We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Isn't a calorie from carb,protein and fat the same?

neveahnadira
neveahnadira Posts: 197
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Provided that I stick to my daily allotted calorie intake, does it really matter where the calories come from?

For weight loss to occur a person's body has to burn more calories than calories consumed.
1 g carbohydrate=4 cals
1 9 fat=9 cals
1 9 protein=4 cals

If the final numbers of calories consumed are the same, will low carb, low fat, low protein or a moderate C-P-F intake makes any difference when it comes to weight loss? Just wondering...

Replies

  • Tiffany919
    Tiffany919 Posts: 51 Member
    jillian michaels usually suggests getting at least 30% of it in protein. especially if you're working out. protein and fiber help you process sugar more slowly so your insulin levels are more stable (or something like that, i'm not good at restating facts, but i listen to her shows everyday). here's a little thing she wrote up that covers some tips and reasons why...

    http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fitness-and-diet-tips/5-ways-to-calm-hunger-pangs.aspx
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    Provided that I stick to my daily allotted calorie intake, does it really matter where the calories come from?

    For weight loss to occur a person's body has to burn more calories than calories consumed.
    1 g carbohydrate=4 cals
    1 9 fat=9 cals
    1 9 protein=4 cals

    If the final numbers of calories consumed are the same, will low carb, low fat, low protein or a moderate C-P-F intake makes any difference when it comes to weight loss? Just wondering...

    In the long run, no, it really doesn't make a difference what kind of calories you eat, so long as you eat fewer calories than you burn. So if you only care about weight loss, you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. (In the 'short run', certain types of food might make you retain more water. High protein, high fat, low carb diets are popular partly because you lose a lot of weight fast in the beginning. This happens because you're losing glycogen and with glycogen loss, comes water loss. In the long run though, high protein/high fat/low carb does not have an advantage over other diets).

    If you care about more than just losing weight, you should consider that carbs are used almost exclusively for energy... with the rare carb used as a building block for DNA/RNA/glycoproteins. Proteins, on the other hand, are used for so much more than just energy... as are fats (fats make up cell membranes, are the primary component in the myelin sheets that wrap your neurons, and are the building blocks for many hormones, etc...). On top of all that, you need your vitamins and minerals. Antioxidants are great too... So for optimal health, you should eat a balanced diet with good proteins, fats, and carbs while still maintaining a calorie deficit.

    Exactly how should you divide your calories between the different macros? That's up to you. Different strategies have different advantages. I'm currently trying for a 40% carbs, 30% fats, 30% proteins strategy... but I really like carbs so I usually don't stick with that macro division.
  • gregpack
    gregpack Posts: 426 Member
    A calorie is a unit of energy- that's all. IIRC it's the amount of energy required to raise one gram of water one degree centigrade.
    And your body is using the different forms of energy you consume to "keep the fires burning", so to speak. If you consume fewer units of energy that your body needs, you will lose scale weight. You could consume this energy in just about any form, twinkies and big macs, and as long as the math is correct you could theoretically lose scale weight.

    However, not all scale weight loss is good, a certain part of it is lean body mass, including muscle. mass. To help retain lean body during weight loss you need adequate protein, plus resistance type exercises.

    Of the three macros, I find I easier to lose weight if I cut down on my carbs (but I love them).
  • n8vchick77
    n8vchick77 Posts: 114 Member
    Each "type" of calorie takes a different amount of time for your body to breakdown and use. That is what I "think" I remember from the ol' Nutrition and Diet Therapy course I took several years ago.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories