Is A Calorie Really A Calorie?

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  • MaiLinna
    MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
    amwood1528 wrote: »
    To answer your question, yes, a calorie is a calorie. However, what you eat depends on how the food effects your body. For example, in the documentary, Fed up, they used 160 calories of almonds and compared it to 160 calories of Coke. Yes, it's the same amount of calories but the coke produces a lot of sugar that turned into fat, while the almonds produced fiber. So, you can eat 3,000 calories of veggies and fruits and be fine compare to 3,000 calories of processed fatty foods. Calories are a form of measurement however.

    This is where my boyfriend was trying to go with the discussion, not that I would ever get to super high amounts of food. I'm not trying to stuff myself, but I do freak the fck out when I'm over by 100 cals or more.
  • Phoenix_Down
    Phoenix_Down Posts: 530 Member
    MaiLinna wrote: »
    MaiLinna wrote: »
    1. Slight calorie deficit. Eating 800 calories and killing yourself in the gym is not going to get you there any faster. You need to fuel your body appropriately. I suggest the TDEE-20% method. www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc (If you have questions please feel free to ask them here). Make sure to weigh everything you eat! Guessing could put you well over your calories.

    That.
    Or under.

    No way in hell. All the rice I was eating? I started logging and the amount I ate went from big plate to tiny bowl.

    When I was starting weight loss. I would eat UNDER. Because mentally, I talked myself into smaller portions to make up for not weighing. The mind is a powerful thing. I'd also address the 'obsession'. If it effects you negatively, maybe calorie counting isn't for you.

    But understand that irregardless, a calorie IS a unit of energy. Each body requires a different amount. Some random Internet calculator isn't going to be able to pinpoint the number you need. My maintenance should be 1700 and I maintain above 2000. It's trial and error.

    You're making this overly complicated and asking if there's some magical property to nutrient dense foods. Sure, they typically leave you more satiated on less calories. Sometimes so much so that you can have a ton of extra calories for 'junk' food and still maintain (your boyfriend ), on top of the fact males typivally have a substantially higher TDEE than females.

    Stop worrying about the 'what ifs' and focus on your goals and how to facilitate them in a healthy manner.
  • honkytonks85
    honkytonks85 Posts: 669 Member
    Unless you measure precisely how many calories you've consumed and precisely how many calories you've burned over a significant period of time, it's all anecdotal and shouldn't really be used to prove a point. Refer to the controlled scientific studies on the issue - calories in / calories out is how weight loss occurs.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    amwood1528 wrote: »
    To answer your question, yes, a calorie is a calorie. However, what you eat depends on how the food effects your body. For example, in the documentary, Fed up, they used 160 calories of almonds and compared it to 160 calories of Coke. Yes, it's the same amount of calories but the coke produces a lot of sugar that turned into fat, while the almonds produced fiber. So, you can eat 3,000 calories of veggies and fruits and be fine compare to 3,000 calories of processed fatty foods. Calories are a form of measurement however.

    Please, learn how the body actually uses macronutrients consumed under which circumstances (calorie deficit, balance, or surplus) from more reliable sources. Carbohydrates (including sugar) are the body's preferred source of immediate, available energy.

    We are always in a state of burning and storing fat. At energy deficit, more fat gets burned than stored. At energy balance, the exchange is equal. At energy surplus, excess fat is stored. It's only an excess of calories that promotes a storage of excess fat.

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    MaiLinna wrote: »

    This specific calculator says I have a BMR of 1403
    My TDEE is 1684
    I should eat 1347 calories a day.

    The point I was trying to make is that your TDEE could very well be higher than what you are getting from the calculator. Like mine is for example. If I play around with the settings a bit on that calculator you linked to, I can get close if I say I'm very active (which I'm not), but the point is it's just an estimate that you have to adjust up or down based on actual results.
  • MaiLinna
    MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member

    The "what ifs" are what's *kitten* me up because I'm trying to maintain my micros as best I can, cut as much candy and junk food out of my diet, and get moving but have the fuel to do so. This past week my blood sugar kept dropping and I actually fainted on the train one day because the constant walking around + heat was draining me or something. Eating all day helps me keep my blood sugar in check but I also panic when dinner comes around and I only have 200 calories left because I was feeling low and ate an extra banana and some pepitas and drank some juice until I could walk again.

    I sit on such a tight line blood sugar wise that any emergency that happens in the day will screw me over later because I'm *kitten* hungry and want to eat dinner!
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    @MaiLinna your boyfriend is very supportive when it comes to your self-perception and shyness.

    But he doesn't think you need to lose weight, so what he's saying here seems to be to put you off calorie-counting.

    He may have a point. You don't really look overweight.

