Reply to Economist article: Death of the Calorie

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Well, another factor is that CICO does not really speak to broader health concerns, like metabolic disorders.

Compare Larla's 1600 cal diet that consists of 5 Pepsis & white bread (and let's say, a supplement or two so she doesn't die of scurvy) versus Larly's 1600 cal of lean meat/fish, veggies/fruit, and a couple complex carbs. All else being equal, perhaps* Larla and Larly will ultimately not differ much in terms of weight gain or loss, but Larla and her Pepsis will probably end up insulin resistant & prediabetic at the least, and who know what other chronic diseases she would be courting.

So in other words, pretending that the human body is just "physics" is BS, however useful CICO may be to someone who is trying to lose 20 lbs.

*I doubt it.[/quote]

Ooh, this sounds like one of those "motte and bailey" arguments I've heard so much about!  Pepsi is unhealthy, therefore CICO is BS.

:roll: [b]Literally no one is disputing that different foods have different impacts on your overall health.[/b][/quote]
You literally are. That’s the entire definition of calories in, calories out. If, as you argue, the only thing that matters is caloric intake, then no, by your own definition it doesn’t matter what those calories are made of. You can’t have it both ways. [/quote]

The only posters attempting to side step the concept of too much energy intake are the ones trying to come up with elaborate reasons why they are overweight or obese. Reasons that are entirely independent of their own behavior.

Nobody sane believes a calorie unit of energy is “the same as consumed” regardless of its source.

Just like no sane person would throw up their hands and decide it’s not possible to control their body weight fate because the universe is conspiring against them as they tell the world they subsist off air and still manage to be obese. Yet here we are. And considering the main driver of weight gain - measurement of how much energy is being consumed - is useless somehow. Makes a ton of sense that theory. [/quote]
The pretzel you’ve twisted yourself in to somehow keep insisting “IT’S CICO” but also “IT’S NOT CICO.” And while trying, it seems like?, to call me stupid and fat? I mean, that’s a real 1 pound served with your choice of hot mustard or cheese pretzel. [/quote]

Lotwut?

Look. If you figure out how much energy to consume and in what form, you might not be fat. Or you can study this with all the others who are unwilling to accept the reality of their existence that might not allow eating so much.

All of that is possible. Or you can bemoan reality and act like it’s a galactic conspiracy inflicted on you like a pestilence. Your choice. Sounds miserable. [/quote]
 :lol: 
Why do you keep trying to attack me personally? You really don’t understand that in now saying that the type of calories do matter, you’re undercutting the entire premise of CICO.

And then you attack me like that makes you right.  :lol: [/quote]

I never once said all calories are the same. And CICO as a concept does not rely on that as its entire premise, and you know that. You don't throw out the calorie as a unit of energy measure for food consumption just because there is a recognition that some calorie consumption is different than others.

Some people do want to throw it out as a general principle that guides an overall systematic equation of weight maintenance because they don't like the results.

What general guiding measure do you think endurance athletes use for in-race fueling to avoid blowing up and running out of glycogen / fuel? Perhaps it is the calorie? Also, the vast majority of athletes rely on sugar as that in-race fueling. But you know what they don't do? They don't sit in front of the TV and consume carb drink like normal Americans do with Soda and other junk. They only use it during efforts of a certain intensity and duration.

All athletes use the calorie and other macros as a metric to guide fueling generally, including overall diet guidance for weight maintenance. What do you think they are doing - totally winging it because the calorie simply doesn't matter?

In the end, the only reason why people are making this as complicated as possible is because they can't seem to figure out their own intake habits. Or, they know their habits should be and they are unwilling to do it. Take from that what you will. But acting like the calorie is "dead" and a useless measure is exceptionally stupid.[/quote]

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