Are all calories created equal?

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bethwr1
bethwr1 Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've struggled with an extra 10-15 pounds most of my adult life, and I've never been much of a fad dieter, but this carbohydrate/protein thing has me thinking..

We know that protein stays longer in your system than carbohydrates, and that carbohydrates are used as quick fuel.

By that logic, do we assume that a high protein meal would cause you to expend more energy in digestion, and therefor may result in a net faster weight loss vs. eating a total carbohydrate meal?

Or is this all such a miniscule difference that I should just eat a 1200 calorie balanced diet and forget about it?

Replies

  • dontwantausername1
    dontwantausername1 Posts: 120 Member
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    I just eat whatever I want as long as it fits into my calories. Some people will tell you to eat clean and healthy, but I don't. I believe all calories are equal.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
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    I've struggled with an extra 10-15 pounds most of my adult life, and I've never been much of a fad dieter, but this carbohydrate/protein thing has me thinking..

    We know that protein stays longer in your system than carbohydrates, and that carbohydrates are used as quick fuel.

    By that logic, do we assume that a high protein meal would cause you to expend more energy in digestion, and therefor may result in a net faster weight loss vs. eating a total carbohydrate meal?

    Or is this all such a miniscule difference that I should just eat a 1200 calorie balanced diet and forget about it?

    "carbohydrates are used as quick fuel." High sugar yes, such as cookies and ice cream yes. but Veggies no..
  • BelliDancer
    BelliDancer Posts: 25 Member
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    I don't believe that all calories are equal. In my experience, if I spend a lot of my calories on carbs, sugar and alcohol ... even if I stay within my limits, it stalls my weight loss. If I spend the same amount by having a protein shake for breakfast, and watching my carbs the rest of the day, I always get a better result. I envy people who say it makes no difference to them. I believe for them it must be true, but some of us are not so lucky. If I could, I would spend my calories on eating crap but my body does not take it kindly. Perhaps you should experiment for yourself ... do one week eating whatever and the next upping your protein etc and see if you experience a difference.
  • ultrahush
    ultrahush Posts: 23 Member
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    Some things work for different people. It's about finding what works for you. I have recently started using MFP to work on the "final stretch" of my weight loss/fitness journey... I have been gradually working on a relatively low carb, high protein/fat diet for going on five years and have lost nearly 50 lbs in the process. Foods high in carbohydrates rarely satiate me and I spend the day feeling like I am sugar crashing and starving. But this is just me.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    yes a calorie = 4.184000 joules.

    It is a unit of energy and a calorie=a calorie = a calorie to infinity and beyond (to quote one of my fav movies)
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    You are referring to TEF - Thermic Effect of Food - protein is higher than carbs - i.e. it takes more calories to digest.

    However, you cannot look at it in a vacuum.

    - unless you go to extremes, the impact is pretty small
    - having carbs too low can lead to performance issues - therefore negating the incremental energy expenditure from TEF.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
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    a calorie is a unit of measuring energy. so yes, calories are all created equal. foods that contain calories are not. they have varying levels of macronutrients, micronutrients, moisture, fiber. you have to find your balance of appropriate nutritional value while keeping in mind what you're willing and able to eat, and what tastes good to you. a variety of foods of a variety of types will give you the nutritional balance you need.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    I'd say there's two issues here.

    Calories in vs Calories out.
    TEF is part of 'Calories out'. More protein may mean you lose weight a little quicker compared to the same amount of carbs or whatever, when looked at alone.
    You might as well be eating 1150 calories with carbs for the same amount of energy.

    BUT, getting the right amount of macro nutrients and to some degree micronutrients CAN have an affect - such as ensuring it's fat rather than muscle you are losing. Especially when mixed with weights.

    All CALORIES are created equal - by their very definition.

    Not all food is as far as body composition goes. It's not a case of one being bad and another good - merely getting the right amounts of each to further your desired goals.
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
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    certainly not,


    some are much tastier than others.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    No they are not all created equally. Protein does take longer to digest, however the additional time in digestion is small and not significant.

    What is significant is what energy value we get from each calorie! calories from protein for example are not all used as fuel for the body - the first 20 - 30g of protein we consume each day is used by the body to maintain and repair muscle and is not used for fuel.

