Why Calories In - Calories Out doesn't work!

You've known this all along but recently the media is trying to get the rest of the population on board.....

Calories In - Calories Out is flawed.

In the simplest of terms, all calories are not close to being equal.

For example, 1000 calories of chicken, eggs, Grass Fed Protein, MCT oil and asparagus will behave differently in your body than 1000 calories of pizza, ice cream and alcohol.

It seems simple, but many people still are unaware of this.

Hormonal changes are the primary driver of excess fat storage

The paper, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition offers an alternative model to the eat-less-move-more message.

Further, it argues that success in weight loss, as well as weight-loss maintenance, is more about what you eat and less about how much you eat.

The calories in, calories out concept is a 'tragically flawed' one

The authors found that when high glycemic index foods (which are carbohydrates that cause a rapid increase in blood sugar) are consumed, the body responds via two hormones.

It increases insulin (a hormone used to direct sugar into the cells) and suppresses glucagon (a hormone used to release stored glucose when levels are too low).

The combination of the two set up the stage for fat storage by telling our fat cells to store calories.

This is due to a rapid rise and subsequent decline in blood sugar that occurs shortly after consuming the high GI food.

Hormonal changes drive fat storage, regardless of energy needs

Instead of focusing on the energy-balance model, the authors cite a shift of focus to a carbohydrate-insulin model instead.

As humans, we have different hormonal responses to different types of food. Reduced hunger and controlling the production of insulin are key for sustainable weight loss.

The one macronutrient that has the most profound impact on insulin is carbohydrates. 

Lower-carbohydrate approaches have been found in studies to not only reduce appetite but to limit and control the responses of insulin, glucagon and even leptin.

It also has been found to be a sustainable approach to weight loss and an effective dietary pattern for Type 2 diabetes.

This all occurs in the absence of counting calories or eating less.