Good calories vs bad calories
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »stevencloser wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »And none of that affects the fact that you can't lose more weight eating 1400 calories of "healthy food" versus 1200 calories of "unhealthy food".
It depends on how you are using the word "eating". If you mean the stuff we can track (food that is swallowed) then it's not impossible that you could lose more on 1200. If you mean the more intangible calories absorbed from food, then 1200 would always win.
It's rather unlikely that a non-extreme difference in foods would lead to enough energy wastage so you'd measurably lose more on 1400 than 1200.
Maybe. I really don't know what the variables between people eating the same foods would be. But a diet of mostly fast food and junk food vs. a diet of mostly meals from whole natural ingredients is pretty extreme. A 200 calorie difference in that case would not shock me.
Processing such as refining and even cooking will make calories more available to the body, but we really aren't talking a huge difference. Then again, even a small difference of say 100 calories per day in absorbtion can make a huge difference over a year so everyone needs to figure out there own requirements based on their diet and exercise habits.0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »Wow...
How am I just now showing up to this party?
OP,
A calorie is a unit of measurement for the amount of energy your body can get out of food.
If you eat 100 more calories than you burn, your body will store those extra calories as fat (to use later if needed).
If you eat 100 fewer calories than you burn, your body will get the extra 100 that it needs by pulling them back out of the fat stores.
That is how weight is lost.
Your body does not say "this is a Twinkie. Send it to the hips."
Your body does not say "this is a carrot. Use it and then burn some fat in celebration of carrots."
Your body DOES say "this is energy from food. I will use it." Or "this is energy from food that I don't need. Store it for later."
The associations we place on foods that are fried, processed, clean, dirty, good, bad...they're just concepts that exist only on our minds.
Your body doesn't care how your food is made or what label is assigned to it.
Your body only cares about what's in it.
So to specifically answer your specific question:
If you eat 1200 calories from processed, "junk" foods, you will lose more weight that day than if you had eaten 1400 calories from "clean" foods like vegetables because at the end of the day, your body had to pull 200 more calories out of storage than it would have had you eaten 1400 calories.
That said, that doesn't mean that you should go on the Twinkie diet or eat nothing but candy.
A calorie deficit is all that is needed for weight loss but weight loss is not all that is needed for good health and/or body composition.
You need protein to retain muscle mass.
You fats for brain health, hormone production, vitamin absorption, joint health and a host of other things.
You need carbs (sugar is a carb) for energy.
You need vitamins and minerals for all kinds of health benefits.
But still, eating enough of these things that you need to be healthy does not make you lose weight faster.
Your weight may affect your health but it is not determined by it.
Now...on to see if there's any derp in this thread which I may care to address since I'm so late to the party...
Glad you joined the party. Well said.0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »...Now...on to see if there's any derp in this thread which I may care to address since I'm so late to the party...
You're gonna be busy for quite a while.
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chrisdavey wrote: »muscleandbeard wrote: »Omg I officially dislike this app and the poor advice that people on here give. There is more to weight loss than just the number on the scale. Body composition is only determined by the foods you eat. You can lose weight by a calorie deficit but you will not be toned, shredded etc. You will be skinny fat if you eat crap food. Please refer to this link to better understand why what you eat is just as important as how much you eat. You have to be in deficit to lose weight, but you have to have a well balanced diet to lose fat instead of muscle.
http://comfortpit.com/the-truth-about-calories/
Flexible dieted all the way to my profile pic. HTH
Look forward to seeing the naysayers' responses to that one, Chris!
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chrisdavey wrote: »muscleandbeard wrote: »Omg I officially dislike this app and the poor advice that people on here give. There is more to weight loss than just the number on the scale. Body composition is only determined by the foods you eat. You can lose weight by a calorie deficit but you will not be toned, shredded etc. You will be skinny fat if you eat crap food. Please refer to this link to better understand why what you eat is just as important as how much you eat. You have to be in deficit to lose weight, but you have to have a well balanced diet to lose fat instead of muscle.
http://comfortpit.com/the-truth-about-calories/
Flexible dieted all the way to my profile pic. HTH
In for the "not possible, bro" response(s).
eta: Oh, and
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Carlos_421 wrote: »...Now...on to see if there's any derp in this thread which I may care to address since I'm so late to the party...
