Weight Loss by the Numbers

Many people believe that weight loss is numbers game, expend more energy than you take in. While others believe that the issue is much more complex. Losing weight is a hormonal, mainly insulin, issue and that it doesn't matter how many calories one takes in but what foods increase the insulin response. This debate is currently being examined via science-based studies and will be the subject of a future post. For this post lets examine the first hypothesis of calories in vs. calories out. Most of my research can be verified by the special report from Scientific American, Sept 2013 edition called FOOD.

BY THE NUMBERS

When a person wants to lose weight, the first thing that needs to happen is to create a caloric deficient, meaning the person needs to consume fewer calories that normal. You calculate this by figuring out how many daily calories a person expends at rest (BMR). The factors involve are sex, height, weight, activity level. One of the most common ways to figure out your BMR is the Harris-Benedict Equation. Then you can subtract 250-500 calories from that number to yield your daily caloric requirement for weight loss. Another less geeky way is to take your present weight and multiply that by 10 to yield your daily caloric deficient. For example, if a female weighs 135 lbs, then her daily caloric requirements would be 1350 calories. This is a rough estimate but a good place to start.

Next, you calculate your protein, carb and fat proportions to equal the daily requirements. So in our example of the 135lb female, her protein needs would be 135g (1g/lb) which yields 540 calories (135 x 4). So that leaves us with 810 calories to equally distribute between fats and carbs. Carbs=202 calories (810/4) and Fats=90 calories (810/9). This is a very simple formula to start your weight management journey. Now that we got the math out of the way, let's focus on the real world of food and how counting calories may be a complete waste of time.

A CALORIE IS A CALORIE IS NOT A CALORIE?

In the September 2013 special edition of Scientific American, biologist Rob Dunn contends that calorie counts on labels are inaccurate and are based on averages that ignores the complexity of digestion. Humans derive their energy through the foods we eat. How we use those calories depends on the species of food, how we prepare the food, and which gut bacteria 'steal' calories for themselves. (Greedy bastards!). He continues by stating studies suggests that pistachios, peanuts and almonds are less completely digested than other foods with levels of protein, carbs and fats, meaning they give up fewer calories. Proteins require more work for the digestive system due to breaking down the food into its amino acids so the body can utilize. Sugars, like honey, pass through so quickly into our bloodstream that it hardly has a chance to be utilized. Then there is the immune system response to pathogens. For example, when digesting raw meat, the immune system will screen for any pathogen and attack. But how much energy is required to allow this to happen? Won't find that on any label.

Cooking food also changes the energy it provides. Heat allows the pre-breakdown of protein and kills bacteria reducing the energy required by the immune system to attack pathogens. Well how about processed foods like wheat bread with cheddar cheese and white bread with processed cheese? We expend twice the energy to digest the whole wheat bread with cheddar cheese than its counterpart. So we obtain 10% fewer calories.

And if that wasn't enough, even if two people prepare and eat the same food would yield a difference in energy (caloric) extraction. The factors involved is the length of the colon, the size of the gut, the particular enzymes we produce, and the vast differences in what bacteria live in our intestines.

Here's a video, describing the ineffectiveness of counting calories: Calorie Counts Are Wrong

SO NOW WHAT?

Basing your diet on calorie count might just be an exercise in futility. The need to control every calorie we consume is, as mentioned already, is more psychological than physiological. The game is rigged. Following modern food labels can give us a ball park figure to how many calories food contains but then the body throws a massive curve at us and breakdown the food and delivers its own caloric needs. It doesn't count calories. Human digestion is extremely complicated so taking on the massive task on properly labeling food probably doesn't make too much sense.

Rob Dunn makes this conclusion:

'In the end, we all want to know how to make the smartest food choices. Merely counting calories is an overly simplistic approach to eating healthy--which doesn't necessarily improve our health, even if it helps us to lose weight. Instead we should think more carefully about the energy we get from food in the context of human biology. Processed foods are so easily digested in the stomach and intestines that they give us a lot of energy for very little work. In contrast, veggies, nuts and whole grains make us sweat for our calories, generally offer far more vitamins and nutrients than processed items, and keep our gut bacteria happy. So it would be logical for people who want to eat healthier and cut calories to favor whole and raw foods over highly processed foods.'

MY THOUGHTS

Kinda kills the idea of counting calories, doesn't it? There is viability to counting calories. It gives you a rough estimation but don't get too attached to it. It is a tool of many in the diet toolbox that includes sleep quality, energy level, brain power, etc. That's all. Even the weight scale can be a tool if interpreted correctly. The message that I would like to convey is that HOW you eat is more important than WHAT you eat. Counting calories, weight scales, calipers, clothes can create angst. Choosing foods based on emotion is a recipe for disaster. The 'eat this, not that' mantra of todays diet mentality may just be the cause of weight gain. The psychology of food is a whole different animal but one that needs to be addressed. Hopefully I will get to that one soon. So the next time you go food shopping, don't stress too much on the numbers and buy food that serves the body well and that you enjoy. You'll be amazed on that little shift in mindset can positively affect your waistline.