A Calorie is a Calorie, Really ?

For many years, I believed that I can lose weight by eating lesser calories than my body can burn. I thought its all about calorie calculation. I admit I was so wrong! A calorie is NOT a calorie. LOL, you might be thinking that work from home and Corona lockdown has affected my logic. Yes, I really mean it when I ask that question, “A Calorie is a Calorie, Really?” To make my point clear let me say in a simplified manner, “A calorie is not just a calorie but each calorie has a totally different meaning to our body.”

No, A Calorie is not just a Calorie

Let’s take carbohydrates, fat, and protein in the same number of calories. These are indeed equal in terms of their energy content. But they do not have the same effects on our bodies. Our body processes carbohydrate, fat, and protein in a different way, hence their effect on our body is different. Let’s see how are they different –

Our body processes the food we consume and it needs the energy to digest and process the food. The amount of energy required to metabolize or burn fat, carbs, and protein is different. More energy is required to process protein than carbs. This means that 1000 calories a day from a high protein diet adds fewer calories to the body than 1000 calories high carb diet. Hence proved :D.

Therefore, 1 calorie from pudding is NOT equal to 1 calorie from fruit.

The entire calorie counting system is defective and misleading. You can never lose weight by consuming fewer calories but yes, you can lose weight by consuming fewer calories from carbohydrates or fats alternatively.

I am not saying don’t count calories at all. I certainly do count calories! I count calories that I am consuming from fat, carbs, and protein.  I use an online calorie counting tool to make sure I am eating in proportion. It helps me to be more disciplined in my eating habits. Check out this link about the tool Myfitnesspal…..

The refined carbs get digested rapidly and cause high blood sugar. They make us hungrier soon and we crave and end up eating more carbs. It’s a never-ending vicious circle.

So now, what to do?

• Eat more calories from fat. Fats like pure ghee can be used with meals to keep us full so that we don’t crave sooner than usual time.
• Eat more calories from protein; it helps our body in innumerable ways to build muscles.
• Go for whole carbohydrates instead of refined ones.
• Do we need to repeat the best mantra to control calories….. Stay away from all kinds of sugars. Read our post on kinds of sugars here…

Do share with us if you agree with me about all calories not being equal ones.

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source https://betterweightloss.info/a-calorie-is-a-calorie-really/