You're gonna be busy for quite a while.
Yeah, and things aren't slow at work today either...man...this could take a while.0 -
I'm sorry to COMPLETLY DISAGREE with all of you but "a calorie is a calorie" is FALSE. The body processes different foods completely differently which is why we eat (or should attempt to eat) a balanced diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body which adds weight, particularly around ones midsection. Proteins are burned off/metabolized much differently and therefore don't make you gain weight the same way. I challenge two people in this forum: One of you eat 1200 calories/day of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbs. The other eat 1400 calories/day of lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains (keeping dairy and carbs to a minimum or completely out of your diet). Do this for a month and I would bet that the latter will see more of a significant body change than the other. Ready. Set. GO!
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byrdiegrrrl wrote: »I'm sorry to COMPLETLY DISAGREE with all of you but "a calorie is a calorie" is FALSE. The body processes different foods completely differently which is why we eat (or should attempt to eat) a balanced diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body which adds weight, particularly around ones midsection. Proteins are burned off/metabolized much differently and therefore don't make you gain weight the same way. I challenge two people in this forum: One of you eat 1200 calories/day of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbs. The other eat 1400 calories/day of lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains (keeping dairy and carbs to a minimum or completely out of your diet). Do this for a month and I would bet that the latter will see more of a significant body change than the other. Ready. Set. GO!
Yeah, and I'm just going to refer you back to @chrisdavey's post; it's been quoted several times right above your post.0 -
byrdiegrrrl wrote: »I'm sorry to COMPLETLY DISAGREE with all of you but "a calorie is a calorie" is FALSE. The body processes different foods completely differently which is why we eat (or should attempt to eat) a balanced diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body which adds weight, particularly around ones midsection. Proteins are burned off/metabolized much differently and therefore don't make you gain weight the same way. I challenge two people in this forum: One of you eat 1200 calories/day of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbs. The other eat 1400 calories/day of lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains (keeping dairy and carbs to a minimum or completely out of your diet). Do this for a month and I would bet that the latter will see more of a significant body change than the other. Ready. Set. GO!
If you think anyone in this thread is suggesting that someone should just eat 1,200 calories of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbohydrates, you need to focus on reading comprehension.
"Calorie" is a unit of energy. A calorie is a calorie. That's just how language works.
By saying that a unit of energy is a unit of energy, one is not saying that macro- and micronutrients aren't important. We're just acknowledging that the energy from food and the nutrition from food are different things.0 -
byrdiegrrrl wrote: »I'm sorry to COMPLETLY DISAGREE with all of you but "a calorie is a calorie" is FALSE. The body processes different foods completely differently which is why we eat (or should attempt to eat) a balanced diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body which adds weight, particularly around ones midsection. Proteins are burned off/metabolized much differently and therefore don't make you gain weight the same way. I challenge two people in this forum: One of you eat 1200 calories/day of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbs. The other eat 1400 calories/day of lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains (keeping dairy and carbs to a minimum or completely out of your diet). Do this for a month and I would bet that the latter will see more of a significant body change than the other. Ready. Set. GO!
strawman alert, strawman alert..
no one is recommending a diet of 100% fried foods because it would be impossible to get adequate nutrition and hit all micros.
Please go back and read through the whole thread before you make outlandish statements that are not true.0 -
byrdiegrrrl wrote: »I'm sorry to COMPLETLY DISAGREE with all of you but "a calorie is a calorie" is FALSE. The body processes different foods completely differently which is why we eat (or should attempt to eat) a balanced diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body which adds weight, particularly around ones midsection. Proteins are burned off/metabolized much differently and therefore don't make you gain weight the same way. I challenge two people in this forum: One of you eat 1200 calories/day of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbs. The other eat 1400 calories/day of lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains (keeping dairy and carbs to a minimum or completely out of your diet). Do this for a month and I would bet that the latter will see more of a significant body change than the other. Ready. Set. GO!
