Zillagraybeard
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- Aug 23, 2017
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This is a topic I've previously discussed on social media, and it elicited both questions and compliments. I am frequently asked if a particular meal, supplement, or drink would cause someone to gain weight. My initial instinct is to chuckle, but then I remember that not everyone knows nutrition or even has a general understanding of daily calorie consumption. As a result, in this brief piece, I'd want to answer this topic and help you realize that there is no single food item that will cause you to gain weight in the larger scheme of things.
I can't tell you how many times people have shown me a protein bar they've been eating and asked whether it's going to make them gain weight. You could basically substitute any meal or supplement into this scenario and my response would still be NO.
Here's why I'm not sure. Assume your daily calorie requirement for maintenance is 2,000. That is, if you eat 2,000 calories each day, your weight will remain constant. If you eat 2,500 calories per day, you will gain weight since you are in a caloric excess. On the other hand, if you eat 1,500 calories a day, you can expect to lose weight since you are in a caloric deficit.
If you eat a protein bar with 300 calories (as an example), you will have 1,700 calories remaining for the day (assuming it is the first item you eat). Will that one protein bar cause you to gain weight? No. It all relies on what you eat the remainder of the day and where your daily calorie intake falls.
Clearly, there are good and harmful eating alternatives, and more information may be generated around this topic. Should you choose healthier foods over harmful ones on a regular basis? Absolutely. In most situations, healthier selections are fewer in calories, allowing you to eat more food on a regular basis. If you eat unhealthy foods heavy in fat and sugar, your calories will skyrocket and you won't be able to eat as much to keep inside the 2,000-calorie limit.
The same is true for liquid calories. Some individuals consider food calories but completely disregard liquid calories from beverages they consume. If you drink a six-pack of soda or a six-pack of beer every day, there will definitely be health effects, as well as the extra empty calories that do nothing to improve your health.
Finally, stop looking at things separately and start looking at them as a whole. While not all calories are created equal (I've written about this before), eating in moderation can help you avoid gaining weight in the long run. Keep track of what you consume, how much you eat, and where your calories wind up at the end of the day. [/COLOR]
I can't tell you how many times people have shown me a protein bar they've been eating and asked whether it's going to make them gain weight. You could basically substitute any meal or supplement into this scenario and my response would still be NO.
Here's why I'm not sure. Assume your daily calorie requirement for maintenance is 2,000. That is, if you eat 2,000 calories each day, your weight will remain constant. If you eat 2,500 calories per day, you will gain weight since you are in a caloric excess. On the other hand, if you eat 1,500 calories a day, you can expect to lose weight since you are in a caloric deficit.
If you eat a protein bar with 300 calories (as an example), you will have 1,700 calories remaining for the day (assuming it is the first item you eat). Will that one protein bar cause you to gain weight? No. It all relies on what you eat the remainder of the day and where your daily calorie intake falls.
Clearly, there are good and harmful eating alternatives, and more information may be generated around this topic. Should you choose healthier foods over harmful ones on a regular basis? Absolutely. In most situations, healthier selections are fewer in calories, allowing you to eat more food on a regular basis. If you eat unhealthy foods heavy in fat and sugar, your calories will skyrocket and you won't be able to eat as much to keep inside the 2,000-calorie limit.
The same is true for liquid calories. Some individuals consider food calories but completely disregard liquid calories from beverages they consume. If you drink a six-pack of soda or a six-pack of beer every day, there will definitely be health effects, as well as the extra empty calories that do nothing to improve your health.
Finally, stop looking at things separately and start looking at them as a whole. While not all calories are created equal (I've written about this before), eating in moderation can help you avoid gaining weight in the long run. Keep track of what you consume, how much you eat, and where your calories wind up at the end of the day. [/COLOR]
