Not all calories are created equal??

cmcollins001

A friend and coworker is a big Atkins fan and has been trying to convience me that not all calories are created equal. While I'm not of that school of thought, he continues to send me articles upon occasion to "prove his point" and as a point of conversation. Here is the latest article he sent me.

http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/news/20120626/all-calories-not-created-equal-study-suggests?page=1

Opinions?

cyberiarob

I agree with that concept. Sure weight loss is just calories in minus calories burned, but different foods have different effects on your body and metabolism.

blu_meanie_ca

No matter whether you are low, moderate, or average carb - there is such thing as too many carbs. High insulin levels no only promote weight gain (as insulins job is to convert blood sugar to fat), but also make it harder to loose weight. With (an estimated) 40-50% of the population either pre diabetic or diabetic, following a reduced carb diet is generally a good place to start for any one. (Getting diet and weight under control can reverse insulin resistance and in some cases type 2 diabetes).

rm7161

a calorie is a calorie, but how your body gains energy from metabolising different kinds of food does change depending on what kind of food it is. A sugary food is definitely not the same as a protein rich food is not the same as a starchy food, and even different sugars and starches metabolise at different rates and different ways.

SeaJenni

Weight loss is about calories. I had a long response, but I'm scared to even touch this subject.

trudijoy

ugh i hate people that try to prove their point to that extent. i reckon do what is right for you, thank him, and ask him to just let you try things this way before you go changing things up. From what i've heard of Atkins it doesn't seem that great....

CoachReddy

two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.

do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?

rm7161

two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.

do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?

You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.

Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.

CoachReddy

two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.

do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?

You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.

Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.

that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.

cmcollins001

two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.

do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?

You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.

Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.

that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.

While I understand where you're going with this analogy, unless there are several concrete studies to back up this theory, it's still strictly speculation. There are plenty of fit people who eat tons of ice cream and pizza and look just as ripped and fit as someone who eats "clean."

Bumbeen

two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.

do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?

You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.

Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.

that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.

While I understand where you're going with this analogy, unless there are several concrete studies to back up this theory, it's still strictly speculation. There are plenty of fit people who eat tons of ice cream and pizza and look just as ripped and fit as someone who eats "clean."

But looking ripped isn't all there is to health.

Acg67

two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.

do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?

You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.

Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.

that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.

If you held cals and macros constant, I bet they wouldn't look dramatically different

Matt_Wild

A calorie is a unit of measurement, they are equal.

However the conversion of the macros to energy and/or fat is not identical.

Protein loses 25-30% of its value if it has to be converted to energy. Carbs 6-8% and fat 2-3%.

So depends how you look at it.

joleenl

two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.

do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?

You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.

Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.

that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.

If you held cals and macros constant, I bet they wouldn't look dramatically different

A calorie is a calorie - I agree its a measurement unit. Different bodies respond differently to different foods - I completely agree.

On the indentically twins comment, I guess it depends why you are losing weight.... To look good and to be thin or to be healthy and hopefully look good and thin. I would love to look good but how I feel or my health being the quality of my life and longevity of my life is most important. I choose to make every calorie count towards health. As an added bonus, when you eat healthy its usaully better for our environment too!

EvgeniZyntx

two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.

do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?

You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.

Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.

that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.

If you held cals and macros constant, I bet they wouldn't look dramatically different

Excluded middle.
If twin A ate 80% raw and the other ate 20% raw, I bet you couldn't tell them apart.

Yes, at extreme diets ends function of calories differ because transport systems are effected. For the majority of people, in the majority of situations a calorie is a calorie is sufficient for weight loss.

1) Calories - to a limit
2) Macro nutrients to assure sufficient fat and protein
3) Variety for micro nutrients

Everything else is ju-ju. It really depends on what helps you remain successful.

parttimeanorexia

This is called the study of thermo-genics. Protein is the least able to be stored as fat because it has to be metabolically broken down. Next is fat then carbohydrates.

AnabolicKyle

as posted earlier

insulin affects weight gain
the macros you eat affect your metabolism for example so if you eat high protein it actually takes a little more energy to use those calories promoting weight loss.

but as long as you eat sensible and are in a manageable caloric deficit your good to go.


food for thought

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2092071/Stacey-Irvine-17-collapses-eating-McDonalds-chicken-nuggets-age-2.html

chocl8girl

Meh. At the highest level, weight loss is about calories, period. Individually, different types of food may affect different people in different ways. Find out which way your own body reacts to different foods, and leave everyone else alone to find their own way. YMMV.

/end

AnabolicKyle

But looking ripped isn't all there is to health.

blasphemy!!!!

apparently someone has never been to Hollywood!

myofibril

two twins (genetically identical) people eating identical amounts of calories, but one eats nothing but processed "bad" foods and another eats only raw whole foods.

do you think they'll look different? do you think their vitals will be different?

You need more than calories to live. You could consume nothing but raw fresh honey and have nutritional deficiencies, though it works fine for bees.

Calories are just a unit of energy, nothing more. Part of the puzzle but not the entire picture.

that was my point. the two people in my example would look drastically different.

If you held cals and macros constant, I bet they wouldn't look dramatically different

Yup, I would go so far as to say the real world differences would be negligible.

BurtHuttz

A calorie is a unit of measurement, they are equal.

I'm glad someone said this. A "calorie" is a "calorie" in the same way that if a = a, then a = a, and also vice versa, and inverse 1/a = 1/a and squared and rooted and so on.

Now, drinking 1,000 calories of lemon juice might feel different than 1,000 calories of apple juice . . .

eta: (turns out to be 16 cups of lemon juice vs 8 cups of apple juice. Yum!)