A calorie is a calorie, but not always the same.
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d2footballJRC
Posts: 2,684 Member
A calorie is a calorie is thrown around a lot on these forums. If you get to the nitty gritty base of it all, then yes, a calorie is a calorie no matter where it came from. What does matter is how it became a calorie. Hear me out!
In losing weight calories in vs calories out is king and the major piece of the puzzle. That doesn’t mean it’s the only piece of the puzzle though. Our bodies are all different and we process different foods which themselves are not calories but provide calories. It is key to learn how our bodies process these foods and everyone’s bodies process them differently.
Some people can get away eating under calories and eating pure junk food. I’m someone who can not. Some reason if I eat over 150g of Carbs I will not lose weight. I do know that carbs will make your body take on an extra 3-4g of water per carb but that isn’t the only factor. There has been times in the past (looking back just under a years worth of data) that I’ve ate higher carbs (around 200g daily) and over the month didn’t lose any weight. Several months like that actually. Even eating always at a deficit. I may have an insulin issue of some sort, though the blood work has never shown any. I’ve learned over time what my body can and can’t respond to. Adjusting to that I’ve allowed myself to lose just over 100 pounds since August 1st. There has been times it’s slowed down and those times almost always have been a higher carb consumption. Now I’m not saying.. LOW CARBS and etc.. I’m saying learn how your body reacts to the foods you eat. I can eat high protein and go over on calories and not gain a lick and even lose. Just how my body reacts to it. There is many other factors but it comes down to our bodies are different.
This mainly goes out as advice to those who are stuck on a long plateau; advice is usually eat more, which sometimes works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Change up your macros next time, shock the system, see if maybe your body utilizes food differently. What do you have to lose?
A Calorie is a calorie is the back bone of all diets but don’t be so blind that you don’t look at other factors. Just some food for thought on a long Monday morning!
In losing weight calories in vs calories out is king and the major piece of the puzzle. That doesn’t mean it’s the only piece of the puzzle though. Our bodies are all different and we process different foods which themselves are not calories but provide calories. It is key to learn how our bodies process these foods and everyone’s bodies process them differently.
Some people can get away eating under calories and eating pure junk food. I’m someone who can not. Some reason if I eat over 150g of Carbs I will not lose weight. I do know that carbs will make your body take on an extra 3-4g of water per carb but that isn’t the only factor. There has been times in the past (looking back just under a years worth of data) that I’ve ate higher carbs (around 200g daily) and over the month didn’t lose any weight. Several months like that actually. Even eating always at a deficit. I may have an insulin issue of some sort, though the blood work has never shown any. I’ve learned over time what my body can and can’t respond to. Adjusting to that I’ve allowed myself to lose just over 100 pounds since August 1st. There has been times it’s slowed down and those times almost always have been a higher carb consumption. Now I’m not saying.. LOW CARBS and etc.. I’m saying learn how your body reacts to the foods you eat. I can eat high protein and go over on calories and not gain a lick and even lose. Just how my body reacts to it. There is many other factors but it comes down to our bodies are different.
This mainly goes out as advice to those who are stuck on a long plateau; advice is usually eat more, which sometimes works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Change up your macros next time, shock the system, see if maybe your body utilizes food differently. What do you have to lose?
A Calorie is a calorie is the back bone of all diets but don’t be so blind that you don’t look at other factors. Just some food for thought on a long Monday morning!
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Replies
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Good advice. Many people forget that calories are simply needed for weight loss while macronutrients largely dictate body composition. Macronutrients definitely need more love on this site.
Also, I believe in low-fat and high-fat phenotypes, meaning people who do better on higher fats and lower carbs and vice versa.0 -
Good advice. Many people forget that calories are simply needed for weight loss while macronutrients largely dictate body composition. Macronutrients definitely need more love on this site.
Also, I believe in low-fat and high-fat phenotypes, meaning people who do better on higher fats and lower carbs and vice versa.
Thanks for the comment!0 -
You share the best information with your friends. Thank you. I agree with it 100%. The system shocking has been working wonders for me.
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A calorie is a calorie is thrown around a lot on these forums. If you get to the nitty gritty base of it all, then yes, a calorie is a calorie no matter where it came from. What does matter is how it became a calorie. Hear me out!
In losing weight calories in vs calories out is king and the major piece of the puzzle. That doesn’t mean it’s the only piece of the puzzle though. Our bodies are all different and we process different foods which themselves are not calories but provide calories. It is key to learn how our bodies process these foods and everyone’s bodies process them differently.
