Low calories does not equal healthy
EatwellLivehappy
Posts: 34 Member
just wanted to put a general note out there because I see it all the time.... I know most of us here are trying to lose weight but please refrain from telling people that something is "good" or "healthy" for you because it is low in calories. Thank you!
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Replies
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Right you are. This is a pet peeve of mine as well.0
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I don't see many people saying that low-cal = healthy. Even people who are all about calories with no regard to nutritional value don't say that, generally. It's generally said from a weight loss standpoint and not a nutritional/health one.
Some people combine their weight loss with trying to be healthier, so they try to eat healthy. Many people, though, just want to lose weight. That's okay. Different people have different goals! Plus, if someone is obese and wants to lose weight, that's good for them, in and of itself.0 -
Kalikel,
I appreciate your insight but I'm not talking about people who just want to lose weight. I'm talking about people who are misusing the word. Low calorie is not interchangeable with healthy. That is the topic.0 -
Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?0
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?0 -
brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
and boom there goes the dynamite
why is any food healthy and good does that mean there is a food out there that is sickly and bad?
If the food is bad and sick is it a minor thing like food was just a little naughty, or is food outright bad and has robbed a bank or something?
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ldrosophila wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
and boom there goes the dynamite
why is any food healthy and good does that mean there is a food out there that is sickly and bad?
If the food is bad and sick is it a minor thing like food was just a little naughty, or is food outright bad and has robbed a bank or something?
Srsly?0 -
EatwellLivehappy wrote: »just wanted to put a general note out there because I see it all the time.... I know most of us here are trying to lose weight but please refrain from telling people that something is "good" or "healthy" for you because it is low in calories. Thank you!
I believe snacks with low calorie is better for me because I need my food to stretch on what I'm trying to accomplish calorie wise. Not saying healthy or good or bad because food is full of grey areas. Once I'm building muscle I'll be consuming high calorie foods within a macro guideline. In the end, it's all about what you're trying to accomplish0 -
brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
If one is on a calorie restricted diet, the very fact that it is low calorie could be good.0 -
ldrosophila wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
and boom there goes the dynamite
why is any food healthy and good does that mean there is a food out there that is sickly and bad?
If the food is bad and sick is it a minor thing like food was just a little naughty, or is food outright bad and has robbed a bank or something?
If the food is sick because it was naughty?? WTH do you eat?0 -
EatwellLivehappy wrote: »Kalikel,
I appreciate your insight but I'm not talking about people who just want to lose weight. I'm talking about people who are misusing the word. Low calorie is not interchangeable with healthy. That is the topic.
I agree. Some newcomers have said " well I'm eating healthy , I have 100calorie packs of cookies instead of a big portion " where they could've said , I'm eating less calories now so don't eat big portion of cookies" I think it gets confused sometimes but typically by people who are just starting so I ignore it.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
If one is on a calorie restricted diet, the very fact that it is low calorie could be good.
"could be" does not equal necessarily is.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ldrosophila wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
and boom there goes the dynamite
why is any food healthy and good does that mean there is a food out there that is sickly and bad?
If the food is bad and sick is it a minor thing like food was just a little naughty, or is food outright bad and has robbed a bank or something?
If the food is sick because it was naughty?? WTH do you eat?
I only eat naughty food I like it dirty and unclean. Kind of a hedonist in that way.
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brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
If one is on a calorie restricted diet, the very fact that it is low calorie could be good.
"could be" does not equal necessarily is.
True, but is there anyone really saying "all low calorie food is healthy"? Or is it a series of individual remarks?0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
If one is on a calorie restricted diet, the very fact that it is low calorie could be good.
What if one is NOT on a calorie restricted diet. Or better yet, what if one is intentionally TRYING to gain weight?
*mind blown*0 -
ceoverturf wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
If one is on a calorie restricted diet, the very fact that it is low calorie could be good.
What if one is NOT on a calorie restricted diet. Or better yet, what if one is intentionally TRYING to gain weight?
