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Is a calorie equal to a calorie?

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Replies

  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    How can a calorie be just a calorie as calories are supposed to = energy

    In my experience I can eat bad foods and have a lot of calories and very little energy besides constant hunger
    However since changing my diet to mostly whole foods I find I have more energy less hunger on much less calories.

    I had tried to lose wieght in the past with the Idea that a calorie is just a calorie and worked on cutting calories it was a constant fight and I ended up binging. Now I eat right most of the time and find still I can indulge in anything (pizza, Burgers whatever) as long as I eat good whole foods most of the time

    The idea that a calorie is simply a way to measure energy in a food doesn't mean that the same calorie amounts of different types of food will translate into the exact same "feeling" of energy for everyone.

    "Energy" in calorie terms is different than a feeling of energy that an individual might have.

    Think of it this way: if I drink a beverage with a lot of caffeine, I may feel more energy than usual (especially if I don't have it often). This doesn't mean it is a high calorie beverage -- in fact, things like coffee don't have many calories at all. If I drink a high calorie beverage with a lot of alcohol, I might suddenly feel sleepy . . . despite the fact that I just consumed a bunch of calories.

    This idea, that calories somehow magically equate to a "feeling" of energy, can be profoundly misleading. The truth is that you can have sufficient energy to run your body and still feel hungry (due to nutritional factors). In fact, you can even be consuming *more* than you need, store the excess energy as fat, and still feel low energy.

    It's two completely different things.


    Exacly, thats why a calorie is not a calorie

    If a calorie is not a calorie then what is a calorie?

    I just hurt my head...
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Not sure what you mean a calories is a unit of measure in energy

    If you have 300 calories in pure suger vrs 300 calories in complex carbs you will have difrent longevity of energy

    that would be like going to the Indy 500 with a beat up old car because a car is a car

    Maybe come back when you have an understanding of what 'energy' is (in the sense of 'energy balance', which is what defines how weight is lost or gained) and it will make more sense to you.

    I do now, The point is at one time I didn't, I looked for advise from those that are supposed to be experts. to say a calorie is a calorie and then say well you need to learn physics is ridiculous.

    I am not going to sell and Insurance policy without breaking it down to an understandable language that people can understand in a practical real world way

    Same way giving that advice to a person new to losing weight is harmful

    and that's the last I will say on it

    We're saying that because there are multiple types of energy. And you are confusing two of them. You are telling us we aren't correct because you aren't understanding the terms we are using. But you don't want to talk about it anymore so it is what it is I guess :drinker:
  • PikaJoyJoy
    PikaJoyJoy Posts: 280 Member
    edited February 2018
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    @myinsbroker and @skinnyjingbb - Do you think that 10lbs of feathers are lighter than 10lbs of rocks?

    We await your answer
  • PikaJoyJoy
    PikaJoyJoy Posts: 280 Member
    edited February 2018
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    J72FIT wrote: »
    How can a calorie be just a calorie as calories are supposed to = energy

    In my experience I can eat bad foods and have a lot of calories and very little energy besides constant hunger
    However since changing my diet to mostly whole foods I find I have more energy less hunger on much less calories.

    I had tried to lose wieght in the past with the Idea that a calorie is just a calorie and worked on cutting calories it was a constant fight and I ended up binging. Now I eat right most of the time and find still I can indulge in anything (pizza, Burgers whatever) as long as I eat good whole foods most of the time

    The idea that a calorie is simply a way to measure energy in a food doesn't mean that the same calorie amounts of different types of food will translate into the exact same "feeling" of energy for everyone.

    "Energy" in calorie terms is different than a feeling of energy that an individual might have.

    Think of it this way: if I drink a beverage with a lot of caffeine, I may feel more energy than usual (especially if I don't have it often). This doesn't mean it is a high calorie beverage -- in fact, things like coffee don't have many calories at all. If I drink a high calorie beverage with a lot of alcohol, I might suddenly feel sleepy . . . despite the fact that I just consumed a bunch of calories.

    This idea, that calories somehow magically equate to a "feeling" of energy, can be profoundly misleading. The truth is that you can have sufficient energy to run your body and still feel hungry (due to nutritional factors). In fact, you can even be consuming *more* than you need, store the excess energy as fat, and still feel low energy.

    It's two completely different things.


    Exacly, thats why a calorie is not a calorie

    If a calorie is not a calorie then what is a calorie?

    I just hurt my head...

