Question about calories; good? bad? empty?
 

I kind of don't get it, aren't all calories the same? What's the difference? ANd I know most calories in pop and juice and stuff is empty calories, I just don't know what it means.

Sorry guys, I'm kind of new to this haha.

Don't be sorry. I think your question is one that many people in the nutrition and diet world still debate. Many people say a calorie is just a calorie. Some people say that it does matter what kind of calories you consume. The latter group sometimes points out that it takes your body more energy to digest whole foods (whole grains, vegetables, etc.). Also, some folks say that some of the calories in higher fiber foods are not used in your body the same way as low/no-fiber foods, and thus, you can eat more of the high fiber foods (I think this was the original concept behind Weight Watchers Fat & Fiber plan and their points plan).

I realize that answer is pretty nebulous, so perhaps someone else can pop in with a better answer.

I'm by no means an expert but I do have "thoughts" that have helped me.

It is all you need to know to get started that eating less will help you lose weight.

Empty calories are the ones that add up without adding any helpful nutrition to your body.

There are foods that are nutritional dense ... more bang for the buck and low cal ... salad greens, cucumber, tomatoes ... you can eat a ton of them without adding many calories but the vitamins etc are fabulous.

Whole grains are more nutritional dense, fibrous and filling than processed.

Let's see what the others have to say.

Well, I'm not an expert on the biochemical properties of our food, but here's what I've pieced together.

In terms of weight loss only, all calories may well be equal. That is, 1500 calories of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, if it's all you eat, may help you lose weight.

The problem with some foods, however, is first, they don't "stick" with you. Could you eat 1500 calories of B&Js (which may be a little more than a pint, depending on flavor) and be satisfied all day?? Or would you struggle with wanting to eat more? It's a real struggle to stick to the diet if it isn't keeping you satisfied. I think when people have diets full of dense calories like this that they are quicker to fall off plan, announce "diets don't work for me" and quit. When really it's not about the diets or the calories but the choices made.

Second, and this is a related point, some calories provide a lot more nutrition than others and are therefore helpful to our bodies health! So, if you replace 1500 calories of B&Js with 1500 calories of a combination of lean proteins, fruits and veggies, some dairy for calcium, and whole grains not only will you feel much more satisfied throughout the day (and more likely to stay on plan) but you are giving your body all kinds of nutrients and phytonutrients. Your cells may repairs themselves, your arteries may start to clean themselves out, your body may just function better top to bottom!! Plus, you may be surprised to find that if you limit those foods like B&Js to more rare occasion, you will LIKE the other foods more and more and crave the B&Js less and less. In other words, no one's saying you have to banish those lower nutrition foods altogether.

So that my longish answer for why all calories are not equal. :D

I highly recommend a good basic nutrition book. I used to have a good one, but I can't remember the title. I must have given it away or lost it in a move, so I'm buying a new one. I just went on amazon.com and searched nutrition. I read the reviews and have read good things about the books Complete Idiot's Guide to Total Nutrition, Nutrition For Dummies,
and the American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide

The last one, I'm planning on buying from Amazon on payday. I think the other two might be more enjoyable reads, but my sister, a dietitian, recommended this one, so I'll give it a try.

I tend to think of calories in terms of money.

Let's say I have 1600 dollars ... I can spend it wildly on a good time, but at the end of the night, I won't have anything to show for it. Or, I can pay my rent, my car insurance, etc .. and know that I have a roof over my head, I am legal to drive, etc.

The latter may not be as fun, but it provides me with the quality of life I want. It gives me the basics, and then any *extra* money can be spent on fun.

The same with calories. If I spend my calories on foods packed with nutrition, it will give me the foundation for health. But I can use a small percentage of them to enjoy the empty calories too ... like chocolate ;)

Morag -- I use the money analogy too. Makes you think about what's "worth" the cost.

But as for chocolate -- DARK chocolate may not be such empty calories after all. Of course, you should only buy a little at a time! ;)

Oooh ok thanks guys. That explains it. I had an idea what it meant so thanks for clearing it up!