True or False? A Calorie is a Calorie is a Calorie.
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cushman5279 wrote: »Hit and run comment...
Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!
Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.
The sandwich will most likely make me feel full for about an hour, and bloated and overloaded with sodium and whatever other chemicals are used to process and I'll surely be looking forward to my 10:30 snack. Oh wait... am I really hungry for a snack or did MFP tell me I should have a snack? Anyway... The sandwich is quick and easy and I can even eat it in the car on my way to work.
The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.
Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.
Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.
I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.
A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.
Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!
These are your opinions about nutrition. They do not impact on whether a calorie, as a unit of measurement, is a constant unit of measurement
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sucrose(s), carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids (proteins), will eventually be used to create energy for the body. They undergo different process, but when the body needs it, it will take it. Sugar > carbs > lipids > amino acids is the order in which the easiest way your body will obtain energy from. That's why when you eat a candy bar, you immediately feel the energy, because it's easy to break down.
I am currently taking Anatomy and we are in a metabolism unit, we were just taught that our body is actually the most efficient at breaking down lipids first, then carbs, then proteins (amino acids).
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um no- meat, veggies- ice cream, oreos, beer, pizza, chocolate, cake-cup cakes- ALL delicious. To me. Everyone has their own opinion on what TASTES good. But tasting good- doesn't imply inherent value. Unless we are talking about kale-which is gross- and useless.cushman5279 wrote: »Hit and run comment...
Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!
organic eggs? get over yourself. they aren't any better tahn regular eggs.Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.
and bacon is bacon is bacon- unless it's turkey bacon- in which case that's not bacon. Get off your high horse
First- sometimes the trade off is worth it- but yes I would normally agree pickign something leaves you feeling full and fueled is better than a quicky snack that you're going to burn through much quickly and be hungry sooner- but that doesn't make one inferior to the other- they both serve a purpose. Secondly: good lord- food doesn't make you lean and strong- working out appropriately does.The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.
omg no. extra calories makes you fat. not carbs. not fats. no proteins. not veggies. not meants. not greens. not candy bars. not sodas.Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.
to much caloric intake makes you fat. period.
which is why you have to weigh your options carefully and figure out what you need and what you are willing to sacrifice or not. Sometimes I sacrifice dinner for ice cream. not.sorry.Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.
sometimes I sacrifice dessert for more meat on my plate. sometimes a little sorry- but you gotta do what you gotta do.
there is no right or wrong way to eat- and even if you eat all the most "clean healthy right- not bad foods" you could still get fat.I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.
BAW HA HA H HA HA H AHA HA AA lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.
Paleo?
backed by science.
BAW HA HA HA HA HA omgosh- thank you so much- i needed that laugh this morning. that was just... oh- so priceless.
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This thread is hilarious.0
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In. Late, but in.0
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My thought process was going more toward the likelihood that a sugar calorie will quickly be swept up into the bloodstream and used as 'brain food' rather than being stored, while the fat calorie will be stored unless there is a deficit. So I if I screw up and have my Reece's it will be brain fuel and not stored and if I screwed up and ate the pizza it would be more likely to be stored rather than immediately used. Just a thought. Nit-picking I'm sure, but it makes for interesting idea sharing. Thanks for your thoughts on both sides of the debate.
No, not really. You are trying to make a process thermogenesis simple, when the truth is that the biochemical reactions that take place in order to convert what you eat into fuel that your body can use is tremendously complex. (I mean really complex)
From this respect, the process of breaking down and digesting a nut, for example, requires more "work and energy" than say, digesting some rice. In other words, the process of digesting and processing food itself requires energy and some foods are processed more easily than others. In this respect, a calorie is not quite a calorie - although be cautious here because as someone else mentioned, a calorie is "a specific unit of measurement"
As for how your brain is fuelled, thinking that eating sugar might fuel the brain best, here you are mistaken. This is a good basic article to help you understand this better.
http://learn.fi.edu/learn/brain/carbs.html
I will also try to look up a good article on "is a calorie a calorie", if I can find it. But your initial post is sort of mixing two things together, and mixing them up a bit.
I couldn't find the article that I was looking for, sorry. But basically, some food requires "more energy" to digest ( the thermogentic effect of food) - specifically, protein has a higher thermogentic effect than fats, for example.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_dynamic_action
Then, in addition, different foods may be procesed at a faster or slower rate - ie simple sugars (a candy bar)burn faster than say a complex carbohydrate - say oats.
And lastly, some foods are not completely broken down and all their energy extracted from them - think corn. (Although not a totally pleasant thought not all calories are converted and some "energy" show up in fecies.)
Hope this helps a bit.
