Arithmetic

TomMFluk
TomMFluk Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everybody,

I'm currently doing a diet and everything's fine.

However, I don't know a lot in nutrition and I've got two questions about weight and calories.

Here are the questions:

# 1 : Let's say that I'm doing a diet on a regular basis and that I'm losing 300 g every day.
If, one day, I decide to do an exception, and I eat a chocolate bar of 100 g, while continuing the diet as usual, which influence will it have on my weight loss ? As the chocolate weighs 100 g, at worst the risk is to lose only 200 g that day (300 g - 100 g of chocolate).
Although I think that a part of the chocolate will be eliminated anyway and that the weight gain should be a little less than 100 g.

# 2 : Let's say that I'm still doing the diet like the one above, and that the chocolate bar has 500 kcal.
If, another day, I exceptionally decide to eat a part of cake which weighs 200 g and has 500 kcal, like the chocolate bar, will I gain (or will I not lose) maximum 100 g, (considering that the 100 g of chocolate has the same amount of calories than these 200 g of cake) ? In other words, is there a direct relation between calories and weight that I intend to lose ?

Is my reasoning correct ?

Thanks in advance for any answer.

Tom

Replies

  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
    There is a direct relationship between the calories you intake and the weight you lose. This is the idea that MyFitnessPal is built on.

    There is no direct relationship between the weight of the food you consume and the weight you lose (or gain). It will show up on the scale directly after consuming it because it is still in your body, but it is the calories that will or will not be stored as fat. The reason for weighing your food is for accurately measuring the number of calories that it contains.

    ETA: No matter what people may say, chocolate doesn't go /directly/ to your thighs :p
  • redhotsc
    redhotsc Posts: 43 Member
    I agree with ottersandseal- weigh loss/ gain is determined by calories in vs calories burnt. The weight and density of the food does not impact the overall gain or loss. Obviously if you are getting on the scale after every plate is clean, you will see a temporary direct correlation. But if you go that nuts, then you will also need to include getting on the scale after every time you go to the bathroom...and don't forget that you can lose between 3-6 pounds of water everyday through perspiration (sweating) and respiration (breathing). You need to be focusing on the calorie consumption. The weight of your food with the accurate description helps MFP give you an accurate calorie count on your diary.

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