a calorie is a calorie is a calorie....Right?

HittingHerStride
HittingHerStride Posts: 82
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
so here is the thing that really intrigues me, I can stay within my calories and still eat crap food. Which apparently I have been experimenting with /unintentionally/.

yesterday I stayed within my calories but I had a small chocolate shake that left me feeling cranky and lethargic.

I stayed within my calories today even though we had take out pizza. I now feel cranky and irritable. I had two slices compared to my usual 3-4 so I could stay within my calories but I don't feel 'good' I feel like 'crap'.

Clearly I can loose weight by cutting calories but I am not improving my quality of life until I change the kinds of food I am eating as well as cutting the calories.

Maybe this is common sense for many of you but it is a learning process for the rest of us. I don't beat myself up because this is a journey, I am here to learn and improve, that often can not be done with out mistakes first.

Replies

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,262 Member
    Extreme comparisons should follow to prove a calorie is not a calorie.
  • visiri
    visiri Posts: 173 Member
    Yes, a calorie a calorie and a calorie is an energy unit - but you're seeing that your food choices are affecting your mood. Some fuel is better than others. And some foods are calorie dense and some aren't. Personally, being able to eat more without loading up on calories is my preferred method of eating these days. I could blow my whole day's allotment on cheesecake, but then when I crash from the sugar high what next?

    I think it's great you're paying attention and learning how your food choices are affecting you - that's what this is all about.

    Cheers!!!
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    Not exactly.

    Assuming all other factors are equal, the calorie deficit/surplus determines how much is lost or gained. The macros determine what is lost or gained.
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
    You're right to recognize that those are two different areas of concerns. Weight loss is about energy exchange and balance, which can be affected by overall health. How you "feel" can be affected by the type and "quality" of food very easily. Both are important. I use quote around quality because people have differing opinions on what that means.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    You're trying to compare apples an oranges is what it souns like. Different foods will impact you differently in terms of how you feel especially if you have foo sensitivities or allergies. Wheat gluten can cause inflamation and cause you to feel poorly. Lactose can to the same if your system doesn't react well to them. These are the 2 most obvious but there are other foods that can cause reactions that could be unpleasant. What's that got to do with calories? They are a simple measure of energy in an energy out. I agree as someone said, that it's great you are tuning into these things and unerstanding how they affect your well being. I just think your making a comparison of 2 things that don't relate to each other.
  • HittingHerStride
    HittingHerStride Posts: 82
    I think some folks are misunderstanding the point of my post but I guess that is the beauty of interpretation.
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
    I think some folks are misunderstanding the point of my post but I guess that is the beauty of interpretation.

    I totally get what you're saying (I think). When I first started, I just worried about calories because it was about tackling one thing at a time so that I wouldn't become overwhelmed. Once I got the hang of that, I started focusing more on my macros and the quality of my food. It is a learning process, which I'm still in the midst of. I am still finding new ways to tweak recipes or volumize dishes to get the best bang for my calorie buck.
  • HittingHerStride
    HittingHerStride Posts: 82
    yes, exactly
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Try to eat healthy for a few days. I bet you will see a difference in your mood and energy level. Good luck. We all know this isn't easy.
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
    Well, the title of the post is accurate; a calorie is a calorie. And as you point out, losing weight is about calories. You also point out that the quality of your life is affected by your food and isn't just a matter of losing weight.
  • sarahgilmore
    sarahgilmore Posts: 572 Member
    On the other hand, I love chocolate (and pizza!) and it doesn't make me feel like crap, so to cut it out would REDUCE my quality of life.
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,359 Member
    I think I am agreeing with you.
    I started out meeting my calorie limit with the usual stuff i ate, only less of it. Over the past moths though, I've substituted healthier new choices. I used to have a donut, but now I choose to use the same amount of calories for something that I don't just scarf down and feel the sugar and fat buzz.
    If a person decided to stick to the junk food they would still lose weight if they took in less calories than they expend, a balanced, healthy diet isn't a requirement to lose weight, but it sure makes sense. Don't just paint the car, fix the engine.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    A calorie is a calorie, but you need to be looking at other things such as fat, protein, fiber, etc. You need to be getting vitamins and stuff. You can still enjoy pizza and things you love, but try making them at home with healthier ingredients. You know exactly what is in it and how many calories etc. Home made pizza is really good and can be healthy if you put lots of veggies on it. Don't try to change everything at once, do it over a couple weeks so that you can adjust to the changes. You WILL feel a lot better when you start having more healthy stuff, instead of "empty calories" If you ever need any advice you can message me! I have a lot of great recipes and a lot of useless diet information :P
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    Sometimes I get cranky if I do NOT eat pizza and chocolate shakes. :)

    I agree with your thoughts. I am still working on trying to get the habit of healthy. It is very difficult.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Why does everyone hate on pizza and icecream? I ate icecream last night for dessert and felt perfectly fine.
    Pizza is delicious, and you can make them very nutritious as well by loading them with veggies and lean meats.

    And yeah, for weight loss a calorie is a calorie, and you can lose weight eating at a deficit with a diet comprised only of icecream.

