Can someone please explain "a calorie is a calorie"
careyannal
Posts: 161
I am by no means low-carb, and I don't think I ever could be, but I am curious if a calorie is a calorie, why do people lose weight faster (it seems) on Atkins or other low-carb diets?
I am not talking about "all calories being equal" from nutritional standpoint, more so of a weight loss standpoint.
I am not talking about "all calories being equal" from nutritional standpoint, more so of a weight loss standpoint.
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Replies
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Protein tends to be more filling than carbs, so quite often when someone tries one of these "low-carb" approaches, they will up with less calories and lose weight. But make no mistake - It's the calorie deficit that drives the weightloss; not the carb deficit.
That said, when initially cutting out carbs, one often loses a bunch of water and glycogen weight straight away. The inexperienced dieter sees this show up on the scale and thinks, "WOW! It's working!". But there is no advantage if what you are after is FAT loss, rather than WEIGHT loss.0 -
Thanks. So in conclusion, I shouldn't worry about my love of carbs?0
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Thanks. So in conclusion, I shouldn't worry about my love of carbs?
Not one bit :drinker:0 -
Thanks. So in conclusion, I shouldn't worry about my love of carbs?
Not one bit :drinker:
I'm trying to watch my cholesterol so I guess I'd be better off with higher carbs instead of higher protein then... might change it back to how this site had it set originally. Any thoughts anyone?0 -
Pu got it spot on with his great scientific analysis.
You are fine with any diet plan you choose so long as you get the proper nutrition you need. High carb, low carb, high fat, low fat, etc.0 -
I'm trying to watch my cholesterol so I guess I'd be better off with higher carbs instead of higher protein then... might change it back to how this site had it set originally. Any thoughts anyone?
You can have protein. Just choose lean meats rather than fatty ones. Egg whites, poultry, fish, etc.
Additionally, to help with blood cholesterol, more fiber in the diet. Mechanically speaking, bile helps break down fats into smaller chunks for digestion, and it can be re-used. So, the body stores bile in the gall bladder. Fiber tends to absorb bile and prevent it from being stored. It then goes through the digestive system and pooped out. So now you need more bile. A key component of bile is cholesterol. So, the pancreas creates more bile using a readily available source of cholesterol... blood cholesterol.0 -
Yes DD, I've uped the fibre on MFP already. Thanks
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Sorry, but I just can't agree with the other comments regarding keeping your diet or protein "low fat". I eat a diet based on fat and all of my health problems have vanished, and so is the body fat vanishing (of course, not as quick as the other health issues). Also, for many people (no, i didn't say "all"), high carb intake DOES impede weight loss, and for me, high carb makes me sick in a whole bunch of ways. I eat more veggies than what a person eating a SAD diet is usually eating, and I'm still very low on carbs. No need to cut veggies or fat or protein (quality matters). However, for an experiment, you could try reducing or eliminating grains and sugar and see what happens; and, NO, you won't hurt your health by trying it.0
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I disagree as carbs are processed differently than fats and proteins they also leave you feeling hungrier and contain more calories than something with protein.Thanks. So in conclusion, I shouldn't worry about my love of carbs?
But if you want to consume most of your calories through carbs - have at it.0 -
I am by no means low-carb, and I don't think I ever could be, but I am curious if a calorie is a calorie, why do people lose weight faster (it seems) on Atkins or other low-carb diets?
I am not talking about "all calories being equal" from nutritional standpoint, more so of a weight loss standpoint.
They are merely changing water retention and or inflammation. In the end, over time, all that matters is calories. What backfires with those diets is they are so restrictive that the person gets sick of the food and will someday go crazy eating all the things they were deprived of. Pretty much all diets calling some foods "good" and some foods "bad" will pretty much drive you crazy at some point. A little bit of everything, not all at once, is best, unless you are allergic or it gives you a specific health issue. All that matters is calories.
You body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.
Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You can not make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.
The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.0 -
bump. Very interesting information.0
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Thanks. So in conclusion, I shouldn't worry about my love of carbs?