    Post production in some carbs 20% of the energy can be lost post digestion (and not used by the body as fuel).
  • twistyshakes
    twistyshakes Posts: 30 Member
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    It kinda depends on your metabolism type. Whether you're a slow/fast/normal oxidizer. It doesn't work for everyone, but it worked for me. I don't lose weight on high protein/low carb diets. I only lose weight on high carb (complex/vegetables) low protein and minimal fat diets.
    This should better explain it to you:
    From Caloriecount.com forum:
    Metabolic Typing

    If you you may be thinking that as long as you stay within your caloric range for the week, you can eat whatever you want. Although it’s true that at a basic level weight loss is simple math, there is more to losing weight and getting healthy than just numbers. As you restrict your caloric intake, it is absolutely essential that you eat the right kinds of food to build muscle, strengthen your immune system, and stay energized throughout the process. Sounds simple, right? It would be, except that the way to do this is different for everyone.

    Determining Your Metabolic Type
    For many years nutritional science has taken a generic, overly standardized approach to health and weight loss. This is why there is no one diet that works for everyone. There was all that hype about the Atkins diet, but Kelly, one of my contestants on The Biggest Loser, lost just one pound in a month of sticking to Atkins. Because I know that we are all different and need to diet according to our specific body’s characteristics, I was able to coach her to lose fifty-five pounds in three months. We were working together on the show, and she lost thirty-five more after that.

    Why? Inherited genetics make each one of us unique, from the color of our hair right down to the way our organs function. This uniqueness extends to the way our cells convert nutrients into energy. In order to know how to get the most nutritional bang for your calorie buck, you need to understand your unique metabolic type. Once you do, you can begin to custom design your new dietary lifestyle around the foods that will help you achieve and maintain your ideal weight while also optimizing your physical energy, strength, and mental clarity.

    Metabolic typing is really just fancy talk for figuring out how your body processes what you eat—more specifically, how your body deals with the three basic macronutrients in food: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Imagine that you are a furnace: your body takes the food you eat and burns it with oxygen to convert its caloric content into energy. This process is known as oxidation, and it’s how the carb content in your food gets turned into glucose and released into the blood. When glucose is released into the blood, the pancreas is cued to release insulin to “clean” your blood of any sugar that is not being used by the body as energy and carry it to your cells, where it gets stored as fat. The fact that we all oxidize the nutrients in our food in different ways is the reason why a particular diet will work for one person and not for another. If you know more about how the nutrients in your food act on your system, you can avoid a lot of unnecessary pitfalls and really maximize your results as you continue on your journey toward total health.
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
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    Carbs cause you to retain 4 grams of water for each gram of carbs. So you will be carrying water weight. I cut back on carbs and the weight came off quickly and I'm 72 years old.
  • bgarganera
    bgarganera Posts: 22
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    To keep it simple

    Calories = weight loss/weight gain
    Macronutrients (Carbs, Protein & Fat) = Body Composition

    Just because the scale says you're losing weight, doesn't mean all of that weight is body fat. (hence the "skinny fat" look many people tend to get)

    Getting the ideal macronutrient ratio for your body is ideal if you're concerned with your actual body composition opposed to just numbers on the scale.

    GOOD LUCK!
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    I try to eat a balanced diet (for me, 40% carbs, 35% fat, 25% protein), but I eat what I want as long as it fits into my calories.
    It's worked out fine so far.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    We know that protein stays longer in your system than carbohydrates, and that carbohydrates are used as quick fuel.
    If this were true, wouldn't it then follow that carbs get used up quicker and your body then reverts back to burning its fat stores sooner than it would if you ate the same amount of protein?

    (*not that it works that way, but just carrying out the hypothetical.)
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    We know that protein stays longer in your system than carbohydrates, and that carbohydrates are used as quick fuel.
    If this were true, wouldn't it then follow that carbs get used up quicker and your body then reverts back to burning its fat stores sooner than it would if you ate the same amount of protein?

    (*not that it works that way, but just carrying out the hypothetical.)

    Your body will burn the glucose from carbs first (as main fuel source), then it will deplete the glycogen from your muscles (and liver for your brain and other organs) as main source. Then the liver will produce more glycogen through gluconeogenesis (although it is doing this most of the time anyway to some degree).

    Then it will hit the ketones (as main source).

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