Benni

Calories, Carbohydrates? I look on the back of packaging, and look for the calories, as this is what the machine says I burn in the gym. However, it also tells me how much fat is in it. I thought calories was fat? Also, I've decided Monday will be my food I want day. Chicken Curry, and chocolate. All the other days, I'll scrap the shit. Good idea?

Benni.

twoblacklines

From a physics point of view, calories are energy. If you dont burn more energy in a day than you eat, your body metabolises it and tucks it away as fat.

If you dont eat enough calories however, and you dont eat enough to provide just enough energy the body needs, then it will eat into your muscle for its energy.

Its basically a by product, in electronics, whatever voltage something doesnt need it gives off as heat. But the human body is far more efficient aslong as your metabolism is up to speed. THe more cardio you do the higher the rate your metabolic rate is, hence olympic swimmers are lean and couch potatos are fat.

Benni

I see - Nice one.

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Our body doesnt process all foods equally though, 1000 calories of apples wont put on weight like 1000 calories of lard would.

But that said, its a pretty reasonable approximation.

Benni

I'm confused. Is that not like saying a 1000kg's of feathers is heavier than a 1000kg's of metal? A calorie is a calorie, is it not?

Benni.

xr-stu

as jay said, a calorie is just a unit or measurement of energy. you get energy (calories) from sugar fat and protein.

what about carbs i hear you say?

carbohydrates are converted by your digestive system into glucose (sugar) for energy, so carbohydrates also have a calorific value just like sugary foods do.

energy from carbs is converted into glucose and released into your blood stream at a slower and more constant rate than simple sugar would be. for this reason it keeps your blood sugar levels more stable, and prevents you getting tired and feeling hungry again. its why athletes will scoff loads of carbs before a marathon, because its a slow steady supply of energy.

the reason you can gain wait from carbs is simple, its the same way you gain wait from anything - you eat it but dont burn it. your body has stores of energy called glycogen, when you exersize, these stores are drasticlly reduced, and when you eat, the glucose in your food replenishes these glycogen stores. if youre left with more glucose/glycogen that youre body needs, it will be converted into fat and stored under the skin. keep doing this and you get fat. this is why people say dont eat carbs late in the day, because they get converted into sugar, sit in your body waiting to be used as energy, and then get turned to fat when they arnt burned off.


to lose this fat again, you have to have to burn calories. my basic understanding of things is your body uses a combination of glucose, protein and fat as energy, not just one or the other. the more energy you burn through exersize, the larger quantities of these your body uses. if you keep it stocked up with glucose (in the form of slow releasing carbs) and protein through your diet, but try to consume as little fat as possible, your body is forced to turn to its own fat sources, which is where you start burning fat and losing weight. the point jay made about burning your muscle is true, if you dont eat enough protein, your body will 'eat' its own muscle stores. im not sure if protein is taken from your diet instead of your muscles, or if protein in your diet just replaces what is taken from your muscles, but either way, get that tuna down you.

someone may come along and correct that, but that is the basic jist of it.

xr-stu

and regards chips point about calories from fat and sugars etc. as i mentioned, your body uses a combination of sugar, protein and fats as energy, but not in equal measures. i cant remember the exact ammounts, but its something like 50% glucose/sugar (or carbs), 25% protein and 25% fat.


so if you burn 1000 calories down the gym, 500 will be from glucose, 250 from protein and 250 from fat. so it takes more to burn the same quantity of fat than sugar.




(this is all taken from my basic understanding of things and may not be 100% gospel! )