No, you're talking about nutrition. A calorie is "a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body" (m-w.com). It's the fuel that your body runs on. Nutrition is the protein, vitamins, fats, etc. that your body needs to function correctly. Different nutrients aren't 'burned off' any differently. Your body may require more of certain kinds of nutrients, such as more protein if you're weight lifting, but your body needs fuel to actually do things with those nutrients. That's what the calories are for. You have all kinds of things that go into a machine to make it run properly, like a car, but if you don't put fuel in it, it won't matter because it's not running at all.
So yes, what you eat is important. You need to make sure you're getting the nutrients your body needs. But 100 calories of veggies and 100 calories of cake are going to be used the same way in your body.0 -
byrdiegrrrl wrote: »I'm sorry to COMPLETLY DISAGREE with all of you but "a calorie is a calorie" is FALSE. The body processes different foods completely differently which is why we eat (or should attempt to eat) a balanced diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body which adds weight, particularly around ones midsection. Proteins are burned off/metabolized much differently and therefore don't make you gain weight the same way. I challenge two people in this forum: One of you eat 1200 calories/day of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbs. The other eat 1400 calories/day of lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains (keeping dairy and carbs to a minimum or completely out of your diet). Do this for a month and I would bet that the latter will see more of a significant body change than the other. Ready. Set. GO!
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juggernaut1974 wrote: »What the others have said.
The only thing I'd add is some people find certain combination of food more filling than others. So while the overall total weight loss wouldn't vary, you may find a 1400 calorie diet consisting of relatively high protein more satiating (and thus presumably easier to maintain) than a 1400 calorie diet of relatively high carbs. Each person tends to be different, though - there's not a 'one size fits all' magical combination.
You're awesome even if you do like the wrong Oreos (mint is gross).zoebrookslloyd wrote: »Hi. Can you lose weight by eating more calories but eating the right foods. I.e. could I lose more weight by eating 1400 calories of fruit and veg versus 1200 calories of fried food.
1) For some people it appears to be true that the type of food (calorie) will affect their weight. 2) Protein takes more energy to use than carbs, 3) some foods create a greater thermogenic effect than others, 4)some people appear more likely to store certain macros as fat and lose eating a majority of other macros, and 5) some foods affect health and hormones which increase or decreases daily caloric requirements.
6) I don't think it is a huge difference but I would guess the foods you choose could make the differenceof up to a couple of hundred calories per day being stored or burned.
7) I certainly find it slightly easier to lose weight eating foods that I consider to be healthy. Some foods seem to "stick" to me easier than others.
1) false
2) negligible
3) negligible
4) false
5) from what I understand, it's the lack of intake in general or of certain nutrients that causes a negative impact to hormones. I've never seen evidence that intake of a certain food causes conditions to slow the metabolism.
6) I'm afraid you're greatly overestimating
7) either this is all in your head or you're underestimating your intake when eating "sticky" foods0 -
byrdiegrrrl wrote: »I'm sorry to COMPLETLY DISAGREE with all of you but "a calorie is a calorie" is FALSE. The body processes different foods completely differently which is why we eat (or should attempt to eat) a balanced diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body which adds weight, particularly around ones midsection. Proteins are burned off/metabolized much differently and therefore don't make you gain weight the same way. I challenge two people in this forum: One of you eat 1200 calories/day of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbs. The other eat 1400 calories/day of lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains (keeping dairy and carbs to a minimum or completely out of your diet). Do this for a month and I would bet that the latter will see more of a significant body change than the other. Ready. Set. GO!
Yeah, and I'm just going to refer you back to @chrisdavey's post; it's been quoted several times right above your post.
Aww, I was hoping you would bring your biochem background into this.
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Carlos_421 wrote: »juggernaut1974 wrote: »What the others have said.
The only thing I'd add is some people find certain combination of food more filling than others. So while the overall total weight loss wouldn't vary, you may find a 1400 calorie diet consisting of relatively high protein more satiating (and thus presumably easier to maintain) than a 1400 calorie diet of relatively high carbs. Each person tends to be different, though - there's not a 'one size fits all' magical combination.
You're awesome even if you do like the wrong Oreos (mint is gross).
Dude...DYE Oreo??
