does it matter where the calories come from?

sorry if this question has been asked many times but i cant seem to find it in the forum search so i thought id just ask myself.. does it really matter what form our calories come from? like for example if i had heaps of chocolate today but stayed within my sedentary weight loss intake (1500cals) would i still get fat cos of all that sugar and fat? and will this go to my tummy and make it flabby looking? i dont often eat sugary foods but this week i been having crazy amounts everyday like today i had two cinnamon swirls (homemade - which means YIKES 600 cals each swirl!!) they say "a calorie is a calorie" but im not sure about this could someone help me understand better pls im feelin like ****!

Hello :)

It does in fact matter (even though I don't necessarily comply myself, I can help others at least!). It matters for your health and your well-being.

If you had 1500 calories worth of mixed veggies, some lean meats, some complex carbs, healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and avocados, and of course a little treat like some chocolate, you wouldn't just feel infinitely better than feeding off chocolate, but your body would thank you too.

You see, 1500 calories are 1500 calories, whichever way you look at it. But processed foods, sugar, chocolate (to a lesser extent) are what they call 'empty' calories, because they just provide you with energy, but no essential minerals or vitamins which your body needs for growth and repair.

Many times I have binged (over my calorie allowance) on chocolate and sugar- but i mean like 5000 calories worth of chocolate in one sitting. And afterwards I felt awful- the sugar peak and sugar crash. I felt lethargic, bloated and so forth.

So long as you stay within your calorie limit, you wont gain weight. But its not healthy. Thats the only difference.

Gosh *sighs* I wish I could follow my own advice sometimes.

Hello :)

It does in fact matter (even though I don't necessarily comply myself, I can help others at least!). It matters for your health and your well-being.

If you had 1500 calories worth of mixed veggies, some lean meats, some complex carbs, healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and avocados, and of course a little treat like some chocolate, you wouldn't just feel infinitely better than feeding off chocolate, but your body would thank you too.

You see, 1500 calories are 1500 calories, whichever way you look at it. But processed foods, sugar, chocolate (to a lesser extent) are what they call 'empty' calories, because they just provide you with energy, but no essential minerals or vitamins which your body needs for growth and repair.

Many times I have binged (over my calorie allowance) on chocolate and sugar- but i mean like 5000 calories worth of chocolate in one sitting. And afterwards I felt awful- the sugar peak and sugar crash. I felt lethargic, bloated and so forth.

So long as you stay within your calorie limit, you wont gain weight. But its not healthy. Thats the only difference.

Gosh *sighs* I wish I could follow my own advice sometimes.

In terms of weight loss... not really. BUT. It's important to be good to your body and give it what it needs to function properly. Your body can't build muscle if you don't give it enough protein to work with. Throughout high school I lifted weights and was pretty trim, but couldn't seem to build much muscle or get to lifting higher weights, despite working hard 5 days a week. Looking back, I know what it was-- my protein consisted of half a cup of milk and 3-4oz of meat each day!

Take a multi-vitamin, try to remove your temptation, and try to set yourself a target for nutrient-laden calories vs. treat calories each day. A small serving of chocolate, half a cinnamon swirl, a serving of icecream-- they're all reasonable items to work in to your calorie limit without taking away from the "good" stuff.

Since everyone has hit the main points - I'll just put in the not-so-proven one.  The thermogenic effect of meat products is higher than that of veggies, which is higher than that of fats.

Thermogenic effect is how much energy your body spends to digest, which, in meat has been guessed to be up to 30 percent (probably more like 10 percent).

So eating 2000 calories of chocolate is like eating 2000 calories, whereas eating 2000 calories of meat may POSSIBLY be like eating 1800 calories.

It's all pop science though.

90% of your diet should be healthy (mayyyyyyyyybe 80%) and 10 % can be "fun"

if you don't comply to this your body isn't going to get the proper vitamins and minerals it needs.

for weight loss, no. for overall health, yes.

I find it especially important to get the majority of my calories from high-quality, nutrient-rich foods when I'm trying to lose weight.  When I eat crappy food, I just don't have the energy to exercise.  I need to be full of vitamins and fiber and other goodness to get through my workouts.