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but BUT PALEO IS SCIENCE!!!!!!!ChunkeeeMonkeee48 wrote: »cushman5279 wrote: »Hit and run comment...
A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.
Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!
Wrong. Over eating and no exercise makes you fat. Not grains, bread, wheat and pasta.
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In, for paleo "science"!0
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cushman5279 wrote: »Hit and run comment...
Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!
Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.
The sandwich will most likely make me feel full for about an hour, and bloated and overloaded with sodium and whatever other chemicals are used to process and I'll surely be looking forward to my 10:30 snack. Oh wait... am I really hungry for a snack or did MFP tell me I should have a snack? Anyway... The sandwich is quick and easy and I can even eat it in the car on my way to work.
The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.
Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.
Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.
I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.
A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.
Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!
I would like to know where you have seen carby bacon? Is it infused with bread or something?
Personally, I prefer chickfila over DD. Something about chicken, egg and cheese is just so good!!
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cushman5279 wrote: »Hit and run comment...
Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!
Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.
The sandwich will most likely make me feel full for about an hour, and bloated and overloaded with sodium and whatever other chemicals are used to process and I'll surely be looking forward to my 10:30 snack. Oh wait... am I really hungry for a snack or did MFP tell me I should have a snack? Anyway... The sandwich is quick and easy and I can even eat it in the car on my way to work.
The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.
Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.
Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.
I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.
A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.
Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!
Dafuq?
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Crackpots no. Good salesmen who know how to manipulate what actual data they use to support their stance, yes.prettykitty1515 wrote: »prettykitty1515 wrote: »I'm no expert, but there are so many recent books and studies that suggest that a calorie is not a calorie. So it's open for discussion.
Except on this site, where suggesting that a calorie may not be a calorie will be responded to with hostility, vitriol, ridicule and incredulity.
You aren't kidding. So many here think they are experts and have the worst attitudes. I hope none of these people are actual professional teachers. Maybe they're so bitchy because despite being diet/nutrition/fitness experts they are still fat like a lot of us regular folks.
These aren't crack pots writing the books and releasing these studies. These are well qualified professionals who have done research, and do not believe a calorie is not a calories. Again, I do not have a definitive opinion. But if God almighty announced that a calorie is not a calorie, it would be dismissed by most posters here.
And if one is an Atheist, the god thing doesn't work.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Just stopping in to say...paleo science? LMFAO!0
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CindyMarcuzAdams wrote: »I used to agree that a calorie was a calorie. So I bought a box of sweet cereal. I weighed and measured as always and that week I was up 2 lbs. My only gain in over 160 days. There was no other excuse for that weight gain except for the lucky charms.
Or a normal weight fluctuation.
I'll hazard a guess at increased water weight due to additional glycogen.
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johnnylakis wrote: »
Don't call it a sugar calorie, call it a carb calorie. Candy bars have fat, so that's comparing bad to worse. Is a carb calorie better than a fat calorie? That depends. If it's bad fat (bacon) you risk high cholesterol. But there is good fat in lean chicken and nuts. If it's refined sugar (soda) you risk diabetes. But there is good sugar in fruit. It's all about the choices you make!
So it begs the question, is excess sugar calories better than excess fat calories? Or does the end result make no difference? I'm only asking because I wondered if there is less risk if I blow the diet and eat a candy bar instead of an extra slice of pizza. Not that I'm planning to do either one.
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gabrielleelliott90 wrote: »I've no idea. I would say the pizza would be healthier than the candy bar, as it probably has some veg on it in some way or the other. Although it would have unhealthy fat, I think unhealthy unnatural sugar would be worse. It's not substantial. But trust, even if you ate over your maintenance with it, you would not gain weight with just one single item of food.
please define "unnatural" sugar…
as far as I am aware all sugars are the same at the molecular level ...0 -
Rather than yet another conversation about diet styles and Paleo, how about what the op asked about.... is a calorie always a calorie. Yes, a calorie is a unit of measurement.
How different food types, cooking styles, and "how" the body processes food, however, is far, far more complex. People would like really simple answers but it's really not quite so simple as everyone would like to believe. Your body is a very, very complex living organism and many complex chemical reactions take place to turn food into the fuel that your body uses.
Here is an article about why a "calorie counts are wrong". Video and article below.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/video/why-calorie-counts-are-wrong2013-08-20/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/science-reveals-why-calorie-counts-are-all-wrong/
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cushman5279 wrote: »Hit and run comment...
Meat and veggie calories yum! Sugar and junk food calories yuk!
Hmmm... let's see, do I want a big pile of organic omega eggs loaded with veggies and real bacon cooked in real butter and/or coconut oil for breakfast? Or do I want a (fake/carby) bacon egg and cheese sandwich from Dunkin Donuts... both have around the same amount of calories.