*mind blown*
Right. We need more specifics than just a wide sweeping edict of "don't say this".0 -
EatwellLivehappy wrote: »just wanted to put a general note out there because I see it all the time.... I know most of us here are trying to lose weight but please refrain from telling people that something is "good" or "healthy" for you because it is low in calories. Thank you!
What you're saying isn't wrong, but... the purpose behind it is sort of confusing. It just seems like to a reply to a specific person in a super vague, almost passive-aggressive way. Or is it supposed to be a general statement more to the MFP forum population?
If so, I'm not sure where you've been seeing people making this suggestion. Now, there are a lot of people (myself included) that believe if you have a handful of calories left in your deficit, have eaten a certain amount of all of your essential macro and micro nutrients, and would like to have a snack of your choosing that fits your calorie goal, then you should feel alright doing so. No one has ever stated that it's "healthy" to eat a doughnut, however, just because it has been stated that eating a doughnut is "okay if you're within your goal and you've eaten well otherwise."
ETA: "provided you don't have a medical condition that necessitates a low carb diet..." etc. (typical disclaimers for people with exceptional circumstances)0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
Better yet ... why is low calorie necessarily healthy and/or good?
If one is on a calorie restricted diet, the very fact that it is low calorie could be good.
What if one is NOT on a calorie restricted diet. Or better yet, what if one is intentionally TRYING to gain weight?
*mind blown*
Right. We need more specifics than just a wide sweeping edict of "don't say this".
I think I agree...though in this case I'd say that not equating low cal with healthy is appropriate, since 'healthy':
1) Should really be applied to one's overall diet, not just individual food items, and
2) Is completely dependent upon the individual and his/her goals.0 -
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Usually I'm pretty nit-picky about specifics, but the OP was pretty clear to me. We see examples of things like this all the time:
- "How do I make pizza healthy?"
- "I only eat healthy stuff like egg whites"
- How about the post we just discussed yesterday where making rice less nutritious was called making it "healthier?"
Individual foods (with a few exceptions) aren't healthy or unhealthy; diets are.0 -
Usually I'm pretty nit-picky about specifics, but the OP was pretty clear to me. We see examples of things like this all the time:
- "How do I make pizza healthy?"
- "I only eat healthy stuff like egg whites"
- How about the post we just discussed yesterday where making rice less nutritious was called making it "healthier?"
Individual foods (with a few exceptions) aren't healthy or unhealthy; diets are.
I don't know anything about the rice thing you mention, but what's wrong with the other question and statement?0 -
"Most people think the metabolism works like this:
Cut calories → Lose weight → Have a balanced metabolism
It actually works like this:
Get a balanced metabolism → Naturally reduce calories → Lose weight effortlessly" - Dr Jade Tata
Sometimes you need to eat more than what MFP says to get a balanced metabolism. That is the most important aspect of a healthy body. Without that, skinny fat will more than likely rear it's ugly head. Some people can get away with the former equation but usually it won't last for long. If you are 50 pounds away from your fat loss goal and you hit a plateau while only consuming 1200 calories, are you going to cut more? Workout more? What if you are already working out an hour a day?
Our body is not a machine. The law of thermodynamics doesn't apply fully to the human body. According to this study, "a calorie is a calorie" actually VIOLATES the second law of thermodynamics.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC506782/?tools=bot0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Usually I'm pretty nit-picky about specifics, but the OP was pretty clear to me. We see examples of things like this all the time:
- "How do I make pizza healthy?"
- "I only eat healthy stuff like egg whites"
- How about the post we just discussed yesterday where making rice less nutritious was called making it "healthier?"
Individual foods (with a few exceptions) aren't healthy or unhealthy; diets are.
I don't know anything about the rice thing you mention, but what's wrong with the other question and statement?
