February 6, 2022: Quality vs. Quantity

My weekly Get Your Stuff Together Sunday email series gives you one actionable focus for the week that will make your life a little easier.

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You’ve probably heard the old saying, “a calorie is a calorie.” But is this really true? Are all calories the same? This week, we’re going to talk about quality and quantity when it comes to your food intake.

Before I go any further, I want to stress that this isn’t all about weight loss. The quality and quantity of your nutrition is the key to all of your health and wellness.

Twinkie Guy

Before we get into the important parts, let’s take a moment to look at a blockbuster news story from a few years ago about a professor, Mark Haub (aka Twinkie Guy), who lost weight just by eating an 1800-calorie diet of junk and refined carbs, like Twinkies and donuts.

His hypothesis was that “in weight loss, pure calorie counting is what matters most -- not the nutritional value of the food.” Turns out he was right.

Wait! Don’t leave for 7-11 yet!!!!!

While he lost weight and his BMI dropped, what he actually proved is that weight loss is pretty much a mechanical measure of burning more calories than you consume.

That’s not the whole story, though. You could also lose weight by starving on a desert island, but that’s not healthy either.

Fine. What’s the real deal, Kelly?

Weight loss isn’t synonymous with health. It’s also not synonymous with energy or properly fueling your body. This is why you can eat enough but be malnourished.

Unfortunately, a calorie is not always a calorie. We have to use some sense. Drinking 1,200 calories in juice and soda is a lot different than eating 1,200 calories of high-quality protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbs when it comes to how you’re going to feel and what your body has available to use.

This is why you need to know one thing: Even though the amount of calories you’re eating is important for weight management, the quality of those calories is a lot more important for everything else that matters.

It comes down to eating more high-quality foods (like good quality protein, healthy fats, minimally processed, and nutrient-dense foods), and limiting lower-quality foods (processed foods, sugar, and heavily-refined foods). Just what you thought it would be. No miracles. No magic bullets (unless we’re talking about the line of blenders from Ninja).

The quality of the food you’re eating is just as important to your results as the amount of calories you’re eating. If you’re eating better quality food, there is a much higher chance you’re going to eat fewer calories as well.

Next Sunday, we’ll talk about how often you should work out.

Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.

Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!

I hope you have a wonderful week,

Kelly

Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.

Tsirona - www.tsirona.com

My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.