Calories are Calories....

CallieM15
CallieM15 Posts: 910 Member
edited November 9 in Food and Nutrition
Okay, so I have a coworker who says that I dont have to be "eating healthy foods". I like my foods, fruits, veggies, leans protiens ect... HE likes his foods, cake, soda, crap crap crap processed stuff. He doesnt like veggies, wont eat them. He will eat fruit, if its in a can... He is JUST starting his diet, he says calories are calories.

So, my question;

He says he could eat 1400 calories in cake, either at one sitting or throughout the day, and lose weight. Similar, eat frenchfries, McDonals, Twinkies. ....

Im not saying hes wrong, but..... Are calories really just calories?

Would 1400 Calories in SUGAR and FAT let him lose weight?
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Replies

  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    yep. i ate like crap last year, but was under my calorie goal. I lost 20 lbs.

    I wasn't healthy though. didn't have vitamins and nutrition that I needed.
  • carpar1
    carpar1 Posts: 211 Member
    Calories are calories, but I think your skin and body would look much better if you eat the healthy foods vs. cakes, cookies, chips, etc.
  • LeahFerri
    LeahFerri Posts: 186 Member
    There have been some studies concerning this. I think there may have been a documentary about a man who went on "the twinkie diet". I don't remember the precise caloric intake, but he ran a deficit and lived on twinkies, vitamin supplements, and presumably water and lost weight.
    So yeah, a calorie is a calorie. Energy is energy. Whether it comes from bonds in proteins or hydrocarbons or whatever doesn't change what it is.
    But eating foods that are considered to be more healthful helps keep you full and ensures that you get all the nutrients you need far better than running a caloric deficit but living on french fries.
  • thin150
    thin150 Posts: 48 Member
    bump
  • upwiththesun
    upwiththesun Posts: 51
    ewww, maybe he needs to watch Super Size Me. I mean calories are calories, but there is also more involved. Like insulin spikes, how your body reacts to that, like extra Cortisol. The stress on the gall bladder and liver. Not to mention sodium and cholesterol on the heart.

    NO WAY, good calories trumps bad calories any day.
  • LadyShannara
    LadyShannara Posts: 2
    A calorie is the measurement of how much energy it takes to raise 1 ounce of water 1 degree. So in a certain respect it's true- a calorie is a calorie.
    From a nutritional aspect a calorie is not just a calorie. A carrot and a Twinkie are worlds apart.
    I guess it all depends on how you feel about your health not just your weight.
  • DonnaRe2012
    DonnaRe2012 Posts: 298 Member
    He may lose weight but he'll probably die of heart disease or diabetes. NOT HEALTHY.
  • amuhlou
    amuhlou Posts: 693 Member
    There have been some studies concerning this. I think there may have been a documentary about a man who went on "the twinkie diet". I don't remember the precise caloric intake, but he ran a deficit and lived on twinkies, vitamin supplements, and presumably water and lost weight.
    So yeah, a calorie is a calorie. Energy is energy. Whether it comes from bonds in proteins or hydrocarbons or whatever doesn't change what it is.
    But eating foods that are considered to be more healthful helps keep you full and ensures that you get all the nutrients you need far better than running a caloric deficit but living on french fries.

    There was a professor who did the twinkie diet: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html
  • CallieM15
    CallieM15 Posts: 910 Member
    He may lose weight but he'll probably die of heart disease or diabetes. NOT HEALTHY.


    Lol. Love it....

    I like my H=healthier diet. Im not scared to eat a little dessert, but I now am doing so good on eating CLEAN, and feeling better and better, not like a blob.
  • im_blessed
    im_blessed Posts: 74 Member
    bump
  • JasonsWeightliftingWife
    JasonsWeightliftingWife Posts: 59 Member
    I saw your post and instantly thought of this Professor from Kansas that went on a junk food diet. He lost weight, but I think that it's better to have the right fuel for our bodies.

    Check out the article.

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html
  • lovinmysoldier
    lovinmysoldier Posts: 156 Member
    Yes, calories are calories but have you ever seen those shows where extremely obese people are vitamin deficient? That's exactly where he'll end up. Starving his body of the vital nutrients it needs, not only will he feel like crap, he will look like crap. Thin hair and nails, mineral loss from bones and muscles. You get the idea.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    Calories are calories in terms of weight loss. Health is a different story.

