Results: Are All Calories Created Equal?

As many of you are aware, I am very interested in health and fitness. I am certainly no expert but have researched several health and fitness resources over the years and have consistently practiced healthy eating and staying fit since I was 16 years old. One of the common teachings is that one pound is 3500 calories. Have you heard of this claim before taking this survey?

I am of the belief that not all calories are "created equal." By way of example, if you were to consume a piece of pie containing 200 calories vs. a large chicken breast containing 200 calories, which one would help you lose body fat and which one would cause you to gain body fat? If you truly believe that a calorie is a calorie then it wouldn't matter which of the two you eat. Do you currently believe that it doesn't matter what food you eat to lose weight as long as you don't consume too many calories?

Whether or not you are currently trying to lose weight, the following information might be helpful in your endeavors. 3500 calories to lose a pound has always been the rule of thumb. However, this 3500-calories figure goes back to research, which assumed that all the weight lost would be adipose tissue (fat). But as we all know, lean body mass is lost along with body fat, which would indicate that the 3500 calorie figure could be an oversimplification. When you lose LBM (lean body mass) your metabolism decreases, thus hindering your actual body fat loss. Whether the weight loss is lean or fat gives you the real answer of what is the required energy deficit per unit of weight loss. The energy in fat is different than the energy in muscle tissue since a pound of muscle is not 3500 calories. A pound of muscle is approximately 600 calories. With these facts, do you feel that this information is beneficial in your fat loss goals?