Not one bit :drinker:
I'm trying to watch my cholesterol so I guess I'd be better off with higher carbs instead of higher protein then... might change it back to how this site had it set originally. Any thoughts anyone?
bad cholesterol numbers are linked to high GI carbs. Not fats. Fats actually have a tendency to decrease HDL(High density Lipids(bad cholesterol)) and increase LDL(Low Density Lipids(Good cholesterol)) .
Absolutely... and all of us who have posted against the grain (pun intended) are now about to get jumped on. I know it's hard to believe saturated fat is good when we have literally had the opposite pushed down our throats for so long, but the evidence to support that is growing (no I won't do your research; go do your own!) and, actually, has always existed (take a look at your aboriginal neighbours, if they are still eating a traditional diet).0 -
I am by no means low-carb, and I don't think I ever could be, but I am curious if a calorie is a calorie, why do people lose weight faster (it seems) on Atkins or other low-carb diets?
I am not talking about "all calories being equal" from nutritional standpoint, more so of a weight loss standpoint.
They are merely changing water retention and or inflammation. In the end, over time, all that matters is calories. What backfires with those diets is they are so restrictive that the person gets sick of the food and will someday go crazy eating all the things they were deprived of. Pretty much all diets calling some foods "good" and some foods "bad" will pretty much drive you crazy at some point. A little bit of everything, not all at once, is best, unless you are allergic or it gives you a specific health issue. All that matters is calories.
You body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.
Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You can not make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.
The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.
Well said. Thanks!0 -
I am by no means low-carb, and I don't think I ever could be, but I am curious if a calorie is a calorie, why do people lose weight faster (it seems) on Atkins or other low-carb diets?
I am not talking about "all calories being equal" from nutritional standpoint, more so of a weight loss standpoint.
They are merely changing water retention and or inflammation. In the end, over time, all that matters is calories. What backfires with those diets is they are so restrictive that the person gets sick of the food and will someday go crazy eating all the things they were deprived of. Pretty much all diets calling some foods "good" and some foods "bad" will pretty much drive you crazy at some point. A little bit of everything, not all at once, is best, unless you are allergic or it gives you a specific health issue. All that matters is calories.
You body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.
Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You can not make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.
The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.
Well said. Thanks!
+1 Thanks for this great explaination. :happy:0 -
A calorie is a calorie is based on 70 years of metabolic ward studies showing that the energy burned by a human being generally doesn't change much when calories remain constant but macro-nutrient ratios change. So you will not lose any more fat on LC than LF of equal calorie count since calories are the predictor of weight loss. However this is not a requirement as far as the thermodynamic laws go, which is a mistake many in the church of "eat less, move more" make, as its conceivable that different metabolic processes could result in different energy expenditure. It does happen in animal studies, but hasn't really been observed in a credible study in humans.
Water weight is the reason you hear all these wild claims about people not losing weight on starvation diets or losing 10 lbs in a week. Actual fat loss is a very continuous process.0 -
I recommend you listen to a free podcast series called The Smarter Science of Slim. The guy talks quite specifically about why the quality of food and the types of calories you consume are the key to sustainable fat loss. He explains how the body's metabolism is managed by our hormones, which in turn are dictated by the quality of the nutrients we eat. Foods that are high in sugars, starchy carbs, and bad fats (as opposed to good ones) do different things to our hormones than do foods that are lean proteins, fiber-filled, and water-based (ie, non-starchy veggies). He also talks about how it's not really the amount of calories you eat, but the quality that dictates fat loss, so a fat-loss eating plan that is realistic & sustainable can be higher in overall calories as long as the calories consumed are quality calories.
And as I've heard more than one nutritionist say, "You can't out-train a bad diet." So calorie quality (diet quality) counts.0 -
yes you should. Your body needs to burn calories for energy. It's easier to burn carbs than fats. Higher protein, lower carb works better if you want to lose fat. If all you want is weight loss, its simply calories in vs calories out. But macros matter if you want the majority of the weight loss to come from fat.Thanks. So in conclusion, I shouldn't worry about my love of carbs?0 -
Calories ---> Change in weight.
