Calories

[6miths]

Thanks for the link sengsational. I think it was a good article but I don't really agree that it 'disproves' the CICO hypothesis unless one takes the theory very literally. I think what it does do is highlight the fact that people are just eating way too many calories and that diet is the main culprit in weight gain. I don't think that this comes as a surprise to anyone at all. Exercise has many health benefits but in the face of super-sized, super-sweet, super-salty, super-fatty foods, it just can't compete!! I thought Michael Moss's book about the food industry was very illuminating in the area of the how the pursuit of greater sales really has had humongous health consequences.

 

[braumeister]

There's no question that calories in = calories out.

But that has little to do with why people become obese.

I think too many people (including governments) try to oversimplify things to the point of becoming irrelevant.

 

[Chuckanut]

Part of the issue is why people are eating to much. CICO does not go far enough, IMHO.

If the local hardware store is so crowded that one can not even get into it, the reason is usually that more people have gone into it that came out. Simple, right?

But, that is not very useful information.

Useful information might be that the store is having a 50% off sale for today only. Or that hurricane Jezebel will hit in 48 hours. This is more useful information that knowing only that more people have gone into the store than came out.






The worst decisions are made when angry or impatient.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

One gadget I bought was a food scale. I never knew how inaccurate measuring cups were! My breakfast Oatmeal the cup is over by 25%! Most everything else is too.

I've been doing sustained weight loss for about 8 months now...totally agree that actually measuring what you eat is key. I now measure my breakfast every morning. Hard to do that at lunch b/c I eat out with colleagues every day, but I've done enough of it at home that my "eye" for calories has gotten better.

That + brutal adherence to logging what I eat in MyFitnessPal (using the bar code scanner whenever possible) has made a huge difference. I now have a rule that "if it doesn't go in the app, it doesn't go in my mouth."

 

[simple girl]

That is a GREAT article! People don't want to focus on the "calories in" part, b/c, honestly, it is hard and requires some self-deprivation. It also requires a lot of planning and time.

 

[CoolChange]

Another Vote for Tracking

Tracking food consumed is basically what works for me as well; I have been doing so for at least six years with decent results (30 lbs. weight lost and kept off with generally better health).

I am very strict about this when at home, weighing and recording everything; but, when travelling, I generally rely on gut feel (or my eye for calories) for both calories and nutrition.

I use a tracker not only for the calories but also to make sure that I am getting enough protein along with some vitamins and minerals that are hard for me with a reduced calorie intake.

Finally, I do try to get some kind of exercise each day: Walk, run, bike, lift weights, something. Skipping one day in a week doesn't concern me; if it looks like I am going to miss more than that, I start adjusting my schedule.

I've been doing sustained weight loss for about 8 months now...totally agree that actually measuring what you eat is key. I now measure my breakfast every morning. Hard to do that at lunch b/c I eat out with colleagues every day, but I've done enough of it at home that my "eye" for calories has gotten better.

That + brutal adherence to logging what I eat in MyFitnessPal (using the bar code scanner whenever possible) has made a huge difference. I now have a rule that "if it doesn't go in the app, it doesn't go in my mouth."

 

[misanman]

I have been tracking calories and exercise using the Loseit app for 2-3 years and found that method very effective for weight control. Before that I really had no idea of the number of calories I was consuming or the number of calories expended. By keeping the average ratio just under 1 I've been able to lose weight slowly but steadily and I don't feel deprived.

The new eating habits are pretty much ingrained now, but I'm reluctant to stop tracking diet/exercise for fear that the ratio might slip back up over 1 and there would be gradual weight gain.

 

[Danmar]

Thanks for the link sengsational. I think it was a good article but I don't really agree that it 'disproves' the CICO hypothesis unless one takes the theory very literally. I think what it does do is highlight the fact that people are just eating way too many calories and that diet is the main culprit in weight gain. I don't think that this comes as a surprise to anyone at all. Exercise has many health benefits but in the face of super-sized, super-sweet, super-salty, super-fatty foods, it just can't compete!! I thought Michael Moss's book about the food industry was very illuminating in the area of the how the pursuit of greater sales really has had humongous health consequences.

