Why You're Not Losing Weight: Calories Aren't Just Calories

Be honest, who reading nutritional values ever gets past the word ‘CALORIES’? If you’re one of these people then KEEP READING … 

Weight loss is supposed to be a simple equation of Calories in vs. Calories out … Countless Tumblr posts are dedicated to either updates by individuals trying to out exercise their diet; or screenshots of MyFitnessPal summaries, with a focus (in the ensuing blurbs below) on exclusively their caloric consumption for the day.

What’s the problem? You might ask. Let me reflect that question back on you - if a calorie is a calorie, then why do I see so many weight-loss plateaus, and people asking whether they should further reduce their already low energy intake??

The idea that a calorie is simply a calorie comes from the First Law of Thermodynamics. 1 food calorie = 1 kcalorie, or the amount of energy needed to raise 1kg of water from 15 degrees C, to 16 degrees C. From this viewpoint, a calorie is of course a calorie. However, with all of this focus on the unit of measurement people are failing to see the forest for the trees.

The body is a little more complex than a car engine, and the variables at play which effect energy usage are much more complex than those you’d find in your Toyota. So let me clarify, it is MACRO-NUTRIENT CONTENT, NOT CALORIC CONTENT that will be your ally in either weight loss.

If the reduction of body fat depended solely on your ability to subtract 500 from your ‘maintenance’ caloric requirements, then there would be no complaints about stalls or plateaus save from those people who weren’t able to grasp the basics of Grade 2 mathematical processes. 

To illustrate the importance of macro-nutrient manipulation, let me bring to light just one of the many studies conducted on the topic. In 2003, researchers designed a randomized, controlled trial to determine the effects of a very low carbohydrate diet on body composition and cardiovascular risk factors.

The Diets:

Participants were assigned to 6 MONTHS of either an ad libitum (unrestricted) very low carbohydrate diet or a calorie-restricted diet with 30% of calories as fat. Ad libitum dieters were allowed a maximum intake of 20g Carbohydrates per day, which was increased to 40-60g per day if urinary testing continued to demonstrate they were in a state of ketosis. The other group had a diet consisting of 55% carbohydrates, 15% protein and 30% fat. 

The Results (Surprise, Surprise):

Body weight and body fat in both groups were similar at the start of the 6 months. However, at the conclusion of the study, the women in the low carbohydrate group lost an average of 8.5kg ± 1kg. The women in the low fat diet lost 3.9kg ± 1kg. ADDITIONALLY, ‘despite eating a high percentage of calories as fat, and having relatively high intakes of saturated fat & cholesterol, the women in the v.low carbohydrate group maintained normal blood pressure, plasma lipids, glucose and insulin.’

What Is The Most Important Take Away Message For You?

Research is full of examples of similar findings, whether it be the findings of Ansel Keys or John Yudkin, however it appears that popular media and the medical orthodoxy are not so quick on the uptake. The most important thing to remember is that, your macro-nutrient content (PRO, FAT, CHO) will be perhaps the determining factor in your journey to healthy weight loss. Always remember that food is not a simple matter of arithmetic. What you put in your mouth will have biochemical and hormonal effects on your body. For example, the consumption of carbohydrates causes the body to secrete insulin, which signals our body to start accumulating fat. This is counter-productive to your weight-loss efforts. When looking at your own diet, a good starting point is your carbohydrate & sugar intake. If carbohydrates are making up 60% of your diet, then there’s a good bet you’re not going to be seeing the weight loss results you want.

Reference:

Brehm, B. J., Seeley, R. J., Daniels, S. R., & D’Alessio, D. A. (2003). A randomized trial comparing a very low carbohydrate diet and a claorie-restricted low fat diet on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy women. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolis, 88(4), 1617-1623.