Is a calorie a calorie?

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Aundrea242
Aundrea242 Posts: 21
in Health and Weight Loss
I get so many mixed messages. While I understand eating good is the best way to go for your overall health, but when it comes to weight gain is a calorie a calorie? Let’s say I eat 100 calorie dessert verses a 100 calorie piece of fish, would it make a difference when trying to lose weight?
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  • thecheesybrie
    thecheesybrie Posts: 47 Member
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    It makes a HUGE difference. You can "live' on just candy, but you're not going to be healthy and you'll be hungry all the time and not get nutrients that assist in the processes in the body that contribute to weight loss!
  • thecheesybrie
    thecheesybrie Posts: 47 Member
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    Ideally, to lose weight the healthy way, we should include healthy fats (avocado, fatty fish, walnuts, chia seeds, coconut) high quality protein like turkey, fish, venison, rabbit... and healthy carbs that help keep you full and give your body the energy it needs during weight loss like green leafy veggies, colourful fruit and whole grains like rice and oats.
  • Aundrea242
    Aundrea242 Posts: 21
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    I absolutely agree that eating healthy is better, but I am just curious.
  • kacarter1017
    kacarter1017 Posts: 651 Member
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    In it's most simple form, a calorie is a calorie. BUT, if you ate 1200 calories of crap long term, you wouldn't feel very good and your weight loss could slow or stop because your body isn't getting the right nutrients. On a personal note, I've found as I get older, my body is more sensitive to "bad" calories. I think it's the refined sugar and/or salt found in those "bad" calories that will stop my weight loss in it's tracks. So, eating a balanced diet, including the occasional treat, gives you all the appropriate nutrients, and a taste of sweet and salty that most of us seem to need.
  • MandyMason7
    MandyMason7 Posts: 185 Member
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    No, it doesn't make a difference. Enjoy your dessert!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I get so many mixed messages.

    So how is starting yet another thread on a topic that has been beaten to death a hundred thousand times going to produce anything other than more "mixed messages"?
  • Aundrea242
    Aundrea242 Posts: 21
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    So how is starting yet another thread on a topic that has been beaten to death a hundred thousand times going to produce anything other than more "mixed messages"?
    [/quote]

    I am new and I did not know it has been posted several times. But thanks for being such a kind person.
  • Aundrea242
    Aundrea242 Posts: 21
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    Thank you Kacarter.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    there's multiple reasons why a calorie isn't just a calorie.

    Putting aside alcohol, which is a whole different kettle of fish (in a super bad way), different types of macronutrients are processed differently, protein for instance can be used by the body as either a building block for lean mass or as energy in the form of calories, if used as energy it's broken down into it's constituent pieces then reformed into molecules usable for energy, which takes longer in the body and is done at a different spot in the digestive tract than is a carbohydrate, fat also has it's own process.

    Even within the confines of carbohydrates there are differences in how fast they are processed for use. And the time it takes to convert a unit of nutrience into usable energy plays a huge role in how "good" for you it is. By that I mean, highly processed carbohydrates like enriched flower or table sugar are taken up almost immediately by the body and used, where as foods that contain fiber and are made up of polysaccharides must be first released from their "shell" (the fiber and other non-digestable material) before they can be used and in some cases must first be cleaved in order to rebuild them as the usable glucose the body uses as fuel (or converted to fat for storage and use).

    So you see, while from an energy standpoint, it doesn't matter where a calorie comes from or what form it takes, but the amount of time and energy it takes for the body to process it for use is a huge factor in whether you are supplying the "slow trickle" of energy your body needs for every day use, or floods into the body creating a saturation point of energy where as extra is stored as fat.
  • cruciia
    cruciia Posts: 94 Member
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    This may have been brought up before but if the OP still doesn't understand a question, I don't think there is any negative in explaining further.

    Essentially, a calorie is a calorie. HOWEVER, take your bad calories in strict moderation. There is no harm in a piece of chocolate 1-2 times a week, but 400 calories of chocolate daily is another story. A delicious yet unhealthy story.
  • Aundrea242
    Aundrea242 Posts: 21
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    SHboss thanks that was informative and I appreciate it.

