calories are calories?

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KenziesMomma11
KenziesMomma11 Posts: 258 Member
in Food and Nutrition
so if you eat lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains throughout the day to give you your total calorie goal, is it the same as if you eat something not as good for you and you are at the same calorie goal?
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  • BGabbart
    BGabbart Posts: 173 Member
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    calories are calories but some make you feel better and you have a lot more energy.
  • Naomi_84
    Naomi_84 Posts: 197 Member
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    The calories will be the same but the nutritional value will be hugely different if you're getting you're calories from the right places; lean meat, dairy, fruit, vegatables, wholegreains will nourish you and you'll be able to eat lots more of it as opposed to eating a takeaway pizza and 2 chocolate bars in a day. The calories consumed may be the same but you will definitely not be as healthy.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,020 Member
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    Well you've picked pretty much all carb sources, so it's hard to say what you consider not as good.
    Foods that are whole and have it's original matrix attached will have more micronutrients that are designed by nature for it's synergistic effects upon the body, so while a calorie is a calorie the source of that calorie will have an effect on our overall health.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    In terms of weight loss, yes.

    However, there are ways you can structure your diet to make sure you're getting sufficient micronutrients, feeling better, and retaining more lean mass
  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
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    yes calories are calories but calories effect you differently. the "good" calories will be lower for the volume and will most likely fill you up longer. Think about it, an apple has 70 calories (just picking an approximate number) and the bag of baked potatoe chips has 160 calories.... that is 90 more calories that you just ate with those chips!! It is most likely possible that after the chips you will be hungry sooner than after eating the fruit.

    I have plenty of calories on the days that my snacks and sides at lunch are fruit.... it is the days that I snack on crackers, chips, or candy that I seem to run out of calories. I find that the fruit is fresh and filling. I get plenty full on it and don't want the calories that are "bad" for you.

    Short story: I get more VOLUME of food when I eat "healthy" so I am very full :wink:
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Ever heard the term "empty calories"? Junk food has no (or very little) nutrients. Your body can't get what it needs. So you are stocking up on calories that isn't doing your body any good.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
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    In terms of weight loss it doesn't matter - however, I know if I eat sugarry biscuits etc. I usually feel hungry pretty quickly (and you don't even get much, 2 biscuits for 200 calories) vs. eating the same number of calories in protein / veg (a stir fry) will make me feel full for longer and will give me the nutrients my body needs. I have been eating pretty badly lately and found my appetite just keeps increasing compared to when my diet was comprised of mostly protein and some carb
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    I beg to differ that all calories are the same.

    It is not as simple as a calorie is a calorie and calories in / calories out. Poo Poo on that idea.
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
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    I beg to differ that "calories in/calories out" equates to, "all calories are the same."

    If I'm the only one who interprets things this way, I can accept that. To me, calories in/calories out simply means you have to burn more than you take in. You can't break the laws of thermodynamics. They are what they are.

    That said, calories in/calories says nothing about being healthy, only the transfer of energy. Not only that, but it's not as if the concept of bio availability is voodoo. There's a reason why I like to listen to both physicists and biochemists.
  • dgwear
    dgwear Posts: 11 Member
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    calories are just calories yes. im part of a community of bodybuilders that are always eating generally good food that will fill our micro and macro nutrient profile but we will also fit in quite a bit of taste foods.

    one of the major fights of the nutrition world is carbs. simple complex high glycemic lowe glycemic its all really the same. 1 carb provides 4kcal whether its table sugar or sweet potato.
  • dgwear
    dgwear Posts: 11 Member
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    I beg to differ that "calories in/calories out" equates to, "all calories are the same."

    If I'm the only one who interprets things this way, I can accept that. To me, calories in/calories out simply means you have to burn more than you take in. You can't break the laws of thermodynamics. They are what they are.

    That said, calories in/calories says nothing about being healthy, only the transfer of energy. Not only that, but it's not as if the concept of bio availability is voodoo. There's a reason why I like to listen to both physicists and biochemists.

    this is generally right. it wouldnt be good to get all your calories in one day from olive oil but for the most part if a person eats traditional foods they will have somewhat of a good nutrient profile. you could adjuse your macros based on goals.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    calories are calories but some make you feel better and you have a lot more energy.

