The First Law of Thermodynamics.
How boring.
It’s not that Isaac Newton got it wrong, he was right - energy is conserved in a system.
When people talk about weight loss being calories in vs. calories out, this is the concept that they are referencing.
Balancing - or unbalancing - energy (calories).
The common mantra is: “Eat less, exercise more!”
Then the fat will just melt off.
Right?
Wrong.
If only the human body were that simple.
Newton’s law maintains that energy is stored in a “system.”
And this is correct, when working in a vacuum (a closed system).
What does that mean?
Take 100 calories worth of gummy bears and 100 calories of carrots into a laboratory, burn them up, and they will release energy at the same rate.
That is not what happens when people eat food and the body’s metabolism (an open system) gets involved.
Different foods trigger different responses in the body.
Different foods equal different immune responses, different hormones to be released, and different transmissions in the brain.
It is the same number of calories, but with a vastly different effect on the body!
Gummy bears spike blood sugar and the insulin response, as well as disrupt neurotransmitters (chemical substance the causes transfer of information across nerves, muscle fibers, etc.).
This disruption ultimately increase hunger and promotes fat storage in the body.
Carrots have a completely different effect.
That same 100 calories will keep blood sugar levels stable and balanced, keep the body feeling full and subsequently lower appetite, and stimulate fat burning.
Counting calories is miserable, time consuming, and takes the joy out of eating.
Make a fundamental shift in the approach to eating.
Forget how much, and focus on what.
Quality over quantity.
Nutrition over numbers.
Focus on consuming clean protein - organic nuts and seeds, grass-fed or free range animals, wild caught fish.
Get vitamins and minerals from a colorful variety of organic fruits and vegetables.
Eat fiber in whole potatoes and root vegetables.
The shift to a quality diet will keep the body feeling full longer, burn fat instead of storing it, and help to prevent most chronic diseases.
Stop counting and start eating better!
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