Some people can get away eating under calories and eating pure junk food. I’m someone who can not. Some reason if I eat over 150g of Carbs I will not lose weight. I do know that carbs will make your body take on an extra 3-4g of water per carb but that isn’t the only factor. There has been times in the past (looking back just under a years worth of data) that I’ve ate higher carbs (around 200g daily) and over the month didn’t lose any weight. Several months like that actually. Even eating always at a deficit. I may have an insulin issue of some sort, though the blood work has never shown any. I’ve learned over time what my body can and can’t respond to. Adjusting to that I’ve allowed myself to lose just over 100 pounds since August 1st. There has been times it’s slowed down and those times almost always have been a higher carb consumption. Now I’m not saying.. LOW CARBS and etc.. I’m saying learn how your body reacts to the foods you eat. I can eat high protein and go over on calories and not gain a lick and even lose. Just how my body reacts to it. There is many other factors but it comes down to our bodies are different.
This mainly goes out as advice to those who are stuck on a long plateau; advice is usually eat more, which sometimes works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Change up your macros next time, shock the system, see if maybe your body utilizes food differently. What do you have to lose?
A Calorie is a calorie is the back bone of all diets but don’t be so blind that you don’t look at other factors. Just some food for thought on a long Monday morning!
You probably have what they call a protein bodytype, meaning you need less carbs but more protein to lose weight. I am the same and when I stick to that simple rule, providing I stay within my daily calorie allowance, the weight comes off.
Some people are suited to more carbs and less protein.
Good thread!0 -
A calorie is a calorie is thrown around a lot on these forums. If you get to the nitty gritty base of it all, then yes, a calorie is a calorie no matter where it came from. What does matter is how it became a calorie. Hear me out!
In losing weight calories in vs calories out is king and the major piece of the puzzle. That doesn’t mean it’s the only piece of the puzzle though. Our bodies are all different and we process different foods which themselves are not calories but provide calories. It is key to learn how our bodies process these foods and everyone’s bodies process them differently.
Some people can get away eating under calories and eating pure junk food. I’m someone who can not. Some reason if I eat over 150g of Carbs I will not lose weight. I do know that carbs will make your body take on an extra 3-4g of water per carb but that isn’t the only factor. There has been times in the past (looking back just under a years worth of data) that I’ve ate higher carbs (around 200g daily) and over the month didn’t lose any weight. Several months like that actually. Even eating always at a deficit. I may have an insulin issue of some sort, though the blood work has never shown any. I’ve learned over time what my body can and can’t respond to. Adjusting to that I’ve allowed myself to lose just over 100 pounds since August 1st. There has been times it’s slowed down and those times almost always have been a higher carb consumption. Now I’m not saying.. LOW CARBS and etc.. I’m saying learn how your body reacts to the foods you eat. I can eat high protein and go over on calories and not gain a lick and even lose. Just how my body reacts to it. There is many other factors but it comes down to our bodies are different.
This mainly goes out as advice to those who are stuck on a long plateau; advice is usually eat more, which sometimes works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Change up your macros next time, shock the system, see if maybe your body utilizes food differently. What do you have to lose?
A Calorie is a calorie is the back bone of all diets but don’t be so blind that you don’t look at other factors. Just some food for thought on a long Monday morning!
You probably have what they call a protein bodytype, meaning you need less carbs but more protein to lose weight. I am the same and when I stick to that simple rule, providing I stay within my daily calorie allowance, the weight comes off.
Some people are suited to more carbs and less protein.
Good thread!
Exactly, which is why I think people sometimes need to pay more attention to what their body type is. Especially if they feel they hit a plateau.0 -
you are all unique little snowflakes0
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I agree!!! I am dealing with trying to figure this out now.0
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Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!! I really do need to learn more about macronutrients....0
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I agree. I see much better results eating more fruits and veggies as apposed to bread and crackers. Same calories, but not the same result.0
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Thanks! More info to learn about... can't say what type of body I have, but now I'm armed with more understanding.0
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you are all unique little snowflakes
Just remember, you are unique and different. Just like everybody else!
It is true, though that different people react differently to different balances of intake.
It's also true that most people can actually train their body and adjust their body's preferred intake (such as people taking up diets like Atkins, where you actually convert your intake from a moderate-to-high-carb diet to a low-carb diet).
