What are calories and where do they come from?
So it is quite often I hear people saying that they just count calories or they only eat 1200 calories a day. Which don't get me wrong is great; however, many people today do not understand what a calorie is and where it comes from. So here is breif summary of where calories come from and what they are. Each food item we eat most likely contains calories. Yes there are a few exceptions like seasonings, hot sauce, water etc that are labeled calorie free. So where do these calories come from and why do some foods have more than others? Our food is comprised of what we call macronutrients, ya know the things that people are constantly omitting from their diets like carbs and fats. Our food contains three categories of macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. So what does this have to do with calories? Well for each gram of these macronutrients they contain a number of calories. This is why foods that are high in fat like peanut butter, olive oil, and avocado have such high calories for such a small amount. Does that mean we don't eat them? No just eat them in moderation! I don't know about anyone else but I love peanut butter and could demolish an entire jar for breakfast! Here is are the three macronutrient categories and their caloric value.
Carbohydrate: 4 Calories/ gram
Protein: 4 Calories/ gram
Fat: 9 Calories/ gram
So for example: If you eat a bagel and you look at the back of the label it will say how many grams of carbs, fats, and protein are in it. So just a rough guess, lets say there are 42 grams of carbs, 1 gram of protein and 2 grams of fat in one bagel. The total calories would be as follows:
Carbohydrate: 42 x 4= 168 Calories from carbs
Protein: 1x4=4 Calories from protein
Fat= 2x9= 18 Calories from fat
Total calories= 168+4+18= 190 Calories
SO.... it is obvious that a bagel is a carb dense food. So what is a Calorie? The term Calorie that is used on food labels is actually a kilocalorie which is equivalent to 1,000 calories. So when you are eating a 100 Calorie/ kilocalories apple you're actually eating 100,000 little baby calories. You're still probably thinking so what the hell is a calorie and why do we need them? A calorie is a measurement of energy. We need to eat calories so our body can burn them to make energy aka Adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Our body takes these macronutrients and breaks them down into little baby nutrients that our cells can use for energy. This process is called our metabolism:)
So what happens when we consume too many calories? Well we know that our body burns off calories to make energy, so what happens if we sit on the couch all day and eat potato chips? We store those chips in our booty, belly, and everywhere else that we have fat cells. If you're not moving then your body doesn't need energy and its not using those little baby nutrients to create energy. You then begin to store them in you FAT CELLS. Our body stores carbohydrates in the liver and muscles as glycogen, but those stores are limited. Once our glycogen storage is full we store them as fat! This is why you don't want to eat high carbohydrate foods before bed. Our body stores carbs as glycogen so that way when it needs energy it can easily be broken down and used as energy. This is why runners eat a high carb snack before doing a long run. Then then eat a high carb snack after to replenish those storages.
Interesting fact! Did you know that you cannot lose fat cells? You can only shrink them!
Next lets talk about satiation and satiety. Any one ever hear people saying that protein keeps you fuller longer? Well thats completely true! Ever notice that when you eat a burger at McDonalds and french fries you fill up quickly but your hungry two hours later? Thats because fat produces satiation ( the feeling of being full) and protein produces satiety ( keeping you feeling full longer). In terms of carbs, they keep you full longer than fats but not as long as protein. So this is why it is important to eat a meal high in protein with healthy fats. The fat will help make you feel full and the protein with keep you feeling fuller longer! This is why you need to pay attention to your macronutrients and eat a balanced meal. So let me give you a scenario to think about:
Your on the go and you stop at a convienience store to grab something to eat. While browsing you find a 100 calorie bag of popcorn, a 100 calorie pastry crisp by special K, and 2 hard boiled eggs in a bag for 136 calories. What would be the healthier more nutrient dense snack?
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| 2 hard boiled eggs |
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| Popcorn |
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| Special K Pastry Crisp |
Most people would say the one with the least amount of calories, right? WORNG!! This is why macronutrients are so important! First off the ingredient list for the pastry crisp is just absurd and I would be embarrassed to even have them listed on my blog! I am a true supporter of clean eating. In this case the eggs are the smarter choice because they have a decent amount of healthy fats and 11 grams of protein. Where the other options are high in carbs ( the pastry crips have ultra processed carbs), are low in protein, and don't have any healthy fats! So who would have guessed that the higher calorie option is the healthier choice.
This is why 21 day fix program is awesome! The program figures out your caloric needs based on your weight. Based off of your caloric needs, it then breaks that down into how many grams of each macronutrient you should have through portion control containers! So instead of consuming 1200 calories of ALL carbs you're getting 1200 calories of balanced carbs, fats, and proteins! Plus, all of these sources are pure and unprocessed!! Click the learn more button in the 21 day fix link below to test it out!
