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Are all calories the same?

A new move of good health and global sustainability has been gnawing at the heels of applied health professional since the hype of Atkins diets.

A calorie is a calorie in the sense that it is the amount of energy required to heat 1kg of water 1 degree Celsius and a common calculation used in a chemistry lab. It is however, a mistake to apply this same definition to the human body, because metabolism is a far more complex system when you take into account the hormonal effect, adrenal stress, neuro-transmitters and most potent of all, the decision of whether the calories are used or stored.

calorie advice dubaiOversimplifying the modern “calories in = calories out theory”, and further that weight loss is simply a matter of reducing consumption may work to a certain point, but only if all other metabolic pathways are in good functional order. This is the key to a fast metabolism, a body whereby all interactions and connections involved in processing food energy, is utilized in the best and most optimum way.

“Stressy people” are often thought to be thin and wirey. But this is more the person who lives on adrenalin. Adrenalin is critical to survival as it gives us an edge, more power and increased performance for short periods of time. When adrenalin becomes prolonged and habitual due to a hectic schedule of work deadlines, rearing children, rushing around after everyone with little time for yourself, irregular sleep patterns, often skipping meals and a reliance on convenience and unplanned meals, it changes to cortisol.

Cortisol is a major stress hormone released from the adrenal cortex and if present in high levels and for an extended period of time, promotes fat storage when even a calorically neutral diet is eaten. This is because there is a perceived level of danger, and your body will do what it can to hold on to any potential energy it might need in the future. Because of the type of fat influenced by cortisol, it tends to be stored around the abdomen producing a greater risk of metabolic disorder and fluctuating insulin levels.

The choice and quality of food is also a big consideration. Foods that are more nutrient dense and require more effort for processing by the body are in general using up more energy, and influencing metabolic pathways in a more moderate manner than those that are just high in energy and calories. Nutrient dense foods because of their complexity, and fibre, tend also to provide a sense of fullness more quickly, and signaling to the brain to stop eating by triggering a number of hormones like leptin. These mechanisms become dysregulated in diets based on poor nutrient foods and insulin spikes.

Simple foods, such as sugar and refined white starches, are quick and easy for the body to break down to glucose, overloading the body with excess energy and storing much of it away as fat. Over flavoured foods also cause overconsumption by triggering opiod receptors in the brain providing a sudden sense of pleasure followed often by a rather shakey, foggy and sleepy period.

In terms of metabolism, the body processes all macro-nutrients along similar pathways but it involves different hormones and co-factors. The mix of carbohydrate, protein and fat is what we are talking about here and unfortunately the healthiest ratio has its pros and cons and one plan does not fit all. Age, gendre, genetics, exercise, body type, food preferences and hormones have a lot to answer for as it affects hormones and growth factors. It is not a level playing field.

Quickly absorbed carbohydrates will spike insulin and this will lead to increased opportunity for fat storage if glucose is not needed and you often eating more than you require. Where else would it go? Easy energy will quickly stop any intention your metabolism may have had to oxidize stored fat, the preferred energy for muscles, a fact that is often over looked. We store fat rather than glucose and if allowed, healthy fat burners. While you should not leave long periods of time between eating, skipping carbs at each meal and as snacks will allow for fat to come into play.

For many hardened dieters, a high protein, low carb approach is often followed but ratios will never work for long as the body can extract energy from all energy foods despite it having to work a little bit harder. Fat is the one energy food that has no effect on insulin and even a high protein diet will in fact knock your blood glucose up as the protein is utilised as glucose. And a too rigid and stressful regime will increase cortisol and make fat storage easier.

Weight is affected by a myriad of things like sleep, stress, gut bacteria status, inflammation, availability of vitamins, minerals and co-factors, insulin resistance, leptin resistance, sex hormones, cortisol regulation, adrenal status, and metabolism. What might be a good answer, because the only thing we can be sure of, is that eating fat in the absence of insulin, does not make you fat. And eating carbs above what you need will convert and lead all carbs, fat and protein into fat storage.

Eating a varied diet whereby the carbs are from slow release sources such as fruit, vegetables, dairy and beans, eat enough fat to keep yourself well nourished and full, and eat a moderate amount of protein balanced with vitamins, minerals from fruit, vegetables, nuts, coconut and seeds is a great baseline. Carb cycling can work well for some people whereby they aggressively reduce all sugar and white starches for a day or two and then add them back on other days in moderate amounts to boost metabolic pathways. After all we need all connections and pathways in optimum order otherwise imbalances start to occur again.

Weight gain does not happen overnight, it is accidental… a result of months and years of casual snacking and second helpings!
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