Macronutrients----> Change in body composition
Micronutrients
> Health
Going from obese/overweight to a healthy weight will also tend to improve health markers considerably.0 -
My macro's are set 50% Carbs, 25% Protein, 25% Fat and I have managed to lose a few pounds.... Carbs are not the enemy... unless you have health reason to not eat them, if not enjoy them. As long as they fit into your daily needs.... Best of Luck!!!0
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bump to read later 0
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I am a firm believer that calorie is a calorie when it comes to weight loss. People that keep track of their burns and stuff like that are wasting a lot of time. They failed to realize (as the post said) that you metabolic situation may be different.
I do believe that there are ways to force your body to operate more efficiently. And the comment about protein preventing fat loss is crap. If you eat a lot of protein and eat at a deficit, you will lose tons of fat and FAST!! It's worked for many people including myself. Protein is the least likely to be stored as fat. I don't recommend doing it for too long but it works!0 -
How many carbs are you talking about? And is it potato chips and fries? Or whole grains? Vegetables? Brown rice? Whole wheat bread? I think that eating junk just makes me want to eat more junk, but if I eat healthy I feel more satisfied. Drink plenty of water too...0
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I would suggest checking out the American Diabetes Assoc website to understand how your body processes carbs.0
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Thanks. So in conclusion, I shouldn't worry about my love of carbs?
Not one bit :drinker:
I'm trying to watch my cholesterol so I guess I'd be better off with higher carbs instead of higher protein then... might change it back to how this site had it set originally. Any thoughts anyone?
bad cholesterol numbers are linked to high GI carbs. Not fats. Fats actually have a tendency to decrease HDL(High density Lipids(bad cholesterol)) and increase LDL(Low Density Lipids(Good cholesterol)) .
Please take care in what you post. You have this cholesterol information reversed. First of all the HDL is the "good" cholesterol and the LDL is the "bad" cholesterol. Also the mayo clinic lists "Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods" as the top foods to reduce LDL levels because the fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol into your body. Eating foods high in fat will increase your cholesterol levels. Fat's are not all created equal though. Fats from fish and nuts are better than those from meats such as beef. Please double check your information.0 -
People generally lose more weight on restrictive diets because those diets don't allow certain common snacks and impulse items. The snack machine doesn't contain paleo items. Also, carbs like pasta and bread are very calorie dense, which is why they are staples of most agrarian societies.Meat and high fiber vegetables are very filling, so that can make these diets easier to stick to. Finally, I think although a calorie is a calorie, it does take a bit more energy to chew and digest whole foods of all kinds, so there may be a slight edge there too.
Still, given perfect compliance, the twinkie diet will work, although you might feel like crud.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html0 -
Calories ---> Change in weight.
Macronutrients----> Change in body composition
Micronutrients
> Health
Going from obese/overweight to a healthy weight will also tend to improve health markers considerably.
Hmmm, That is something I need to consider since I don't have a lot to lose and currently don't pay much attention to anything but calories. Thanks!0 -
Calories ---> Change in weight.
Macronutrients----> Change in body composition
Micronutrients
> Health
Going from obese/overweight to a healthy weight will also tend to improve health markers considerably.
This is a perfect, simple explanation. Something I knew, but I've never seen it stated so simply. Thanks.0 -
calories are called energy across the pond, since its more of a positive reminder that you don't need to have as much if you arn't going to be doing as much that day.0
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I don't know how to multi-quote but this thread completely made my day. :drinker:0
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I am by no means low-carb, and I don't think I ever could be, but I am curious if a calorie is a calorie, why do people lose weight faster (it seems) on Atkins or other low-carb diets?
I am not talking about "all calories being equal" from nutritional standpoint, more so of a weight loss standpoint.
They are merely changing water retention and or inflammation. In the end, over time, all that matters is calories. What backfires with those diets is they are so restrictive that the person gets sick of the food and will someday go crazy eating all the things they were deprived of. Pretty much all diets calling some foods "good" and some foods "bad" will pretty much drive you crazy at some point. A little bit of everything, not all at once, is best, unless you are allergic or it gives you a specific health issue. All that matters is calories.
You body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.
Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You can not make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.
The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.
This make tremendous sense to me AND matches my experience so far...thanks for vocalizing what I have suspected...0
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