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So if I eat 3500 kcal worth of sand a day I won't lose weight?

leshow 11y ago
I did say "food" right? ignoring the stupidity of your question i'd just like to point out that without the knowledge of your caloric maintenance requirements (and not from a bullshit online calculator), we can't make any assumptions on what amount of calories would be required to lose weight
- waterlesscloud 11y ago
  Insults and anger aside, it seems we agree that the source of the calories does in fact make a difference. A moment of reflection reveals that "food" is a very vague and somewhat arbitrary classification of materials. And what may be "food" for some may not be for others. I've never understood why it should be at all controversial to consider that different individuals could have substantial variance in their ability to absorb calories from different sources. As often as not, the response to the idea is anger, which is kinda weird, frankly.
  - leshow 11y ago
    > it seems we agree that the source of the calories does in fact make a difference. we don't. if your body is capable of getting 3500cals from sand and your maintenance intake is 3500 cals then you will stay the same weight. > I've never understood why it should be at all controversial to consider that different individuals could have substantial variance in their ability to absorb calories from different sources. It's irrelevant. If you absorb 3 calories from carbohydrates and I absorb the standard 4 calories, the absolute value of the calories I get from food might be slightly off, but it's reproducible and doesn't change any of the core concepts related to losing/gaining weight. If you mean that you absorb calories different from apples than from oranges, then I've never seen any data even remotely supporting that conclusion.
adamzochowski 11y ago
Assuming your body, with your lifestyle, requires on average 3500 kcal a day to sustain itself, and if your body can extract 3500 kcal out of the sand you produce, then yes, you won't lose weight. There are multiple factors that change: 1) intestines+stomach can have different absorption rates 2) food preparation can change amount of calories (cooked food simplifies calorie extraction) 3) glycemic index affects how readily cell absorb calories 4) body can only release a limited amount of energy out of fat cells per day (study seems to suggest 22kcal per day per pound of fat). Deficit beyond starts burning through other tissues than fat 5) Base metabolic rate - different weight and different lifestyle will have people have different amount of daily required calories There are many things that are affected, and it is best to calculate out yourself. How efficient is your body in absorbing calories, and how efficient is it in burning them, and then ensure you absorb less than you need to burn.
- leshow 11y ago
  'Absorption' is a detail you don't need to know when it comes to losing weight. All you need to know is you put x calories in your system and you maintained weight, therefore x - y will produce a net loss of weight.

I did say "food" right? ignoring the stupidity of your question i'd just like to point out that without the knowledge of your caloric maintenance requirements (and not from a bullshit online calculator), we can't make any assumptions on what amount of calories would be required to lose weight

waterlesscloud 11y ago
Insults and anger aside, it seems we agree that the source of the calories does in fact make a difference. A moment of reflection reveals that "food" is a very vague and somewhat arbitrary classification of materials. And what may be "food" for some may not be for others. I've never understood why it should be at all controversial to consider that different individuals could have substantial variance in their ability to absorb calories from different sources. As often as not, the response to the idea is anger, which is kinda weird, frankly.
- leshow 11y ago
  > it seems we agree that the source of the calories does in fact make a difference. we don't. if your body is capable of getting 3500cals from sand and your maintenance intake is 3500 cals then you will stay the same weight. > I've never understood why it should be at all controversial to consider that different individuals could have substantial variance in their ability to absorb calories from different sources. It's irrelevant. If you absorb 3 calories from carbohydrates and I absorb the standard 4 calories, the absolute value of the calories I get from food might be slightly off, but it's reproducible and doesn't change any of the core concepts related to losing/gaining weight. If you mean that you absorb calories different from apples than from oranges, then I've never seen any data even remotely supporting that conclusion.

adamzochowski 11y ago

Assuming your body, with your lifestyle, requires on average 3500 kcal a day to sustain itself, and if your body can extract 3500 kcal out of the sand you produce, then yes, you won't lose weight. There are multiple factors that change: 1) intestines+stomach can have different absorption rates 2) food preparation can change amount of calories (cooked food simplifies calorie extraction) 3) glycemic index affects how readily cell absorb calories 4) body can only release a limited amount of energy out of fat cells per day (study seems to suggest 22kcal per day per pound of fat). Deficit beyond starts burning through other tissues than fat 5) Base metabolic rate - different weight and different lifestyle will have people have different amount of daily required calories There are many things that are affected, and it is best to calculate out yourself. How efficient is your body in absorbing calories, and how efficient is it in burning them, and then ensure you absorb less than you need to burn.

leshow 11y ago
'Absorption' is a detail you don't need to know when it comes to losing weight. All you need to know is you put x calories in your system and you maintained weight, therefore x - y will produce a net loss of weight.