The human body is a remarkably flexible thing. There are so many ways to lose weight that it's sometimes tough to find one that works for each person. Fortunately, any of them work for MOST people, with varying degrees of difficulty and effectiveness.0 -
you are all unique little snowflakes
Some of us are more like pieces of hail than snowflakes. Pretty sure I just sink like a rock and not float down anywhere :-D0 -
I didn't know that about eating more carbs could be a stall trigger in losing weight. Thanks for the note. This might explain why I don't seem to lose when I eat a bunch of cracker-type snacks. I was still under or close to my daily MFP number but gaining a little. I'm going to watch that carb number closer. Thanks again.0
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A calorie is a calorie is thrown around a lot on these forums. If you get to the nitty gritty base of it all, then yes, a calorie is a calorie no matter where it came from. What does matter is how it became a calorie. Hear me out!
In losing weight calories in vs calories out is king and the major piece of the puzzle. That doesn’t mean it’s the only piece of the puzzle though. Our bodies are all different and we process different foods which themselves are not calories but provide calories. It is key to learn how our bodies process these foods and everyone’s bodies process them differently.
Some people can get away eating under calories and eating pure junk food. I’m someone who can not. Some reason if I eat over 150g of Carbs I will not lose weight. I do know that carbs will make your body take on an extra 3-4g of water per carb but that isn’t the only factor. There has been times in the past (looking back just under a years worth of data) that I’ve ate higher carbs (around 200g daily) and over the month didn’t lose any weight. Several months like that actually. Even eating always at a deficit. I may have an insulin issue of some sort, though the blood work has never shown any. I’ve learned over time what my body can and can’t respond to. Adjusting to that I’ve allowed myself to lose just over 100 pounds since August 1st. There has been times it’s slowed down and those times almost always have been a higher carb consumption. Now I’m not saying.. LOW CARBS and etc.. I’m saying learn how your body reacts to the foods you eat. I can eat high protein and go over on calories and not gain a lick and even lose. Just how my body reacts to it. There is many other factors but it comes down to our bodies are different.
This mainly goes out as advice to those who are stuck on a long plateau; advice is usually eat more, which sometimes works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Change up your macros next time, shock the system, see if maybe your body utilizes food differently. What do you have to lose?
A Calorie is a calorie is the back bone of all diets but don’t be so blind that you don’t look at other factors. Just some food for thought on a long Monday morning!
Good post. I'm the same way. I didn't start loosing til I hit over 100g protein/day, and cut my carbs to "anything that isn't bread" for 90% of my diet. Once in a while I'll sneak in some brown rice, but that's a treat.
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I agree. I see much better results eating more fruits and veggies as apposed to bread and crackers. Same calories, but not the same result.
Excellent observation. That has more to do with the glycemic index of the food than body type.
Refined/processed sugars give you a quick energy boost but raise your blood sugar quickly. This causes an insulin response in the body, which damps the sugar response, and the sugars that aren't burned up quickly get rapidly converted to fat and stored. So you don't gain any metabolic/long term energy gain from them, and when the sugar high runs out you feel hungry.
Natural sugars tend to be less concentrated and more complex, so they burn longer, meaning your body actually has a chance to use them up before they go to long-term storage (and it also means you are more energetic, longer, so your metabolism stays up and burns more calories for a longer period). They also often come with nutritional benefits (vitamins and minerals) that make the sugars worth having.
When engaging in long-term moderate exercise (hill climbing, etc), I find that very small amounts of sugar seem to start some sort of energy reaction that lasts - I suck on a lifesaver candy and it'll raise my energy levels for over an hour of hard climbing. So there's some other reaction going on there that I don't quite get, maybe the high glycemic index is actually giving my body enough energy to convert some fat, then it gets the ball rolling.
But during my sedentary days, sugars just give me a little boost and leave me feeling hungry when the boost runs out. Fruits, not so much.0 -
You said that so well and so true! Congrats on your loss and even bigger congrats on learning to pay attention to YOUR body!0
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you are all unique little snowflakes
You usually have such valuable input to add, even if I don't always agree, but things like this...they make you seem like a real jerk.0 -
Awesome post!!! Thank you!!!0
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really? I chuckled.......Don't think it's anything serious or anything that makes him seem like a jerk.....Maybe some people are very sensitive?you are all unique little snowflakes
You usually have such valuable input to add, even if I don't always agree, but things like this...they make you seem like a real jerk.0 -
Great post!!! Thank you!!0
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