are equal to a little over 9 "original" rice krispie treats.

No need to be rude about it! I saw my error and fixed it accordingly.

:noway:

Redheadllena

I agree with the replies Good stuff you guys

jasonheyd

This question (much like the "are all sugars the same" question) seems to bring out the religion in people on these forums. ;-)

In any case, there's quite a bit of talk & research out there about whether "a calorie is a calorie is a calorie" when it comes to the way your body handles the calories in question.

Here's some recent stuff...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/opinion/sunday/what-really-makes-us-fat.html

http://www.npr.org/2012/07/03/156207145/by-any-other-name-is-a-calorie-just-a-calorie

http://onpoint.wbur.org/2012/07/05/new-research-on-carbs