is a calorie just a calorie whatever form its in?

"A calorie is a calorie" if you happen to be an interrnal combustion engine.
In a complex living organism, whose metabolism is regulated by enzymes, simplifications of thermodynamics just don't work. At various times, differnt pathways are acting and higher calorie molecules are second choice as fuels.
Calories from different sources are ultimately the same, but the energy transformations moving them around aren't necessarily.
Hana

That may be the case we still do not have the answer. Alot of conflicting facts are available on the internet hana without any evidence!

I find in practice that most people who have a wt problem are eating too many calories - and the biggest culprits are sugar, excess fat , alcohol,! Along with a sedentary lifestyle it is a lethal cocktail!

I think the problem is that people are focusing on maybe one nutrient - it comes down to the whole diet.

For my GP pts I use a very simple plan that gets rid of the rubbish and looks at portion sizes - most people do not have a clue about the amounts they are eating! It works and it is what I do myself!

Allyx

Ally
Idid the calculations and seeing I'm tall and heavy and active, I should use over 2000 calories to maintain my weight. I should therefore lose weight on 1500 Calories per day. I don't. I have kept my weight steady for nearly a year now. Not gaining is a triumph for me, but If Iwere an internal combustion engine, I would have lost loads. I did study metabolism and metabolic pathways, years ago and I'm well aware that enzymes can push reactions against energy gradients. Mine obviously do. As do those of many weight-loss resistant people. If it were as simple as cutting Calories, no-one would have trouble losing weight. Many Do. I don't believe the medical profession that all those people are non-compliant. Some YES !but not all.
I'm not accusing you of this Ally, but the healthcare professions are too quick to blame non-compliant patients and not ready enough to accept that their advice is wrong or doesn't work
Hana

TBH Hana if I assess someones intake with a food diary and create a calorie deficit very few fail to lose wt - the problem is keeping them motivated.

Food diaries are often a revelation to people - if I had a pound for the number of times I have heard it is not for what I eat I would be rich!!! I do not find in practice people are wt loss resistant - many are eating more than they think! Portion control is one of the problems - most people do not know what a portion is ! there is enough evidence in the lit that controlling calories works - creating a calorie deficit that is!

Of course it isnt as simple as cutting calories either - you need to build in enough protein, fat etc.

I am one of those whose portions did not decrease but the type of food I ate changed.

ally5555 said:

I find in practice that most people who have a wt problem are eating too many calories - and the biggest culprits are sugar, excess fat ,

Allyx

Click to expand...

Also after 3 decades of being on a low fat diet I increased the fats. Life for this lighter (20 kgs) T2 diabetic continues to be active and busy and I still don't know calories but do know the carbs that make my blood glucose rise.
Alison