    Cal-ception?
  • PikaJoyJoy
    PikaJoyJoy Posts: 280 Member
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    AnvilHead wrote: »
    PikaJoyJoy wrote: »
    @myinsbroker and @skinnyjingbb - Do you think that 10lbs of feathers are lighter than 10lbs of rocks?

    We await your answer

    How about a 10 lb. dumbbell vs. 10 pounds of copy paper? Why would someone be able to pick up the copy paper, but not the dumbbell? Is the 10 lb. dumbbell heavier?

    ^Yeah - answer those questions too.
  • PikaJoyJoy
    PikaJoyJoy Posts: 280 Member
    edited February 2018
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    All I wanted to do is try and make people aware that the blanket statement that a calorie is just a calorie can cause harm.

    Actually, misinformation causes a lot more harm. And that^ is misinformation.

  • PikaJoyJoy
    PikaJoyJoy Posts: 280 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Not sure what you mean a calories is a unit of measure in energy

    If you have 300 calories in pure suger vrs 300 calories in complex carbs you will have difrent longevity of energy

    that would be like going to the Indy 500 with a beat up old car because a car is a car

    Maybe come back when you have an understanding of what 'energy' is (in the sense of 'energy balance', which is what defines how weight is lost or gained) and it will make more sense to you.

    I do now, The point is at one time I didn't, I looked for advise from those that are supposed to be experts. to say a calorie is a calorie and then say well you need to learn physics is ridiculous.

    I am not going to sell and Insurance policy without breaking it down to an understandable language that people can understand in a practical real world way

    Same way giving that advice to a person new to losing weight is harmful

    and that's the last I will say on it

    We're saying that because there are multiple types of energy. And you are confusing two of them. You are telling us we aren't correct because you aren't understanding the terms we are using. But you don't want to talk about it anymore so it is what it is I guess :drinker:

    Because I don't really want to argue or make everyone angry and I can see this is going nowhere

    All I wanted to do is try and make people aware that the blanket statement that a calorie is just a calorie can cause harm.

    I didnt get it here when I was told this it was from my heart doctor well before I seen this forum. All I am saying is that blanket advice took me from 320lbs to 360 lbs and a lot of pain struggling with binging.

    I have since went to the internet becuase I was 368 and learned how to eat right. Now I am at 305

    I know see this same blanket statement on this forum and all I want is for the next person to not be misled. I am not trying to start a fight I just know the pain I have had over it and dont want to see others do the same, That is all

    You're in the debate forum. If you're not interested in debating, this might not be the forum for you. There are plenty of other forums and other threads that need to be answered, though. But I see you aren't interested in that sort of thing.

    Point is you feel I am trying to put you down, I am not. Its not personal and I am not making any personal attacks.

    IncredibleFlawedGodwit-max-1mb.gif
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Not sure what you mean a calories is a unit of measure in energy

    If you have 300 calories in pure suger vrs 300 calories in complex carbs you will have difrent longevity of energy

    that would be like going to the Indy 500 with a beat up old car because a car is a car

    Maybe come back when you have an understanding of what 'energy' is (in the sense of 'energy balance', which is what defines how weight is lost or gained) and it will make more sense to you.

    I do now, The point is at one time I didn't, I looked for advise from those that are supposed to be experts. to say a calorie is a calorie and then say well you need to learn physics is ridiculous.

    I am not going to sell and Insurance policy without breaking it down to an understandable language that people can understand in a practical real world way

    Same way giving that advice to a person new to losing weight is harmful

    and that's the last I will say on it

    We're saying that because there are multiple types of energy. And you are confusing two of them. You are telling us we aren't correct because you aren't understanding the terms we are using. But you don't want to talk about it anymore so it is what it is I guess :drinker:

    Because I don't really want to argue or make everyone angry and I can see this is going nowhere

    All I wanted to do is try and make people aware that the blanket statement that a calorie is just a calorie can cause harm.

    I didnt get it here when I was told this it was from my heart doctor well before I seen this forum. All I am saying is that blanket advice took me from 320lbs to 360 lbs and a lot of pain struggling with binging.

    I have since went to the internet becuase I was 368 and learned how to eat right. Now I am at 305

    I know see this same blanket statement on this forum and all I want is for the next person to not be misled. I am not trying to start a fight I just know the pain I have had over it and dont want to see others do the same, That is all

    ...but...but...
    and that's the last I will say on it

    You lost weight because your caloric intake was less than your caloric output. How is this confusing?