Calories are NOT equal

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  • Wildflower0106
    Wildflower0106 Posts: 247 Member
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    Bullsh!t! Well at least for me... I actually have a lot of sensitivities to so called "healthy" foods. I eat 80/ 20. I lost weight, decreased body fat percent, no longer have to take perscription medications and no longer have any health problems. I look at my overall diet and not just one or two specific foods. My overall diet is healthy and nutritious and I easily meet macros but I am still able to enjoy foods I love. I am a hobby baker, I will be making double fudge peanut butter brownies today! They will be delicious and I will have one but it isn't unhealthy because the rest of my day is full of fresh veggies and lean proteins. Of course some weekends will be "junkier" but again my overall diet is fresh and nutritious. I have been maintaining for two years (I also have not had any health issues), I must have made a few good decisions along the way.
  • nikkylyn
    nikkylyn Posts: 325 Member
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    I Agree healthy foods are better. But for most of us we will fail If we attempt to never eat fast food or sweets soda etc again. As Long as you limit the bad stuff u can enjoy it sometimes. To Say I can never have a soda or candy bar again is just CRAZY!!!
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
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    Nice to see a fresh discussion on MFP for once. /sarcasm

    Here are a couple of excellent resources for learning about proper nutrition, and the importance of both calories and nutrient density in food:

    http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/ - Steve Troutman
    http://impruvism.com/healthy-diet/ - Armi Legge
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
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    Bullsh!t! Well at least for me... I actually have a lot of sensitivities to so called "healthy" foods. I eat 80/ 20. I lost weight, decreased body fat percent, no longer have to take perscription medications and no longer have any health problems. I look at my overall diet and not just one or two specific foods. My overall diet is healthy and nutritious and I easily meet macros but I am still able to enjoy foods I love. I am a hobby baker, I will be making double fudge peanut butter brownies today! They will be delicious and I will have one but it isn't unhealthy because the rest of my day is full of fresh veggies and lean proteins. Of course some weekends will be "junkier" but again my overall diet is fresh and nutritious. I have been maintaining for two years (I also have not had any health issues), I must have made a few good decisions along the way.

    tumblr_mf28kdYQJL1rlm565o1_400.jpg

    also, your 130lbs lost and maintained for 2 years sorta debunks that nonsense above about "bad" calories being responsible for obesity, huh?

    :drinker:
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    I eat pretty much what I want, when I want
    This ^^.
  • cherylad
    cherylad Posts: 11 Member
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    How about we discuss the fact that 1lb of fat doesn't weigh the same as 1lb of muscle.


    oh gawd....let's PLEASE not have this discussion again.

    OP. A calorie is a calorie...unit of measure of energy and the body does not care where it came from, it only burns the calorie to keep us alive (as previously stated by my esteemed colleagues). Now, if you want to have the discussion of achieving daily vitamin and nutrient goals, sure, you have a point. MFP and my FL have GREATLY helped me identify where my intake was lacking in that arena. I would offer, speaking for myself only, that sometimes I want a greasy *kitten* cheeseburger on a white bun with extra BAAAAACON! I may or may not be under my calorie goal that day because of it....but that cheeseburger kept me in the game. In fact I had one last night! It was glorious and I heard Angels singing in the background as I ate it! I was still under my calorie goal because I lift and run like a EFF'n BEAST!

    I kept reading the topic because the macro/micro topic is really of interest to me at this point and I'm very curious about it. Plus I've been at the same point for a while (after a 10 pound bump following a period of intense stress) so that is frustrating me.

    BUT ... I'm replying now because this post made me crack the hell up. I agree as well, but showing to give some love. Hysterical.
  • sinistras
    sinistras Posts: 244 Member
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    Well, I agree with you OP.

    Yes, it also shows in your skin. Not kidding mine glows, when it use to be full of break outs and dull and dry, because I don't eat near the junk anymore. Some calories give you more bang for the buck.

    So the rest of ya can all go on your "calorie is a calorie" thing but at least my calories are giving me super model skin, strong nails, and thicker glossier hair. :-D Neener neener NEENER.
  • kuroi19
    kuroi19 Posts: 45
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    Often times I eat bad food too.
    Sorry OP but get off your high horse, not everyone has the means or the money/lifestyle to afford to switch fully to grilled chicken and veg but a lot of people want to lose weight. You do it healthy? good. But still respect the people that don't, because they care equally about how they look and should not be ridiculed for eating "crap". You are trying really hard to diminish somebody's success and that is ugly.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    :huh:
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Well, I agree with you OP.

    Yes, it also shows in your skin. Not kidding mine glows, when it use to be full of break outs and dull and dry, because I don't eat near the junk anymore. Some calories give you more bang for the buck.