    Fitting in treats is fine, eating nothing but crap is just stupid.
  • Kat120285
    Kat120285 Posts: 1,599 Member
    Always interesting seeing peoples thoughts on this subject. I recently read an article on how calories are calories whether they're in the form of carbs, protein or what have you. I have also read that your body processes alcohol first so whatever food you've got in your belly sits and waits. Not sure if there's truth to that or not.
  • madameduffay
    madameduffay Posts: 166 Member
    Yeah they are. But, IMO, there are other benefits to eating right, the least of which is that usually there are less calories in healthy foods so you get to eat more : )
  • CallieM15
    CallieM15 Posts: 910 Member
    Yes, calories are calories but have you ever seen those shows where extremely obese people are vitamin deficient? That's exactly where he'll end up. Starving his body of the vital nutrients it needs, not only will he feel like crap, he will look like crap. Thin hair and nails, mineral loss from bones and muscles. You get the idea.

    I dont particularly care for this coworker, mainly cause he is CONSANT about my food and critisizing me (Yea so I pick WHOLE GRAIN now...).... reading this I can hope that he turns into a skinny balding nailess guy :)
  • jsnearly
    jsnearly Posts: 61
    yes, calories are calories, however your body is more efficient with a balanced diet.
  • alexbelly
    alexbelly Posts: 277 Member
    He'll just end up skinny fat, low energy and wonder why he's hungry all the time. It doesn't take much cake to reach 1400 calories.
  • xdaysbingefree
    xdaysbingefree Posts: 98 Member
    He will probably lose weight, but he will also probably feel tired/cranky all the time and have bad hair/skin. And he will be putting himself at risk for things like heart disease and diabetes.

    Also, junk food calories add up much faster, so he will probably be hungry all the time and find that it takes more than 1400 calories to keep himself satisfied
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    I have also read that your body processes alcohol first so whatever food you've got in your belly sits and waits. Not sure if there's truth to that or not.

    Close, kinda. Your liver metabolizes alcohol first, so the job of fat burning is "pushed to the back burner". You can still lose weight if you're in a deficit, but alcohol can make it come off more sluggishly.
  • clover5
    clover5 Posts: 1,640 Member
    Since you don't like him, you could bring him some twinkies and speed up his skinny demise.
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member

    He says he could eat 1400 calories in cake, either at one sitting or throughout the day, and lose weight. Similar, eat frenchfries, McDonals, Twinkies. ....

    Im not saying hes wrong, but..... Are calories really just calories?

    Would 1400 Calories in SUGAR and FAT let him lose weight?

    yes.
  • Kat120285
    Kat120285 Posts: 1,599 Member
    I have also read that your body processes alcohol first so whatever food you've got in your belly sits and waits. Not sure if there's truth to that or not.

    Close, kinda. Your liver metabolizes alcohol first, so the job of fat burning is "pushed to the back burner". You can still lose weight if you're in a deficit, but alcohol can make it come off more sluggishly.

    Now that makes sense haha. Thanks!
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    Calories are calories, but nutrients are a whole other subject.
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 396 Member
    If you're losing weight as a number-crunching activity, simply creating a deficit, then yeah, they're just calories- get them from vegetables, woodchips, or milkshakes and they're still calories. But if you're losing weight as part of a health regimen, then obviously they're not the same and you're hurting your body more by what you're putting into it than the benefits you're reaping via the caloric deficit created.
  • pupcamper
    pupcamper Posts: 410 Member
    From a nutritional aspect a calorie is not just a calorie. A carrot and a Twinkie are worlds apart.
    I guess it all depends on how you feel about your health not just your weight.

    Well said! :drinker:
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    Technically yes a cal is just a cal but its the fats, protein, fiber, sugar, carbs etc that count so eventually it will catch up with him.
  • ssinner
    ssinner Posts: 1 Member
    His weight will go down, but so will his life expectancy..... I would check back with him in 10 years and see how that junk food diet worked out.
  • Collinsky
    Collinsky Posts: 593 Member
    Calories are calories in terms of weight loss. Health is a different story.

    Fitting in treats is fine, eating nothing but crap is just stupid.

    ^ This.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    He's going to fail. Calories are calories, but your body craves more than just calories. He'll eat his empty calories, but his body will keep nagging him for more.
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