It's ok...I'm willing to overlook one minor character flaw
(and for the record, I said mint was second to original/double stuff)0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »juggernaut1974 wrote: »What the others have said.
The only thing I'd add is some people find certain combination of food more filling than others. So while the overall total weight loss wouldn't vary, you may find a 1400 calorie diet consisting of relatively high protein more satiating (and thus presumably easier to maintain) than a 1400 calorie diet of relatively high carbs. Each person tends to be different, though - there's not a 'one size fits all' magical combination.
You're awesome even if you do like the wrong Oreos (mint is gross).
Dem's fightin words!
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Carlos_421 wrote: »juggernaut1974 wrote: »What the others have said.
The only thing I'd add is some people find certain combination of food more filling than others. So while the overall total weight loss wouldn't vary, you may find a 1400 calorie diet consisting of relatively high protein more satiating (and thus presumably easier to maintain) than a 1400 calorie diet of relatively high carbs. Each person tends to be different, though - there's not a 'one size fits all' magical combination.
You're awesome even if you do like the wrong Oreos (mint is gross).
Dem's fightin words!
Uh oh! Food fight!0 -
byrdiegrrrl wrote: »I'm sorry to COMPLETLY DISAGREE with all of you but "a calorie is a calorie" is FALSE. The body processes different foods completely differently which is why we eat (or should attempt to eat) a balanced diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body which adds weight, particularly around ones midsection. Proteins are burned off/metabolized much differently and therefore don't make you gain weight the same way. I challenge two people in this forum: One of you eat 1200 calories/day of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbs. The other eat 1400 calories/day of lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains (keeping dairy and carbs to a minimum or completely out of your diet). Do this for a month and I would bet that the latter will see more of a significant body change than the other. Ready. Set. GO!
strawman alert, strawman alert..
no one is recommending a diet of 100% fried foods because it would be impossible to get adequate nutrition and hit all micros.
Please go back and read through the whole thread before you make outlandish statements that are not true.
Fried food, cheese, and simple carbs. Supplemented properly, macros and micros could be done. Not recommended or a tasty way to eat for me - I'd be sick from all of the oil. But it could be done. Shoot, it might even be possible to get the nutrition in without the supplements. Do the Texas State Fair thing and put together a normal meal and then mash it all together and toss it in the fryer.
Either way, she'd still be wrong.0 -
Carlos_421 wrote: »juggernaut1974 wrote: »What the others have said.
The only thing I'd add is some people find certain combination of food more filling than others. So while the overall total weight loss wouldn't vary, you may find a 1400 calorie diet consisting of relatively high protein more satiating (and thus presumably easier to maintain) than a 1400 calorie diet of relatively high carbs. Each person tends to be different, though - there's not a 'one size fits all' magical combination.
You're awesome even if you do like the wrong Oreos (mint is gross).
Dem's fightin words!
GOD! I love this forum sometimes. 0 -
byrdiegrrrl wrote: »I'm sorry to COMPLETLY DISAGREE with all of you but "a calorie is a calorie" is FALSE. The body processes different foods completely differently which is why we eat (or should attempt to eat) a balanced diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars in the body which adds weight, particularly around ones midsection. Proteins are burned off/metabolized much differently and therefore don't make you gain weight the same way. I challenge two people in this forum: One of you eat 1200 calories/day of fried foods, cheese, and simple carbs. The other eat 1400 calories/day of lean protein, vegetables, fruit and whole grains (keeping dairy and carbs to a minimum or completely out of your diet). Do this for a month and I would bet that the latter will see more of a significant body change than the other. Ready. Set. GO!
strawman alert, strawman alert..
no one is recommending a diet of 100% fried foods because it would be impossible to get adequate nutrition and hit all micros.
Please go back and read through the whole thread before you make outlandish statements that are not true.
Fried food, cheese, and simple carbs. Supplemented properly, macros and micros could be done. Not recommended or a tasty way to eat for me - I'd be sick from all of the oil. But it could be done. Shoot, it might even be possible to get the nutrition in without the supplements. Do the Texas State Fair thing and put together a normal meal and then mash it all together and toss it in the fryer.
Either way, she'd still be wrong.
I think you would have a hard time getting in your protein macro....0
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