Is A Calorie Really A Calorie?

I've heard the saying, a calorie in, a calorie out.  Meaning if you exercise and burn more calories during your day than you eat in food that you should lose weight.  Is that true?  In a word - No!  All calories are not the same.

According to Dr. Robert Lustig, M.D. author of the book, "Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Foods, Obesity, and Disease", the QUALITY of the calories determines the quantity your body burns or stores.

For example:

FIBER - Fiber delays the absorption of calories.  For example, when you eat a 160-calorie portion of almonds, you absorb only 130 because some calories are delivered to your intestin, where your gut bacteria burn them for their own energy.

PROTEIN - You use twice as much energy to metabolize protein as carbohydrate due to the thermic effect of food.  Protein also reduces hunger hormones more than carbs do.

CARBS - Starches (like potatoes) contain mainly glucose, which every cell in your body uses for energy.  Fructose - found in soda and candy and added to most processed food - is metabolized in your liver as fat, which drives chronic diseases such as diabetes.

This is one reason our 30-Day to Fit plan works so well.  It teaches to eliminate those foods which are high in calories but low in quality.  It replaces empty fructose carbs with healthy, life sustaining ones and gives your body the highest quality protein to help your body burn more calories and grow your cells healthy.

I highly recommend an Arbonne protein shake mixed with the Fiber Boost at least once a day.  You will feel fuller longer and your body will have the nutrients it needs to be healthy.

And remember, the goal is health, not to lose weight.  You don't lose weight to be healthy - you get healthy and then your body will naturally lose the weight and normalize it to where it should be.

And if you are hanging around your local library anytime soon, pick up Dr. Lustig's book and give it a read.  The more we educate ourselves on what to and what not to eat, the longer and healthier we will live.