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Is A Calorie A Calorie?
List of posts in Articles by Lyle McDonald
OK fellas, I want to warn you in advance that this article written by Lyle McDonald is a long one! It’s so long that I’m not going to post anything on Friday because I’m sure that you guys will still be reading it 
So, why post such a long article?
Well, I think that Lyle, along with Alan Aragon and a few others, is a top notch nutritional scientist. I’ve read just about all of his books, and I like the “even-handed” approach he uses while interpreting the literature on fat loss.
I think that this article will put a lot of things in perspective for you about calories, and why there seems to be an endless debate about whether they actually count or not.
So, give yourself a couple of days to power through this article, and please leave a comment because I’d really like to know what you guys think …
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Is a Calorie a Calorie?
Lyle McDonald
www.bodyrecomposition.com
In addition to the endless Protein Controversies and Carbohydrate and Fat Controversies in the area of nutrition, another long-standing argument has to do with the question of: Is a calorie a calorie?
Simply put, the debate comes down to this: is all that matters is caloric balance (calories in versus calories out) or do the source of those calories matter? The short and simple answer, of course, is ‘No’.
The longer answer is what this article is about.
As usual, both sides of the argument can bring lots of data to the table in support of their contentions. Frequently, as you’ll see below, they end up arguing slightly different issues. In looking the topic, I want to look at three distinct data sets, each of which generates slightly different results and answers to the question. Basically, this is where a big part of the confusion comes from: people are trying to comparing data from dissimilar sets of studies and are reaching bogus conclusions because of it.
Studies Varying Protein Intake
Most commonly, when folks want to argue that ‘a calorie is not a calorie’, they will use studies comparing higher and lower protein intakes. With very few exceptions, dietes providing adequate protein intake (for dieters 1.5 g/kg lean body mass or higher would be a minimum) to lower intakes find better results than diets with lower protein intakes. This is especially apparent under dieting conditions with any number of studies support the need for higher protein intake to support muscle growth.
That is, given an identical caloric intake, the group that gets sufficient protein will generally show better muscle mass maintenance than the lower-protein group. As well, since weight losses are typically similar, that means that slightly more fat is lost. Other studies show that protein blunts hunger better (meaning it’s easier to reduce calories) than carbs or fats and a recent study showed better blood glucose maintenance in the diet containing higher protein. Aha, folks say, the source of the calories do matter!
Tangentially, I suspect that folks reporting better results from low-carb diets compared to higher-carb diets is related to this. Because of the reliance on meat, it’s nearly impossible NOT to get sufficient protein intake on a low-carbohydrate diet; folks on high-carbohydrate diets frequently overemphasize carbs to the extent that protein intake gets shorted.
The above is, honestly no surprise. Anyone who has read my books, my other articles or my forum postings knows that after setting calories properly, ‘Getting adequate protein’ is by far and away the single most important factor in setting up a proper diet. There’s just really no argument about this.
But for that reason, I tend to consider studies out of this set to be meaningless. I consider sufficient protein intake (which may be 0.8-1.5 g/lb depending on the specifics) to be assumed in any diet I’m interested in looking at. Arguments about studies comparing the inadequate RDA to what I consider appropriate amounts of protein simply don’t matter to me.
Given that built-in assumption, the question then changes slightly: given adequate protein intake to begin with, does the source of the other calories (carbohydrates versus fat) affect anything or is it simply a calorie in versus calorie out issue. In adressing this, I want to describe two other data sets.
Studies Where Calories are Rigorously Controlled
The first set of studies, which tend to be in the minority are those studies where subject’s caloric intakes are strictly controlled. These are usually the studies that the ‘a calorie is a calorie’ folks use to support their argument.
These studies are typically done by locking subjects in a hospital type of situation and measuring their food intake or by giving them pre-made food packets to use at home. Sometimes, studies are done in hospital patients being fed through a feeding tube. As you might imagine, these studies are hellishly expensive (especially if they are done over more than a few days) and, for that reason, aren’t being done as often anymore.
There is also the question of whether or not they have relevance to the real-world but that’s a separate issue. I should also mention that frequently very short-term studies (looking at a single meal or a day or two of intake) sometimes find differences for different diets but these have no bearing in the real-world where you’re looking at intakes over weeks or months.
However, in those studies, you generally see minimal (if any) differences in terms of the amount or composition of the weight lost when you vary the different nutrients. Studies have compared high to low-carbohydrate diets and even varying low-carbohydrate diets. With minor variation (maybe a pound or two here or there), any differences in the total amount of weight loss or the composition of the weight lost (again this assumes adequate protein intake in the first place) are very minor. Rather, the majority (easiliy 90% or more) of the change can be attributed directly to the caloric intake of the diet. Macronutrient composition makes a tiny, approaching negligble difference.