    Britawatson my down fall is International Delight creamer with sugar in my coffee. I have two cups of coffee in the morning and in the evening I have tea with sugar. I only have one cup of tea., but I use four teaspoons of sugar and I know that is bad. The cup of green tea I have in the evening is like my little addiction. I also love the Weight Watchers cookie dough sundae that has a 140 calories. I am trying so hard to get away from it. I stopped putting sugar in my coffee and I am trying so hard to wing myself off the others.
  • ashenriver
    ashenriver Posts: 498 Member
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    In terms of weight loss: a calorie is a calorie.
    To lose weight you need a calorie deficit, your body does not care where those calories come from


    In terms of health: 1 calorie does not equal 1 calorie

    "All calories are equal but some calories are more equal than others"

    This is where there is a lot of debate in regards to what calories/macros/micro are best and in what ratio.
    Some people prefer low carb, others swear by higher protein. It all depends on your goal and how your body reacts to different foods.
  • davepearson86
    davepearson86 Posts: 158 Member
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    For weight loss yea a calorie is a calorie. However for staying full crap calories never work for me. If you want a 100 calorie desert go for it.
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
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    in terms of straight weight loss, a calorie is a calorie. wether you eat 1300 calories of cookies or 1300 calories of broccoli... its 1300 calories, and as long as you are putting out over 1300 calories of energy, you will be in a deficit, and will eventually lose weight.
  • 2essie
    2essie Posts: 2,863 Member
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    I think I have read somewhere on here that the body uses carbs for energy before fat so therefore, if this is true, the carbs in the desert may slow down the weight loss. I don't know how true this is. Maybe someone with more knowledge could answer this.
  • ali4579
    ali4579 Posts: 24 Member
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    is a calorie a calorie?

    Only when it's not a kilocalorie...

    Sorry, that wasn't useful but I just couldn't resist ;) There are people on both sides of the fence. My opinion that strictly speaking for losing weight, all calories are created equal. But for general health, energy and wellbeing, you probably should limit junk food where possible :)
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    Your macros are going to matter to body composition as you lose if you are doing the kind of exercise that can preserve lean mass. You want to eat enough protein to support the muscle. Protein is also generally agreed to be more filling.

    Sugar and fast carbs can really matter in weight loss if you have any condition that includes insulin issues (diabetes, insulin resistance). I don't know whether the sugar spikes cause food cravings and hunger in normal-insulin people, but watch for that. Otherwise, you're fine if it fits your macros, imho.

    On just the health front, for the fats, I really do think it's important for health to eat more 'good' fats than 'bad' fats. You might eat a few nuts or have a teeny bit of olive oil on something to help balance out that creamer. That sort of thing. And eat enough fiber.

    Then you have vitamin and mineral minimums to try to meet, just for health. But if someone is really restricting calories, those become very, very important. And you can't just eat chocolate all day like I'd like :D. That would make anyone deficient eventually ;)
  • missing75
    missing75 Posts: 26 Member
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    In terms of weight loss: a calorie is a calorie.
    To lose weight you need a calorie deficit, your body does not care where those calories come from


    In terms of health: 1 calorie does not equal 1 calorie

    "All calories are equal but some calories are more equal than others"

    This is where there is a lot of debate in regards to what calories/macros/micro are best and in what ratio.
    Some people prefer low carb, others swear by higher protein. It all depends on your goal and how your body reacts to different foods.

    THIS!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    In terms of weight loss: a calorie is a calorie.
    To lose weight you need a calorie deficit, your body does not care where those calories come from


    In terms of health: 1 calorie does not equal 1 calorie

    "All calories are equal but some calories are more equal than others"

    This is where there is a lot of debate in regards to what calories/macros/micro are best and in what ratio.
    Some people prefer low carb, others swear by higher protein. It all depends on your goal and how your body reacts to different foods.

    THIS!
    +2

    regardless of the debate to lose weight yes a calorie is a calorie...

    for health or body composition you need to look deeper.

    I don't want to just lose weight...I want to lose fat so I do the following:

    1. Eat at a reasonable deficet....that way I lose the "weight"
    2. I lift heavy weights 3x a week to help maintain my muscle...not build them.
    3. Because I lift weights and want to keep as much muscle as i can...I eat at least 120g of protien a day to aid in the repair along with enough fat and carbs for the energy.

    To give you an idea of what that does...I weigh 162.5lbs and wear a lose size 8....I am smaller at 162 then I was at 140 in High School.

    ETA: I think if you watch what people say those of us that say a calorie is a calorie always say for weight loss and agree that for health or body comp macros are important....
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
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    In terms of weight loss, a calorie is a calorie and it's all about a calorie deficit. It doesn't hurt to keep an eye on your macros (especially protein), but at the end of the day, it really does come down to calories and math.

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