    So the rest of ya can all go on your "calorie is a calorie" thing but at least my calories are giving me super model skin, strong nails, and thicker glossier hair. :-D Neener neener NEENER.
    1883391_o.gif
  • kmamaward
    kmamaward Posts: 11 Member
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    I think my low carb high fat choice is a good fit for me and me alone. A calorie is a calorie but how healthy is that calorie.
  • sinistras
    sinistras Posts: 244 Member
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    But I had to stop eating it because
    A) It was shredding the roof of my mouth
    B) I could eat the whole box in one sitting, despite bloody mouth.

    Actually haven't had since I was probably 10, don't miss it, but still have fond memories. Too bad his title of Captain was questioned recently by the US. Navy.

    [/quote]
    captain crunch with crunch berries is processed like HELL but very nutritious. and tasty!
    [/quote]
  • sinistras
    sinistras Posts: 244 Member
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    Well, I agree with you OP.

    Yes, it also shows in your skin. Not kidding mine glows, when it use to be full of break outs and dull and dry, because I don't eat near the junk anymore. Some calories give you more bang for the buck.

    So the rest of ya can all go on your "calorie is a calorie" thing but at least my calories are giving me super model skin, strong nails, and thicker glossier hair. :-D Neener neener NEENER.
    1883391_o.gif

    Awesome GIF! Love it! My feelings exactly to the meatheads who believe all calories are equal.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Well, I agree with you OP.

    Yes, it also shows in your skin. Not kidding mine glows, when it use to be full of break outs and dull and dry, because I don't eat near the junk anymore. Some calories give you more bang for the buck.

    So the rest of ya can all go on your "calorie is a calorie" thing but at least my calories are giving me super model skin, strong nails, and thicker glossier hair. :-D Neener neener NEENER.
    1883391_o.gif

    Awesome GIF! Love it! My feelings exactly to the meatheads who believe all calories are equal.
    My thoughts exactly to the people who look like hammered dogs**t trying to tell me what I should and shouldn't eat.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    In late for ridiculous claims
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
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    I have been surprised to find so many people staying under their calorie goal, yet when you see what they eat is shocks me. Yes, they stayed under, BUT they ate crap! Fast food, processed foods, white breads, and soda.

    This site is great for calorie counting and nutrition data, but it doesn't teach how to eat to fuel your body the best way possible. You body is not going to burn/use those crap calories the same way healthy foods will. When you eat healthy, your body burns it fast and uses pretty much every bit of that food, but when you eat processed, high sodium and fat foods, you will more then likely store some of that food into fat. Proof? Give a person the same number of calories but one eats all the healthy/clean foods while the other eats the junk. Whose body looks better? Also, it's not just weight gain that's affected, it's your hair and skin health too.

    When you eat healthy, you feel healthy :)

    What do YOU think?

    I agree with you that we need to think about eating the best healthiest food for us as much as possible. I also believe in eating the right amount of micronutrients for the body, which you will find in fruit, veg, and grains.
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    A calorie is a unit of measurement 1 cal=1cal, 1mile=1mile, 1 gram= 1 gram etc It does not change because of your personal preference or even because of the nutritional values of the food they are obtained from.

    Maybe your snarky thread should be relabeled to "My dietary preferences are superior to yours!" or something similar.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I think to lose weight all that you have to do is eat less than you burn. To keep losing weight and maintain the lose you have to enjoy what you eat. If it's not sustainable for a person why do it?
    And I approached it differently. To get the weight off I changed how I ate, and found many new things I enjoy. To keep the weight off I eat those things. For me that's sustainable. For me saying: 20 doritos now, and 30 when I'm at goal weight was not sustainable.

    We EACH have to decide what's sustainable for us.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    a calorie is a calorie
    ^This

    And besides it's all about the calorie deficit if your aim is losing weight (notice I said weight not fat)
    Yep. And then we have to maintain. And we each have to figure out how that's easiest to do. Yes, there's math involved, but how we get to that number will vary for each of us.
  • VpinkLotus
    VpinkLotus Posts: 849 Member
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    This debate seems fairly ridiculous when you consider that the following two statements are pretty much universally agreed to be true:

    1.) Calories in versus calories out is what determines *weight* (not necessarily *fat*) gain or loss.
    2.) Eating a variety of fresh, real, "whole" foods will do much better at providing the nutrients one needs for overall health and vitality than eating garbage.

    Can anyone actually argue with those points?

    If not, then why are we fighting about it? ;)

    This ^
    I think OP has a good point. Making the most of the calories you consume is the best thing for your body. But if you are trying to lose Lbs. and not concerned about health, then yes it is a numbers game. cals in vs cals out is what detremines loss or gain.

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