I’d note that recent research is suggesting that the interaction of diet with genetics may play a role here. In the article Insulin Sensitivity and Fat Loss, I examine recent research showing an interaction between carbohydrate intake and insulin sensitivity. However, this data doesn’t support that any single diet is de facto superior; only that a given diet might or might not be better for a given individual (depending on their individual genetics and such).
I should mention that studies comparing high to low-carbohydrate diets typically show greater weight losses in the low-carbohydrate group but this can generally be attributed to greater water losses. One or two studies have shown a slight trend towards greater fat loss in the low-carbohydrate group but it’s rarely huge and is invariably confounded by the issue of hugely varying protein intake. Without exception, the ‘low-carbohydrate’ group ends up eating more protein; this raises the question of whether the benefit is due to the diet being lower in carbohydrate, or higher in protein.
November 18th, 2009 at 10:21 am
Wow, that was long. Another great article by McDonald. Thanks for posting.
My oversimplified take is:
Get a food journal and monitor your calorie and protein intake.
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Muata Reply:
November 18th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
LOL! Man, Kal I could’ve saved a lot of room on my blog by using your simplified version of everything that Lyle wrote
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November 18th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
That was just my Twitterized response.
Everyone should read every word of the article to grasp the full concept and so that they can formulate there own response to the research that Lyle presents.
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Muata Reply:
November 18th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Hey, that’s cool Kal. I wasn’t being “cheeky” with you my friend. Actually, I like the way your crystallized it into such a simple statement. Keep the helpful comments coming
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November 18th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Great article. Since reading your site Muata, I have gained so much knowledge. You know what is so crazy to me is how easy losing weight can be by following a simple couple rules. Reduce you calorie intake, find something aerobic that you like to do, and do bodyweight workouts. Like I said before, I’ve lost the weight using this formula before I started reading your blog, but in all honesty, I was not sure exactly why. For the past year, I have been doing alot of research and seen alot of confusion in how to lose weight. Even though I have been getting the results, I still wasn’t sure. Now I’m more focused on my caloric intake more than I was. It just goes to show how sedentary our society has come, because to me, it comes easy to eat smaller, and healthier portions, and do some aerobic excersise for at least 30 min. But of course, at times, I might be out and about (which I’ve found is my kryponite, because I tend to eat bad foods) and I’ll go to a fast food restaurant and order something (I hate to love you In-N-Out). But if I had a bowl of ceral in the moring which is about 300 calories, then I eat that fast food meal, which could be about 1200 calories, but then my last meal of the day is a bowl of salad which about 300, that’s 1800 calories. I’ve estimated that I burn close to 3000 calories a day so even with that terrible meal, I still had a calorie deficit. What problems in our society why we’ve become so obese is that many times, folks are having 1200+ calorie meals 3-4 times a day, and living sedentary lives. I remember in college, I would eat my favorite breakfast, hasbrowns, 3 over easy eggs, and about 6 pork sausages, then eat a burger and fries for lunch, and might have a pizza for dinner, and that’s not counting the snack foods that I would have. That adds up to a crazy caloric intake. Now, I tend to eat 3-4 meals a day varying from 250-500 calories, and try to shoot for a 1500-1900 caloric intake a day. I’m trying to shoot for a 100-200g intake of carbs a day. After reading one of your post, I was gonna try to a low carb diet. But I think this article has changed my mind, and I will eat carbs moderately, but the main thing is keeping my caloric intake healthy, and in check.
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Muata Reply:
November 18th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Exactly JW. You don’t have to go the low carb route necessarily, and I really like the way you balance out your calories. Look, we’re not robots who are going to eat “clean” everyday; I know that I don’t, but you MUST be mindful of the amount of calories you’re consuming. When people demonize fast foods, I always tell the to check out this post. JW, just imagine how your body is going to look and how strong you’re going to be this time next year! That’s how I look at my “life long” journey now
Thanks a lot for your comments my friend …
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JW Reply:
November 18th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
That post you linked, I thought was one of your more interesting post that I’ve read. I’ve been on a reading binge on your blog since I’ve found it. What the problem is that these fast food restaurants have the very high calorie foods for a cheap price. I checked out the McDonald’s nuturition, and looked up how many calories that a double cheese burger and a McChicken has. I was shocked. The cheese burgers were 440 calories! And the McChicken was 380. I remember that would be a staple meal when I was broke. I might even buy another cheese burger. So at any given time, you could be eating between 800 and 1300 calories and only paying 2-3 dollars. So the real issue is not the fast food restaurants, but the poverty of that area, and the availability of good foods for cheap. When you’re broke, you’ll eat whatever. You could eat a chicken breat and some brocoli and feel just as full as thos FF choices, with only consuming 400-500 calories. It’s kinda shocking how it simple of a notion that is, and I feel so stupid not realising it until now. But on another note, what else I like about reading your blog is seeing African American men doing what I’m doing. I am too AA, and coming from a culture from eating everything on my plate, and alot of high calorie meals. Anyone who had a site as good as yours would be inspiring, but reading your post, and reading Dr. Kal’s site, it is very encouraging to see some bruhs doing it. I love your Big Dawgs series, because I swear you were talking to me, and it was so true on so many levels. I used to cringe everytime someone would call me Big Dawg, but I didn’t get mad at the person, because they were trying to be endearing, but it was a reminder that I’m fat. It still happens to me today, but I don’t care too much, because I won’t be a big dawg by this time next year. But I wonder, if I will still have my same muscular frame, because even in my bigger days, I was fortunate to have too saggy pecs, and in my current body now, I can see my abs and starting to see some definition. That’s something you could answer for me later. But anyways, I’m sorry if I’ve been annoying and writing alot. But there’s alot I’ve been wanting to get off my chest. Like you said, most people are going to be alone in this journey, and I’m definitely that. I haven’t told anyone that I’m trying, but people are definitely noticing. But I now feel I have support from reading your blog. I’m more motivated than ever!
