Is a calorie a calorie; questions about sweets

Phoenixflame
Phoenixflame Posts: 560 Member
edited September 19 in Food and Nutrition
So, do our bodies count calories as the same, wherever the source?

Say, for instance, I ate good, healthy food all day. But after dinner, I had a 200 calorie deficit. Now, say I decided to have 200 calories worth of ice cream. Would I put on weight even if I stayed within my allowance? Even if it would be nutritionally better to eat 200 calories worth of apples, would weight-loss be affected?

I'm curious! :smile:

Replies

  • Phoenixflame
    Phoenixflame Posts: 560 Member
    So, do our bodies count calories as the same, wherever the source?

    Say, for instance, I ate good, healthy food all day. But after dinner, I had a 200 calorie deficit. Now, say I decided to have 200 calories worth of ice cream. Would I put on weight even if I stayed within my allowance? Even if it would be nutritionally better to eat 200 calories worth of apples, would weight-loss be affected?

    I'm curious! :smile:
  • majic
    majic Posts: 88 Member
    If I'm not mistaken (I am pretty sure I'm right) Sugary calories are burned faster and turn into fats instead of taking the time to digest and diminish properly.

    The body processes natural foods and unprocessed foods a lot more differently than processed or "man made" fats.
  • healthychic
    healthychic Posts: 298
    I always think the same thing! Its weird, it confuses me too. Someone on MFP told me that it doesn't matter if you eat 10 apples or 10 burgers in one day, as long as the calorie intake for the day was the same, then you will lose weight. YTour body just is A LOT healthier if you were to do the 10 apples:tongue: He also said that people can become obese even if all they ate was carrot sticks and lettuce, if you go over your recommended daily calorie intake thats all it takes. I don't know how true this is, but hopes it helps you wonder!:smile:

    -Danielle
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
    The rates of absorption is different as well as the nutrients in each food we choose.
    But calories are calories....
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
    In terms of energy, a calorie is just a calorie. It's a unit of energy, not a 'thing'.

    However, in terms of endocrine response to your diet....it'd be unwise to choose a doughnut over a bowl of oatmeal with milk. One will cause a sharp increase in blood sugar which, if chronic, leads to insulin resistance...which then leads to diabetes...which leads to a host of other problems. Not to mention that doughnut won't have the iron of a bowl of oats, and if you're deficient in iron, that can lead to anemia, which causes problems with oxygen uptake in the blood. And so on and so on. Can you lose weight eating 1200 calories of M&M's every day? Absolutely. Are you going to live very long? Unfortunately, no.
  • healthychic
    healthychic Posts: 298
    well said songbrd!!:happy:
  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
    Can you lose weight eating 1200 calories of M&M's every day? Absolutely. Are you going to live very long? Unfortunately, no.

    Wouldn't it be nice if it was good for you though! 3615608vo.gif
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    The last time I was on restricted caloric intake (NOT a diet, lol)
    I would eat 1200 cals a day. Period. If I ate a slice of toast in the morning and had a 1100 calorie burrito for lunch, that was it. No more cals for the day.

    Now I did lose weight...1-2 pounds a week. I was 32 and waited tables for a living. I also worked out with Gilad 30 min every morning. (anyone on MFP for a while can see I was in serious calorie deficit)

    Again, I did lose weight. I was a miserable ***** while doing it. I would have serious mood swings, and at times I felt I could not hold my head up, literally. My body was obviously not getting the proper nutrients, and I was going into sugar coma in the afternoons.

    This time I eat 6x a day, have a protein with a good carb (1 oz low fat cheese with an apple) and I am NEVER hungry.

    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • mariethai
    mariethai Posts: 85 Member
    The last time I was on restricted caloric intake (NOT a diet, lol)
    I would eat 1200 cals a day. Period. If I ate a slice of toast in the morning and had a 1100 calorie burrito for lunch, that was it. No more cals for the day.

    Now I did lose weight...1-2 pounds a week. I was 32 and waited tables for a living. I also worked out with Gilad 30 min every morning. (anyone on MFP for a while can see I was in serious calorie deficit)

    Again, I did lose weight. I was a miserable ***** while doing it. I would have serious mood swings, and at times I felt I could not hold my head up, literally. My body was obviously not getting the proper nutrients, and I was going into sugar coma in the afternoons.

    This time I eat 6x a day, have a protein with a good carb (1 oz low fat cheese with an apple) and I am NEVER hungry.

    :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:


    Me too! It was horrible, and being hungry all the time kept me constantly aware that I was on a diet, life became focused on feeling hungry!
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