Calorie 101 - Is a calorie really a calorie?

OH SOHH TRILL

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http://www.today.com/health/man-loses-56-pounds-after-eating-only-mcdonalds-six-months-2D79329158


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Im one of the most vocal calorie-counting-eat-what-you-want people on this site, but the article is not necessarily wrong. "Calorie is a calorie" is true under most circumstances, but it ignores the human endocrine system and its role in body composition (hormones) and it also ignores how calories in can actually negatively affect calories out (so despite the equation being 100% factual, there is some discord there. Not to mention, CI vs CO ignores composition and merely deals with weight).

For 97% of otherwise healthy individuals these two factors have minimal effect and can be ignored as long as you arent retarded about the food you eat. But for competing bodybuilders and for the super-lean, these things do matter.

You arent gonna find a 5%BF ultra shredded person saying Skittles = Almonds. Although I'm currently attempting to be the first:lolbron:
 

The ADD

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Im one of the most vocal calorie-counting-eat-what-you-want people on this site, but the article is not necessarily wrong. "Calorie is a calorie" is true under most circumstances, but it ignores the human endocrine system and its role in body composition (hormones) and it also ignores how calories in can actually negatively affect calories out (so despite the equation being 100% factual, there is some discord there. Not to mention, CI vs CO ignores composition and merely deals with weight).

For 97% of otherwise healthy individuals these two factors have minimal effect and can be ignored as long as you arent retarded about the food you eat. But for competing bodybuilders and for the super-lean, these things do matter.

You arent gonna find a 5%BF ultra shredded person saying Skittles = Almonds. Although I'm currently attempting to be the first:lolbron:
The other thing CI vs. CO ignores is workout performance.
 

The ADD

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Im one of the most vocal calorie-counting-eat-what-you-want people on this site, but the article is not necessarily wrong. "Calorie is a calorie" is true under most circumstances, but it ignores the human endocrine system and its role in body composition (hormones) and it also ignores how calories in can actually negatively affect calories out (so despite the equation being 100% factual, there is some discord there. Not to mention, CI vs CO ignores composition and merely deals with weight).

For 97% of otherwise healthy individuals these two factors have minimal effect and can be ignored as long as you arent retarded about the food you eat. But for competing bodybuilders and for the super-lean, these things do matter.

You arent gonna find a 5%BF ultra shredded person saying Skittles = Almonds. Although I'm currently attempting to be the first:lolbron:
Wow I just read that and totally understood it compared to the first time I read it from the original post.

My understanding of nutrition relative to all of these is so much better now.
 

Rawtid

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Im one of the most vocal calorie-counting-eat-what-you-want people on this site, but the article is not necessarily wrong. "Calorie is a calorie" is true under most circumstances, but it ignores the human endocrine system and its role in body composition (hormones) and it also ignores how calories in can actually negatively affect calories out (so despite the equation being 100% factual, there is some discord there. Not to mention, CI vs CO ignores composition and merely deals with weight).

For 97% of otherwise healthy individuals these two factors have minimal effect and can be ignored as long as you arent retarded about the food you eat. But for competing bodybuilders and for the super-lean, these things do matter.

You arent gonna find a 5%BF ultra shredded person saying Skittles = Almonds. Although I'm currently attempting to be the first:lolbron:

If you do :blessed: I can't stop tasting the rainbow! The purple pack :noah:
 
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If you do :blessed: I can't stop tasting the rainbow! The purple pack :noah:

At the time of that posting, I got to my lowest body fat percentage ever and I was eating over 200g of sugar per day on lots of days

I was stressed out with my living situation and was forced to drink protein shakes with pure dextrose dumped in multiple times per day just to fill my calorie quota

And I had a ton of energy to work out

I was down to single digit bodyfat no question. Probably 8 or 9. The heavy workout load and controlling of calories was on point though
 

Rawtid

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At the time of that posting, I got to my lowest body fat percentage ever and I was eating over 200g of sugar per day on lots of days

I was stressed out with my living situation and was forced to drink protein shakes with pure dextrose dumped in multiple times per day just to fill my calorie quota

And I had a ton of energy to work out

I was down to single digit bodyfat no question. Probably 8 or 9. The heavy workout load and controlling of calories was on point though
How much did you work out?
 
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How much did you work out?

Nothing crazy. 45 minutes to an hour per day, 5 or 6 days per week. Efficient workouts but nothing too taxing. Mostly lower rep, under 8 reps. Standard weightlifting regimen. I was eating more calories too to account for the working out, around 2500 per day during the cut.
 

TLR Is Mental Poison

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Nothing crazy. 45 minutes to an hour per day, 5 or 6 days per week. Efficient workouts but nothing too taxing. Mostly lower rep, under 8 reps. Standard weightlifting regimen. I was eating more calories too to account for the working out, around 2500 per day during the cut.
No cardio? How much were u losing a week?
 

Kid McNamara

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For 97% of otherwise healthy individuals these two factors have minimal effect and can be ignored as long as you arent retarded about the food you eat. But for competing bodybuilders and for the super-lean, these things do matter.

You arent gonna find a 5%BF ultra shredded person saying Skittles = Almonds. Although I'm currently attempting to be the first:lolbron:

Nah, not true:
http://www.goodlookingloser.com/more/archive/entry/secrets-of-bodybuilders/

tldr;

"My friend WOULD LITERALLY eat up to 4 meals, 3000 calories each at <cDonalds EVERY DAY.

Yes, 10,000-13,000+ calories of McDonalds on Archer Rd. a day."

"Obviously this isn't healthy but- instead of being a morbidly obese slob- he was about 6'0" 225-245lbs, never more than about 8% body fat."
 

NobleDrewAli

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When I was cutting, I found it most beneficial when I was lifting 3-5 days/week and doing a moderate 30 minute walk after each lift and limiting my calories. I dropped hella body fat and even increased (very slightly) my muscle mass. I also felt amazing health wise.

I did my best to only eat my carbs after I lifted ,but I still slipped up at times and my diet wasn't perfect either.

Bottom line is you can read every article in the world, but you gotta actually put in the work and see what works for you best over time.
 
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