Are all calories created equal? Eating a simple sugar versus eating a complex carbohydrate from a potato, for instance, will have a different impact on fat burning. Sugars create a hormonal response that locks in stored body fat while complex carbohydrates provide a slow release of energy to our bodies. What about fat? Are all fats equal? Van Marken, Lichenbelt et al (1997) showed that the polyunsaturated fat-to-saturated fat ratio is important for metabolic rates. An increased ratio leads to a 3% metabolic boost in daily metabolism (Berardi[1]). Wouldn’t it then make sense to opt for fat sources other than beef or pork, and consume more sources of good fats such as fish?

Then there is the thermic effect of food. This simply means that it takes energy to digest food. Some foods take a little more work than others. For example, for every 100 calories of fat you eat, roughly five calories are burned in digestion, 10 calories for every 100 calories of carbohydrates, and 20-25 calories for every 100 calories of protein. This is why it is extremely important to include a source of protein with each meal.

Now we can see that not all carbohydrates are equal to fats as far as caloric intake. Eating the same number of calories from either will have a different impact on our bodies. The pictures below provide good examples of these foods.

In this picture (eggs, shrimp, salad, brown rice, carrots, chicken breast, potato, salmon, turkey, bread, oatmeal, peppers, canned tuna)

Both of these pictures contain 2,000 calories. If you were to consume either of these each day for a year, though they contain the same number of calories, would you look and feel the same? Absolutely NOT! The “Calorie Warnings” are becoming exhausted and are not producing results. Begin by eating unprocessed foods and cutting back on sugars; soon positive changes will occur and your metabolism will inevitably speed up.

[1] Dr. Berardi (www.johnberardi.com)