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Muata Reply:
November 19th, 2009 at 7:32 am
JW, keep on writing my friend! I don’t mind at all, and, as I’ve said before, I know that folks definitely read the comments of my posts, which are IMO sometimes better than the post itself!
Keep doing what you’re doing JW and keep us posted … Oh, and as Chuck D said, “Brothers gonna work it out” 
November 19th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Muata,one of the very best things about this Fat Loss Community is hearing from folks like JW, that have such positive comments on sites like yours and Dr.Kals.The information that we learn is saving us from ourselves.The sharing of lessons learned is saving others.
Ths Calorie IS King !!
A Cowboy from Texas
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Muata Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Bill, I feel the same way and that’s why I’m glad that guys feel moved to share their experiences in the comment section. Like you, I love to read the comments on blogs because I usually learn so much more than the original post may have shared. Hey, congrats on adding more weight to your weighted vest. I’ve walked with 40# on my back, so I can vouch for how much stronger your legs and core are now! Keep it up ….
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November 19th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
This is great information. I went back and read the previous entries, as well. I’ve been a lot more studious about fat loss as I’ve been changing my lifestyle and relationship with food, including tracking results. I have been using a scale that tracks bodyfat and water percentages, weighing in exactly the same conditions/time/day each week, and I have noticed the phenomenon of “rubber band weight loss” where I may not lose one or two weeks, then suddenly WHAM 4-5 pounds come off. But watching the bodyfat percentage steadily going down, I have realized that there are things going on in my body that are reactions to my fat loss efforts. To read his information about fat cells retaining more water during fat loss and then eventually releasing it, etc…it really eases my mind and gives me more patience, when it comes to seeing results. Despite the fact that I’m now in this for the long haul and know the results will come in their time, it’s good that when I know I have done well and the scale doesn’t reflect it, there are things going on that I’m not aware of. That, and I keep track of where my bodyfat is with every weigh-in and as long as that is going down, I’m happy.
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Muata Reply:
November 20th, 2009 at 10:20 am
KevinD, I felt the same way when I first read Lyle’s article on “swooshes” because I had experienced the same thing along my journney, and I still do to a certain degree. The leaner you are, the smaller the swooshes, unfortunately. Nevertheless, I’m glad that you liked the article and are keeping track of you bF % because this is what we really want to lose. Keep up the good work!
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November 22nd, 2009 at 5:18 pm
I am totally on board with a calorie is a calorie assuming the diet is nutritious to start with. I just posted on portioning that is prefaced on a calorie is a calorie (or portioning would only work on some diets).
http://leananmean.com/http:/leananmean.com/weight-loss-portioning-yes/
Thanks for keeping our eye to the basics!
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November 22nd, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Hey Muata,
Again, you and other folks that I looked at from you site have really inspired me, and I decided to start a blog about my journey. I hope you don’t mind, I kinda did a spin off of your Big Dawg series, and called it, To My Big Dawgs Weight Loss and Other Issues. I really wanted to do this for my personal reason, but also maybe my style of getting a point across can inspire folks like you’ve done. I would love you to check it out. You know I like to write alot, so my journey story is quite lenghty, but it was liberating to be able to go back and write about it, and I didn’t want to cut any corners. Anyways, if any of you want to check it out, here’s the link:
http://tomybigdawgs.blogspot.com/
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August 25th, 2010 at 6:53 pm
A great read indeed. @JW, congrats on losing weight to get in shape. I’ve never really monitored my actual calorie intake and have gotten so so results. It is true though, our society has hammered huge portion sizes into our psyche so much that sometimes I’m still amazed at what I really should be eating. I think ‘that can’t be right’, but it is, and I lose weight. Go figure.. Thanks for the great article.
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