    You are right in saying that you wouldn't get your micronutrients or an appropriate macronutrient intake then, which is better for your overall health.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Why does everyone hate on pizza and icecream? I ate icecream last night for dessert and felt perfectly fine.
    Pizza is delicious, and you can make them very nutritious as well by loading them with veggies and lean meats.

    I just ate 3/4ths of a very large home-made pizza with turkey pepperoni. Very easy on the macros too.

    And I'm sharing, because eating pizza and then bragging about it is cool in my book.
  • MikeSEA
    MikeSEA Posts: 1,074 Member
    Why does everyone hate on pizza and icecream? I ate icecream last night for dessert and felt perfectly fine.
    Pizza is delicious, and you can make them very nutritious as well by loading them with veggies and lean meats.

    And yeah, for weight loss a calorie is a calorie, and you can lose weight eating at a deficit with a diet comprised only of icecream.

    You are right in saying that you wouldn't get your micronutrients or an appropriate macronutrient intake then, which is better for your overall health.

    In the case of the OP, it seems justified. if she genuinely feels like crap after eating pizza, then maybe she shouldn't eat pizza. I don't think she was stating that pizza is generally bad so much as it doesn't do great things for her...in much the same way that it doesn't do bad things to you.
  • katglaze
    katglaze Posts: 45 Member
    So with the body an fuel burning engine a calorie is a calorie. I can lose weight quickly when I follow the rules...at first. What I normally don't do is make a life change, the other thing I did not do is try to eat "healthy calories" vs processed food. There is a limit to how many things I will cut out, it is a life style choice. If I stop doing a few things I truly enjoy I will lose some and then jump off the wagon.

    I am trying to lose this weight last and forever, which means I have to balance the reality of eating out once a week, and an insane amount of goodies thrown at me during work hours. Plus I like an libation once or twice a week. I have to face it and deal with it!
  • twinlaced
    twinlaced Posts: 46 Member
    I think it's kind of important to consume good carbs as much as you can vs bad carbs. I usually feel better when I take the whole grain choice, and eat lots of vegetables. I feel like crap after eating pizza too, lol. I ate one today actually.. D: and feel like crap.
  • kmboffice88
    kmboffice88 Posts: 35
    Absolutely not.

    If you eat 1200 calories of fruits and veggies a day VERSUS 1200 calories of Snicker bars of a day, no. (That is an extreme example.) There is more to a food besides it's caloric intake... you must also look at it's sugars, fats, etc.
  • minadeathclutch
    minadeathclutch Posts: 375 Member
    i ate a pint of ben and jerrys one night and didnt gain anything.. lost 2 lbs that week..

    sure it was JUNK. sure it was WAY too much fat sugar dairy yuck!

    but it was a good break from healthy food.. and it made me realize yuck i dont really TRUly like eating this ****.

    eat what you want when you want.. just get some healthy stuff in whatever! dont control anything too much youll end up binging and going crazy!
    ENJOY
  • jodycoady
    jodycoady Posts: 598 Member
    I think some folks are misunderstanding the point of my post but I guess that is the beauty of interpretation.

    I get what you mean and it's true. I mean if you are not counting sodium limits or whatever other factors, if you stay within your calorie limit you will lose whether it's a whole bunch of low-calories meals or one big fat Mc Donald's combo all day.

    But of course we are only talking calories, not overall good health.
  • PoeRaven
    PoeRaven Posts: 433 Member
    If what you're eating is making you feel bad, it's time to change what you're eating.
    May I suggest:
    VEGGIES! VEGGIES! VEGGIES!
    Lean protein (Fish, chicken, turkey, lean beef, eggs)
    VEGGIES! VEGGIES! VEGGIES!
    Fresh fruits
    VEGGIES! VEGGIES! VEGGIES!
    Whole grains, nuts and seeds
    VEGGIES! VEGGIES! VEGGIES!
    Lowfat dairy (skim milk, yogurt,)
    VEGGIES! VEGGIES! VEGGIES!

    Stay away from high fat, high sugar, white carbs for a week and see how much better you feel.
    oh and don't forget the
    VEGGIES! VEGGIES! VEGGIES!

    Good luck!
  • normanmac
    normanmac Posts: 34
    I'm just going to jump in here on the way food makes me feel, not the calorie part....years ago
    I was consuming way too much diet Pepsi and was having the worst headaches because of the NutraSweet...so I worked very hard to wean myself and managed to get myself down to just one diet Pepsi per day, which I had each morning. Finally I have managed to wean myself from that one as well. Now I notice that when I think I can have a morning treat and buy myself that Pepsi it triggers something in me and I spend the entire day craving junk food. I've been keeping a log and it happens each time. I can't have it anymore it is a trigger that I need not have in my life. However, I do love the taste of diet Pepsi.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    I just thought of something I didn't say in my earlier post. You can still order pizza and stuff like that from restaurants.. but ask them to use less of the cheese, and sauce and stuff... and get veggie lovers.. thin crust etc. That way you cut out extra calories and fats.
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