    Definitely.
  • dgwear
    dgwear Posts: 11 Member
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    the goals of a balanced diet would be

    1. get your suggested number of macronutrients (carbs fats protein.)
    2. with those numbers make sure that you are getting your micros vitamins and minerals.
    3. be satisfied. personally i wouldnt eat a cup of brown rice (about 55g carbs) i might rather eat a banana, some strawberrys and an apple to get my 55g carbs.
  • KenziesMomma11
    KenziesMomma11 Posts: 258 Member
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    thank you for all of your wonderful/educational replies :)

    i just wanted to make sure that when i do eat less healthy choices i can still try to keep my calorie goal for that day without ruining progress i have made. i have to be realistic. i enjoy many foods that arent the best choices, but i would like to be able to stay on track while still enjoying them. i also dont want to feel guilty if i do enjoy them. knowing that i can have something i want if i am willing to sacrifice the calories makes me feel a little better :)
  • RonSwanson66
    RonSwanson66 Posts: 1,150 Member
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    I beg to differ that all calories are the same.

    It is not as simple as a calorie is a calorie and calories in / calories out. Poo Poo on that idea.

    WOW, Incredibly cogent argument here.

    It ranks right up there with "I know you are but what am I".
  • KenziesMomma11
    KenziesMomma11 Posts: 258 Member
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    I beg to differ that all calories are the same.

    It is not as simple as a calorie is a calorie and calories in / calories out. Poo Poo on that idea.

    WOW, Incredibly cogent argument here.

    It ranks right up there with "I know you are but what am I".

    ROFLOL
  • getsveltEagain
    getsveltEagain Posts: 1,063 Member
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    thank you for all of your wonderful/educational replies :)

    i just wanted to make sure that when i do eat less healthy choices i can still try to keep my calorie goal for that day without ruining progress i have made. i have to be realistic. i enjoy many foods that arent the best choices, but i would like to be able to stay on track while still enjoying them. i also dont want to feel guilty if i do enjoy them. knowing that i can have something i want if i am willing to sacrifice the calories makes me feel a little better :)

    I allow myself fast food or candy from time to time and stay within my calories. I know that if I deprive myself of something it will never be a life change. So I say indulge with a plan... plug it into your calories early in the day and work around that. Also knowing the healthy side of the indulgence is good too. I have a bite size snickers from time to time because I don't need a full size to get the craving satistfied. Also going out to Mcdonald's is still Mcdonald's but with a chicken sandwich or salad and fries!
  • salmasy
    salmasy Posts: 15
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    calories are calories yes (it's a scientific measurement of energy, if a calorie wasn't a calorie it would be as stupid as 1 inch sometimes being a fingernail and sometimes a foot!)
    on the other hand, it's what has provided that calorie that matters, fat calories aren't that useful, much more than 300 calories from protein isn't really useful, calories from carbs are best (it's brainfood, your entire body operates on glucose) if you eat meals then starchy stuff is best,
    if you eat more throughout the day and have small meals and gazing between then sugary stuff is best (as long as you aint having a lot of fat, fat clogs up everything and stops insulin from working properly to get the sugar out of your blood and into your cells, if you have a lot of fat i don't care who you are avoid sugar like the PLAGUE! fat+sugar = diabetes in bad cases, in less bad cases for short periods it'll be at least high blood sugar)

    then theres foods that take more to digest than they give, you may as well count them as minus calories.
    more calorie dense foods tend to take less calories to digest compared to what they give than calorie non-dense foods.

    of course all that is messed up if you don't get enough fibre and water.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,020 Member
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    calories are calories yes (it's a scientific measurement of energy, if a calorie wasn't a calorie it would be as stupid as 1 inch sometimes being a fingernail and sometimes a foot!)
    on the other hand, it's what has provided that calorie that matters, fat calories aren't that useful, much more than 300 calories from protein isn't really useful, calories from carbs are best (it's brainfood, your entire body operates on glucose) if you eat meals then starchy stuff is best,
    if you eat more throughout the day and have small meals and gazing between then sugary stuff is best (as long as you aint having a lot of fat, fat clogs up everything and stops insulin from working properly to get the sugar out of your blood and into your cells, if you have a lot of fat i don't care who you are avoid sugar like the PLAGUE! fat+sugar = diabetes in bad cases, in less bad cases for short periods it'll be at least high blood sugar)

    then theres foods that take more to digest than they give, you may as well count them as minus calories.
    more calorie dense foods tend to take less calories to digest compared to what they give than calorie non-dense foods.

    of course all that is messed up if you don't get enough fibre and water.
    Most of that didn't make much sense let alone correct. :smile:
  • Natalie49
    Natalie49 Posts: 210 Member
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    Well if you're under your cal range then you're good. But if your calories have lots of fat and sugar and all that... that's not really good!

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