Agree. Exercise will make you healthier everything else being equal, but how much you eat is by far the most important factor in maintaining a healthy weight. It's obviously this way because it is way easier to put 100 extra calories down the "pie hole" than it is to burn 100 extra calories off. As well, vigorous exercise increases your appetite, so if you are not careful, you will simply replace the calories burned with more calories in. Off to my workout.

 

[Chuckanut]

Here's a short article on why all calories are not equal. Hint: It's the food package the calories come in that makes the difference.

https://medium.com/@davidludwigmd/the-fallacy-of-the-empty-calorie-405e40382897#.hf1u68lx6

 

[exnavynuke]

Eating healthy is about more than counting calories. Losing weight doesn't have to be about eating healthy however. You can eat unhealthy food and lose weight as long as calories in < calories out. Similarly, you can eat nothing but "healthy foods" and gain weight.

 

[NW-Bound]

I never count calories (meaning adding them up to a quota), although I do know roughly the calorie content of most food items. And using that, I avoid the high-caloric foods and eat more of the lower ones. I stop eating when I feel full. I also avoid the foods with a high glycemic index, not just because of the diabetic risks, but they digest too fast and make me hungry too soon.

Seems to work. BMI never above 25.7, and currently at 23.3. My wife's is at 22.

 

[MRG]

Eating healthy is about more than counting calories. Losing weight doesn't have to be about eating healthy however. You can eat unhealthy food and lose weight as long as calories in < calories out. Similarly, you can eat nothing but "healthy foods" and gain weight.

Ding ding ding.

You can lose weight by eating bonbons and Ben and Jerry’s.
I'm not going to say that is healthy, nor will most feel full or satisfied, but it is very doable.

There's calorie counting and nutrition, they are different. For me looking at the calories and nutrient data in my diary allowed me to make better choices about both. YMMV.

For folks who like to debate stuff myfitnesspal has a community. The debate section is pretty active with knowledgeable posters. A word of warning, it is moderated but not like here.

 

[HFWR]

Here's a short article on why all calories are not equal. Hint: It's the food package the calories come in that makes the difference.

https://medium.com/@davidludwigmd/the-fallacy-of-the-empty-calorie-405e40382897#.hf1u68lx6

In many cases, the packaging probably tastes better than the food...

 

[NW-Bound]

I have had a problem with keeping weight on all of my life. I positively hate to eat, and view it as a burden, a task, and something I have to do. If I could get my nutrition by simply drinking it, I would. Years ago, when I was young and stupid, over time I ate at most of the best restaurants in Los Angeles. To this day, I don't remember a single dish that stood out. I haven't wasted money on "fine dining" in years as it's just as tasteless to me as eating at McDonald's (which I never do because I almost never eat processed foods).

I must monitor my weight three times a week at the end of my workouts, because once I start losing even 3 pounds, it's a downward spiral of weight loss. A couple months ago I was sick for 3 weeks, lost 10 pounds, and it took 3 weeks of absolute force feeding to gain it back. Calories are meaningless to me, as I can eat 2 medium pizzas trying to gain weight and still lose 4 pounds overnight, which is what happened while trying to gain it back last month.

People say I'm lucky but they have no idea how oppressive it can be having to eat when you don't like it and don't want to.

That's too bad. I like to eat, and to cook. I would eat more if it did not make me gain weight.

Maybe your problem is explained by the theory below.

CICO is a poor model of reality. We don't all extract energy with the same efficiency. We all have different gut microbiota, and that's a huge factor. Dozens of studies on it. Heres one: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212877812000051

I recall a study where they collect waste from the test subjects to see how much of the nutrients are passed through and not absorbed. I don't recall the objective of the study and the conclusion.

 

[NW-Bound]

By the way, I used to be skinny. Bony in fact with a BMI of 18 while in college, the archetype hungry college student. I ate a lot, I thought. But perhaps my favorite food was low in calories, or I did not eat as much as I believed.

Anyway, my weight got to the normal range in the later years, starting with my 30s. Still, my BMI was never above 25. I prefer for it to be lower, about 23 as it is now.