#1 assumes pizza isn't healthy (which again, would depend on countless variables)
#2 assumes egg whites are healthy (ditto)0 -
EatwellLivehappy wrote: »Kalikel,
I appreciate your insight but I'm not talking about people who just want to lose weight. I'm talking about people who are misusing the word. Low calorie is not interchangeable with healthy. That is the topic.
Which foods are unhealthy and healthy then?0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
I said being low calorie doesn't necessarily make something good.
You all need to learn how to read and need to get off these boards. I've been on mfp for 4 years and this is the first time I've really paid attention to these boards and all I have to say is: stop getting your information from people who don't know anything and start getting it from professionals!!
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RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »EatwellLivehappy wrote: »Kalikel,
I appreciate your insight but I'm not talking about people who just want to lose weight. I'm talking about people who are misusing the word. Low calorie is not interchangeable with healthy. That is the topic.
Which foods are unhealthy and healthy then?
I would say your question is impossible to answer without additional context. No food is inherently healthy or unhealthy without knowing the context of how it fits into an individual's overall diet and what that individual's goals are.0 -
ceoverturf wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Usually I'm pretty nit-picky about specifics, but the OP was pretty clear to me. We see examples of things like this all the time:
- "How do I make pizza healthy?"
- "I only eat healthy stuff like egg whites"
- How about the post we just discussed yesterday where making rice less nutritious was called making it "healthier?"
Individual foods (with a few exceptions) aren't healthy or unhealthy; diets are.
I don't know anything about the rice thing you mention, but what's wrong with the other question and statement?
#1 assumes pizza isn't healthy (which again, would depend on countless variables)
#2 assumes egg whites are healthy (ditto)
Niether of those say that, though. And using that line of thought, shouldn't we assume the OP thinks low calorie equals unhealthy?0 -
EatwellLivehappy wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Why isn't low calorie healthy or good?
I said being low calorie doesn't necessarily make something good.
Actually that's not what you said, though it is close.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Usually I'm pretty nit-picky about specifics, but the OP was pretty clear to me. We see examples of things like this all the time:
- "How do I make pizza healthy?"
- "I only eat healthy stuff like egg whites"
- How about the post we just discussed yesterday where making rice less nutritious was called making it "healthier?"
Individual foods (with a few exceptions) aren't healthy or unhealthy; diets are.
I don't know anything about the rice thing you mention, but what's wrong with the other question and statement?
#1 assumes pizza isn't healthy (which again, would depend on countless variables)
#2 assumes egg whites are healthy (ditto)
Niether of those say that, though. And using that line of thought, shouldn't we assume the OP thinks low calorie equals unhealthy?
They don't directly say it, but they imply it.
Why would one ask how to make pizza healthy without the implicit assumption that it isn't healthy in its current state?
Why would one state they only eat healthy foods like egg whites without the implicit assumption that egg whites are healthy?0 -
ceoverturf wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »ceoverturf wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Usually I'm pretty nit-picky about specifics, but the OP was pretty clear to me. We see examples of things like this all the time:
- "How do I make pizza healthy?"
- "I only eat healthy stuff like egg whites"
- How about the post we just discussed yesterday where making rice less nutritious was called making it "healthier?"
Individual foods (with a few exceptions) aren't healthy or unhealthy; diets are.
I don't know anything about the rice thing you mention, but what's wrong with the other question and statement?
#1 assumes pizza isn't healthy (which again, would depend on countless variables)
#2 assumes egg whites are healthy (ditto)
Niether of those say that, though. And using that line of thought, shouldn't we assume the OP thinks low calorie equals unhealthy?
They don't directly say it, but they imply it.
Why would one ask how to make pizza healthy without the implicit assumption that it isn't healthy in its current state?
Why would one state they only eat healthy foods like egg whites without the implicit assumption that egg whites are healthy?
Hard to say without reading the whole post for context.
Why would someone order us to stop telling people that something is "good" or "healthy" for you because it is low in calories with the implicit assumption that low calorie foods are unhealthy?
Seems a very similar assumption to make.0
This discussion has been closed.
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