The sandwich will most likely make me feel full for about an hour, and bloated and overloaded with sodium and whatever other chemicals are used to process and I'll surely be looking forward to my 10:30 snack. Oh wait... am I really hungry for a snack or did MFP tell me I should have a snack? Anyway... The sandwich is quick and easy and I can even eat it in the car on my way to work.
The first choice... filling to the point where I can't finish the appropriate portion and leaves me feeling full, satisfied, lean and strong. No bloating, plenty of energy and not even thinking about my next meal, how many calories I have left for the day... plus a powerful workout.
Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs - grains, bread, wheat, pasta do.
Sure, a calorie is a calorie but as stated here many times nutrition is different.
I'd rather eat more and eat right and not stress about calories and numbers and lose weight vs. the other option.
A lot of the nutrition plans out there are based on trial and error and a lot of math. Paleo is backed by science. Everyone's body (normally functioning body) digest food in the same manner.
Taking cover in anticipation of the nasty comments about my opinion... hahahaha!
actually, overeating makes you fat …
second - dunkin donuts is "fake" food, really?
I sometimes have an egg muffin sandwich and hash browns from mcdonalds and it fits into my macro and calorie goal for the day and I have no issues with my afternoon work out or bloat….
so does my n=1 trump your n=1?????0 -
tracylbrown839 wrote: »Rather than yet another conversation about diet styles and Paleo, how about what the op asked about.... is a calorie always a calorie. Yes, a calorie is a unit of measurement.
How different food types, cooking styles, and "how" the body processes food, however, is far, far more complex. People would like really simple answers but it's really not quite so simple as everyone would like to believe. Your body is a very, very complex living organism and many complex chemical reactions take place to turn food into the fuel that your body uses.
Here is an article about why a "calorie counts are wrong". Video and article below.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/video/why-calorie-counts-are-wrong2013-08-20/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/science-reveals-why-calorie-counts-are-all-wrong/
It doesn't matter if the counts are "wrong". It's an arbitrary scale. If you count up your calories and are losing at a specific rate, you can use that method or adjust at will.
It's trial and error. I could substitute calories for widgets and decide a 100 g potato is 1 widget of energy. If I stop losing, I'll just cut back my intake to a few less widgets per day until I'm losing at the rate I want...0 -
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Yes, a calorie is a calorie..but...the source of our calories are very different, and it matters greatly. For mere weight loss, eat whatever but have a slight deficit. For weight loss and optimal health, you need to give attention to the source of your calories.
A simple example:
A bowl of white sugar = 400 calories
A bowl of grapes and a salad with olive oil and lemon juice = 400 calories
The energy is the same, but the nutrition is different.
Best answer ever!!! Thank you0 -
Why are we still talking about this? I already answered the question.
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I've lost 30 pounds in 77 days on paleo. Sure, I could have lost it any other way, but the point is I wasn't miserable. So, no, a calorie is not a calorie unless you enjoy agonizing over everything you put in your mouth and feeling deprived which is what OP is asking. I feel bad for all of you defending your crackers and tortillas but go ahead and eat what you want, it's not like that's what made you overweight in the first place.0
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Um not at all. I'm a high carb low fat vegan (no animal products at all) and I'm down 16 pounds in 6 weeks eating 2500-3000 calories a day.
NOT all calories are equal. Fat calories are the worst you can eat. A diet high in milk and mean is the worst you could possibly have.0 -
MissyLaRae wrote: »Um not at all. I'm a high carb low fat vegan (no animal products at all) and I'm down 16 pounds in 6 weeks eating 2500-3000 calories a day.
NOT all calories are equal. Fat calories are the worst you can eat. A diet high in milk and mean is the worst you could possibly have.
If you are going to make outrageous claims, please post scientific evidence to back them up.
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MissyLaRae wrote: »Um not at all. I'm a high carb low fat vegan (no animal products at all) and I'm down 16 pounds in 6 weeks eating 2500-3000 calories a day.
NOT all calories are equal. Fat calories are the worst you can eat. A diet high in milk and mean is the worst you could possibly have.
If you are going to make outrageous claims, please post scientific evidence to back them up.
^^This
And by saying you're losing at 2500-3000 calories a day, are you claiming that you're losing in a surplus, or just letting us know you have a TDEE over 3000 calories?
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I eat 2450 calories or more a day of whatever the heck I want and have lost weight, can lift more and run farther then I ever have in my life, and feel healthy, full and satisfied. And I have the blood work numbers to back my feelings so it's not just placebo. Oh and I consume a certified *isht*-ton of milk and meat.0
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