What Really Makes Us Fat

New York Times ^ | June 30, 2012 | Gary Taubes

[Altariel]

A CALORIE is a calorie. This truism has been the foundation of nutritional wisdom and our beliefs about obesity since the 1960s.

What it means is that a calorie of protein will generate the same energy when metabolized in a living organism as a calorie of fat or carbohydrate. When talking about obesity or why we get fat, evoking the phrase “a calorie is a calorie” is almost invariably used to imply that what we eat is relatively unimportant. We get fat because we take in more calories than we expend; we get lean if we do the opposite. Anyone who tells you otherwise, by this logic, is trying to sell you something.

But not everyone buys this calorie argument, and the dispute erupted in full force again last week. The Journal of the American Medical Association published the results of a clinical trial by Dr. David Ludwig of Boston Children’s Hospital and his collaborators. While the media tended to treat the study as another diet trial — what should we eat to maintain weight loss? — it spoke to a far more fundamental issue: What actually causes obesity? Why do we get fat in the first place? Too many calories? Or something else?

[A_perfect_lady]

Yes. The only problem is... I actually hate eggs and meat. LOL... if I could live on rice and beans and cereal and pbj sandwiches, I’d be so happy!!

[TexasTransplant]

Johnny

I maintain my svelt figure and 230lbs (last 10 years) with tomato juice / Coffee for Breakfast copious amounts of liquid bread for lunch and maybe a ham sandwich and some beans for supper (supper doubles as a sleeping pill)

Sawbones tells me if I omit lunch I could make my target weight of 180lbs... told him once the SHTF maintaining 180lbs will be a bigger concern for me, the extra pounds are my version of Obamacare Insurance.

;^)

TT

[JRandomFreeper]

It's up for you to learn your body's language. You are around it more than anyone.

If I can interpret catz meows for "More catnip" vs. "the food dish is empty and you are asleep and your eyes look good", surely you can be trusted to figure out what your body needs, vs what it wants.

/johnny

[aruanan]

Poor Gary Taubes. He misses the point. No matter what you eat, there is the energy content of what is actually absorbed. There is the energy expenditure of a person over any particular period of time. If the energy expenditure over a particular period of time exceeds the energy absorption, there will be a reduction in weight in the non-water mass. It will be either in the form of carbohydrate (limited), protein (through protein catabolism), or fat. If the energy expenditure over a particular period of time is less than the energy absorption, there will be a corresponding increase in the non-water mass. This will usually be seen in an increase of stored dietary fat. If the carbohydrate portion of the intake exceeds the storage capacity of the organism in the form of glycogen, then there will be an increase in carbohydrate catabolism to protect the body and a corresponding decrease in fat catabolism resulting in an increase in storage of dietary fats. If the carbohydrate intake is sufficiently large and the total energy intake is sufficiently great, then de novo lipogenesis may be increased to help reduce the threat posed by the excess carbohydrates (read mostly glucose or fructose).

[Mr. K]

tats where your problem is

TRY IT!!! whether you like it or not

You will grow to LOVE it

I used to love breads with all my heart and soul- not I can barely stand to look at them and a steak makes my mouth water

But- it has to be a good steak

Since you are only going to try it for one week, go buy 5 of the most expensive filet mignon you can find, and eat them with a little mint jelly...mmmmmmmmMMMMmmmm OMG I am going to go mane one now. And I probable wont be hungry again until Tuesday night

[Ellendra]

If I can interpret catz meows for "More catnip" vs. "the food dish is empty and you are asleep and your eyes look good",

LOLOL!!!!! My kitty doesn't give warning, she'll just start licking your eyelids. We now have an automatic feeder.

[Valpal1]

Thanks. I’m aware that this is fairly new, was hoping you had an inside track on information or products developed from it.

[JRandomFreeper]

Sawbones don't live with you.

Eat what works for you. Me? I've lucked out and have a professional, school and kitchen trained chef in the house. I make all my own bread, I grow a lot of my food, and I eat what I want. That works for me.

I had hot-dogs for Memorial Day, in honor of all the crappy unit celebrations I attended in uniform. I skipped the light-beer part. (that ain't beer)

Whatever works for you. I'm not a judge.

I can, however, recommend performance foods if you are involved in athletic events and I spend enough time with you to learn your metabolism.

/johnny

[JRandomFreeper]

You chose what you eat.

So be happy.

/johnny

[Rusty0604]

I’m like that; I don’t do well with carbs.

[ConservativeTeen]

I follow a low glycemic index diet and I’ve lost 25 lbs (from 264 to 239) in 2 months.

[peteyd]

I remember when my mom was 5’2” and close to 140-150 lbs.
She is now down to 80 lbs at the age of 97, of course
she’s also shrunk down to 4’5”.
If we live long enough,won’t care about eating.

[Revolting cat!]

Watch ya thyroid!

[SgtHooper]

THANK GOD FOR THAT POST!!

[Yo-Yo]

I eat more than that for first and second breakfast.

What, are you a Hobbit or somethin'?

[RedMDer]

Please Contribute Today!

Woo hoo!!
Less than $7.7k to Go!
We can do this!!
FReepers ROCK!!

[SgtHooper]

When the SHTF, we will come for the fat ones!!

[SgtHooper]

Impressive. What is it? I could use it badly.

[JRandomFreeper]

I generally eat about 5 times a day. The last being before 1800. It's just what works for me.

Sundays are different. Smoked herring, stewed tomatoes and good beer are pretty much breakfast on Sundays.

I studied history as well as food and nutrition. ;)

/johnny

[flintsilver7]

There’s something about your body that makes it wildly inefficient. If you need 5000 calories or more to maintain a 120 pound frame, then there is something about your metabolism, digestion, or genetics that makes it that way. You can say that people process foods differently (and they do to some extent) but the truth is that you’re probably an extreme outlier on the scale.

It’s quite simple. Eating a balanced diet (consuming adequate amounts of macronutrients) while managing your calorie intake and energy expenditure can and will explain the weight gain, weight loss, and weight maintenance of the vast majority of the population. Exceptions like you don’t invalidate this, nor would an obese person who eats very little.