    Keep up the walking and maybe do some bodyweight exercises that you've bookmarked, and you'll improve your confidence. Good luck.
  • Phoenix_Down
    Phoenix_Down Posts: 530 Member
    MaiLinna wrote: »

    The "what ifs" are what's *kitten* me up because I'm trying to maintain my micros as best I can, cut as much candy and junk food out of my diet, and get moving but have the fuel to do so. This past week my blood sugar kept dropping and I actually fainted on the train one day because the constant walking around + heat was draining me or something. Eating all day helps me keep my blood sugar in check but I also panic when dinner comes around and I only have 200 calories left because I was feeling low and ate an extra banana and some pepitas and drank some juice until I could walk again.

    I sit on such a tight line blood sugar wise that any emergency that happens in the day will screw me over later because I'm *kitten* hungry and want to eat dinner!

    Do you have a doctor you could speak to about all this? Obviously, you'd need to tailor yourself around a plan that would allow you to keep your blood sugar at a safe level while still creating a deficit. It sounds kind of scary and I'd hate for you to take any advice that isn't from a medical professional about this ♡.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,393 Member
    You have uncontrolled blood sugar and faint from it and are debating on the internet as to whether you should eat bananas? What does your doctor say you should be eating in terms of carbs?
  • MaiLinna
    MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
    Orphia wrote: »

    The blood sugar and low calorie counts are what's making me nervous. Sure, I don't need to lose 20lbs like I originally wanted to, I understand that, but when I start working out I tend to get hungry and I'm deathly afraid of eating too much.
  • ravenstar25
    ravenstar25 Posts: 126 Member
    Yes.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    MaiLinna wrote: »

    The "what ifs" are what's *kitten* me up because I'm trying to maintain my micros as best I can, cut as much candy and junk food out of my diet, and get moving but have the fuel to do so. This past week my blood sugar kept dropping and I actually fainted on the train one day because the constant walking around + heat was draining me or something. Eating all day helps me keep my blood sugar in check but I also panic when dinner comes around and I only have 200 calories left because I was feeling low and ate an extra banana and some pepitas and drank some juice until I could walk again.

    I sit on such a tight line blood sugar wise that any emergency that happens in the day will screw me over later because I'm *kitten* hungry and want to eat dinner!

    The is a calorie a calorie argument / understanding put forward U dont have the energy go into because of the level of your analysis, its a waste of time. BUT do you have an actual issue, which its worth helping with other than the debate with your bf? You talk about low blood sugar levels, moving, running out of calories and cutting junk? is that the issue of was it something else? Did I miss the fact you ar a diabetic? Sorry for being lazy, but could you please calrify and then I can post somehing a bit more constructive.
  • MaiLinna
    MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »

    I dunno. Going to try to call a clinic tomorrow because I used to be 10x more sedentary and I thought my blood sugar problems had gone away. Apparently as soon as I become active again my blood sugar starts to drop again. My average blood sugar is between 75 and 80, but as soon as I drop below 70 I start getting sick. I also get sick if my blood sugar goes above 90. I need to talk to a doctor about it.
  • MaiLinna
    MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
    999tigger wrote: »

    I got really frustrated on Monday because I fainted on the train due to low blood sugar, and to get it up I drank some juice and ate a banana, and to keep it level from there I had pepitas. We were on our way out for dinner though, and once I felt better I was starving but scared to eat anything because the juice, banana, and pepitas had cost me 400 calories.

    That's sorta what sparked the argument with my bf in the first place.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,393 Member
    Somewhere in there it sounds like what you think is your maintenance level is far below your actual maintenance level.

    And I don't know about you; but, if my girlfriend was fainting because of lack of food, I would probably object to her not eating later in the day!

    Having said that, I do know a "dumb-*kitten*" who, let's say for example, back in November 2014 lost weight faster than expected and has long wondered WHY. Six months later, in reviewing some spreadsheets, he MAY have realized that between November 1 and 14 he was walking 14,000 steps a day on average. Between November 15 and 30? 22,000.

    Your TDEE is not a magical constant.
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
    The answer is yes, a calorie is a calorie.

    That being said, it's clear you have a medical condition and need to see someone as soon as you can. Fainting isn't normal.
  • professionalHobbyist
    professionalHobbyist Posts: 1,316 Member
    A calorie is a measurement of one of the many characteristic of the food you are eating.

    The nutrient content is a different value of that food.

    Blood sugar concerns and fainting are big deals and may require some very specific actions the are outside the box of just counting calories. You may need to be concerned about nutrients too!

    It sounds like you need to see a medical professional soon.

  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    Yes a calorie = a calorie. Before I started counting calories I went on a fruits, veggies, and nuts fast and I gained weight (I was probably eating close to 3000 calories a day with this, "fast,") according to your boyfriends logic I would have lost weight no matter how much I ate.