why calorie counting is making you fat
DESCRIPTION
Graeme Thomas disputes the long-held notion that losing weight is a simple matter of ensuring calories in < calories out.TRANSCRIPT
Why Calorie Counting is Making You
Fat
Nutritional Evils of the 20th Century
Fat
Protein Carbs
Calories
First Law of Thermodynamics
“Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. It can only change forms.”
Calories In = Calories Out
CLEARLY WE HAVE A BALANCE PROBLEM!
Weight Loss Prescription
1. 1 lbs of fat = 3500 kcal
2. A deficit of 500 kcal/day
1 lbs fat loss per week
• Yet our failure rates with diets are well over 90%!
We’re #3! We’re #3!
59% Overweight
23% Obese
SO WHERE HAVE WE GONE WRONG?
Reason #1: Health Experts Suck at Math!
If we accept an excess of:
• 3,500 kcal 1 lbs of fat
Then to gain 5 lbs in a year:
• 5 x 3500 kcal 17,500 kcal
Which means our balance is “off”:
• 17,500 kcal / 365 day 47.8 kcal/day!
Dietary Intake Patterns
From 1991-2001: Increased our consumption by over 400 kcal/day!
And What Happened To Weight?
Katzmarzyk PT. (2002). OBESITY RESEARCH, 10, 666-674
From 1991-2001↑ 2 kg for menNo change for women
From 1981-1991Weight ↑ for both sexesNo increase in calories
Reason #2:Your Metabolism Is Smarter Than You Are
Sullivan EL & Cameron JL. (2010). Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol
Innate Feedback Mechanism
Reason #3:Feeding Outside of Normal Hours
Arble et al. (2009) Obesity 17, 2100–2102.
Reason #3:Feeding Outside of Normal Hours
Arble et al. (2009) Obesity 17, 2100–2102.
Reason #4: We Ignore Individual Variability
IS: Insulin Sensitive
IR: Insulin Resistant
HC: High carb
HF: High fat
Cornier MA et al. (2005). Obesity Research, 13, 703-709.
Unbelievable… but true!
Reason #5:We Focus on the Mean
King et al. (2008) International Journal of Obesity, 32, 177–184
12 weeks5 exercise sessions per week500 kcal expended per session
Average weight loss
Exercise a ton, gain
more weight!
Just an observation…
• If we keep basing our body composition decisions on group “averages”…
• … can we ever expect to do better than “average” results?
Realities of Calorie Counting
Realities of Calorie Counting
Realities of Calorie Counting
Realities of Calorie Counting
New Energy Balance Equation
• Fattening and obesity are caused by an imbalance—a disequilibrium—in the hormonal regulation of adipose tissue and fat metabolism.
• We become leaner when the hormonal regulation of the fat tissue reverses the balance.
Strategies for Sustainable Fat Loss
Primary focus Quality before quantity
1. Eat real food
2. Learn to cook Gourmet Nutrition
3. Get guidance On-line: Precision Nutrition – Lean Eating
In-person: The Nutrition Academy
Hire a coach