A calorie is NOT a calorie

Our body processes certain foods differently, why do people constantly want to debate that. You may lose weight eating junk food, but you may not be doing anything to improve your health. Thin does not automatically equal healthy. And for some people certain foods may inhibit weight loss.

If you can eat whatever you want and avoid diabetes, heart disease, insulin resistance, high blood pressure and cholesterol, good for you but not everyone can. Whether you practice clean eating or not, healthy eating habits should be encouraged, especially on a fitness sight.

How does this relate to the OPs initial claim?

Her claim is that the quality of the calories matter, so I find my post to be valid. Anytime this point is made you see a flood of comments from people who say they eat pizza and ice cream and lose weight, as if that is a badge of honor on a health and fitness site. I lost weight that way too on weight watchers staying within my points, but it certainly did nothing to help my PCOS until I adopted healthier habits. My husband, a former athlete who works out 5 times a week and is in great shape and ate whatever he wanted without gaining, now has high blood pressure. I do understand we don't all have the same goals, some people want to lose weight, some people want to get healthy, some people want to lose weight and get healthy. I don't see why the latter is so hard for some to fathom.

The OPs post was that she had found an article that 'proved' that eating clean caused her weight loss - but that article actually did no such thing,

I am not, saying and have not, said that you should not have a balanced diet (what I mean by that is a decent amount of nutrient rich food). But I still fail to see the relevency to the actual article and the claim being made. Also, you seem to think that eating ice cream means that you cannot have a 'healthy diet'. You can, and I do not see what is hard to fathom about that.

Ice cream or anything in moderation can be part of a healthy diet, but when posters make an effort of writing a post to debunk clean eating talking about all the ice cream and pizza they eat and that what you eat doesn't matter as long as you are under your calorie goal, in my opinion that is not promoting a healthy diet. I'm no eat clean purist, but I do recognize the affects sugar has on my body and others. When I have it, I want more and more of it. When I don't have it, I don't really miss it. Protein certainly doesn't have that affect on me. Never had a burger and was fiending for burgers for days and days. So my point was just that I find posters go out of their way to criticize clean eating or calorie is not a calorie comments by saying they eat whatever.

You must be seeing something I am not. I saw ONE person state that they find ice-cream and pizza delicious, which is is btw. Thats it. I did not actually see any criticism.

hi,

this sounds really interesting but what are considered to be 'high-quality foods?'

You're totally right. Pizza and chocolate calories are more delicious than other calories.

haha this made me giggle

Anyone have a link to mayo clinic study because I can't find it? The details in the article aren't enough to make any real conclusion from.

A couple of the others he is referencing have nothing to do with clean/dirty eating but are comparisons between low carb and low fat diets.

I could not find it and the OP had not read further than the article itself when I asked - I also could not find reference to clean eating either. I would like to see it also as there are no real details as you note. They mention 'low quality food' and 'high quality food' but no definition of what they mean by that. However, on searching the 4 'studies' noted, they all appear to be re carbs. So it seems as the the 'quality' is in relation to low/high carbs as you note. I think there is a misunderstanding as to the definitions here. High quality =/= 'clean'.

The Mayo reference may be referring to the study noted in this article (odd site to use, sorry, but it came up when I did some google-fu and it does not link to the actual study). http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203462304577138993430777580.html. It actually indicates that a calorie IS a calorie however from a macro perspective when looking at fat gain.

Jeez b'ys, she was just sharing an article. Relax!

Thanks for sharing. I was always under the impression that a calorie is a calorie so this is a must consider for me.

From having a quick look through the sources in the article, none actually seem to relate to "eating clean" and just seem to relate to macro nutrients. Was only a quick look through, however.

To each his own and if a person wants to eat "dirty" that is his or her prerogative, but I am living proof that eating clean and what you want works. Period.

How do you know it specifically came from that?

Not for instance, from total calorie intake or other life style changes?

Everyone is different.

So I'd suggest that even if you're sure that this was the cause, the statement should be that it works for you.

It's often quoted that you can't build muscle on a calorie deficit, yet I can to some degree.
Some people no doubt can't.

LOL How do I know it came from that? Well, lets see. After 5 years of changing my lifestyle, when I started clean eating I stared looking younger(in the face). I went to a party of some friends I have not seen in a while and several people were almost making fools of themselves talking about how great I look. Please feel free to check out the pics in my profile and tell me if you think I look 44. I look better now than I did when I was in my 30s. I have been told several times in the last year that I look like I am in my mid to late 20s to early 30s. People do not believe I am in my 40s and demand to see my drivers license. I also am responsible enough to go to the dr every year and this year when my blood work came back the nurse called and said, "what ever you are doing, keep doing it".


I can not seem to comprehend why anyone would want to promote eating crap food. We are what we eat, what we put in our bodies is 100% responsible for the way it responds to it.

I listen to the podcast, it's very interesting...

Interesting term...."unclogged metabolism", wonder what it means.....

Bump

Hmmm....i'm losing fat at a good clip and I ate 1/2 a pizza last night and ice cream.
wonder what% of whole vs processed they used.

Personally I like an 80:20 ratio.

Ok, I believe that MFP is not just for losing weight, but a integral part of my choice to live a healthy lifestyle. A calorie is not just a calorie to me just like the number on the scale is not just a number to me anymore. It's a guideline.

With that said, I believe my skin, hair, energy level all improves at my current weight I want to maintain if I eat more calories from the "super foods" list vs another baskin robbins run. So if I choose avocados over ice cream, I am making a better choice for me. Choose salmon over prime rib, I am making a better choice for me.

Not saying you can't maintain a weight or ability to lift weights on ice cream, but at 53, I need to invest my calories in foods that help me feel and look better.

The real point is, why does it have to be either/or? Why can't you choose both ice cream and avocados, and have salmon and prime rib? That's what balance is all about.

A calorie IS a calorie, in much the same way a mile is a mile.

Running a mile uphill requires more effort than walking a mile down a gentle grade. But it's still... a mile.

That's an interesting analogy. So which calories are "uphill" and which calories are "downhill"?

Our body processes certain foods differently, why do people constantly want to debate that. You may lose weight eating junk food, but you may not be doing anything to improve your health. Thin does not automatically equal healthy. And for some people certain foods may inhibit weight loss.

If you can eat whatever you want and avoid diabetes, heart disease, insulin resistance, high blood pressure and cholesterol, good for you but not everyone can. Whether you practice clean eating or not, healthy eating habits should be encouraged, especially on a fitness sight.

Totally agree ^^

A calorie IS a calorie, in much the same way a mile is a mile.

Running a mile uphill requires more effort than walking a mile down a gentle grade. But it's still... a mile.

That's an interesting analogy. So which calories are "uphill" and which calories are "downhill"?

Doesn't matter.... I don't think of any of them as good or bad. They all have a place in my life. :happy: I get adequate protein and fat, and let the carbs fall where they may.

Wasn't thinking in terms of good or bad. I was wondering if some required more "work" which I think might have been the original point of this thread. I really don't know. I mean I enjoy running up hills. It's harder to do but I get more out of it.