The concept of calories and why you should care

You can lose weight eating sugary candy all day.

That’s right, you read it correctly. But it does not mean you should.

Sugary candy is made of the same stuff as fruit- carbohydrates. 

Theoretically it is possible to lose weight if you were to eat only a handful of candy every day and nothing else. The explanation lies in understanding the ‘calorie’- a unit of energy often used to measure a certain food’s value as a fuel source. More calories translate to more energy, but it can also mean more body fat if you are not the burning excess energy that comes from overeating.

In my last article I mentioned that the secret to weight loss is to “move more and eat less”. In the context of what I said earlier, I’m asking you to burn more calories by exercising more and consume fewer calories by eating less. It does not matter where these calories come from. Sounds surprisingly simple, doesn’t it? So then why are there such things as “low carb” diets? The bottom line is that those are just simple dieting tricks that will help a dieter lessen their total calorie intake.

So if all calories are the same, why should you eat an apple rather than its caloric worth in candy? Because apples are more beneficial for your health and you’ll never be able to eat enough candy to keep you full unless you were to go over your daily calorie requirements. Apples also contain many nutritious chemicals that help your body function better. On top of that, it has a high fibre content which will keep you filled for longer. An apple a day indeed does keep the doctor away.

My next article will explain how to calculate your daily calorie requirement so you can find out how much (or how little) you need to eat to lose weight.