What exactly is a calorie? A calorie is a unit of heat equal to the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1,000 grams of water by one degree Celsius.
A more basic answer: A calorie is a unit to measure the energy which is the fuel for our bodies.
So why is it so scary and confusing?
I'd say because most people don't know how much energy they expend so they don't know how much fuel they need. There is no physical meter like with our cars. When the tank is empty the car won't run, fill the tank too much and you have bad smelling shoes and a possible explosive situation.
Some people believe if they stay within a certain calorie limit they can eat whatever they want. So I ask this question: what's better, eating 1500 calories a day of donuts or 1500 calories of veggies and lean meats? The problem with the way most people look at nutrition is they don't look at what's called "macro-nutrients".
I know I'm throwing some fancy words right now, but their premise is very simple. Macro-nutrients are substances needed for growth, metabolism, and for other body functions that are required in large amounts. There are three broad classes of macro-nutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.
This means, for example, if you're consuming on average 1500 calories a day the breakdown from where that energy is coming from is protein, cabs and fats (these are measured in grams). Not having a proper balance of these nutrients is why people have trouble with diet. Intakes of sugars, sodium and cholesterol are also a factor.
You want to be able to hit the proper levels of your macro-nutrients without exceeding the number of calories you need to fuel your daily activities. This is easily shown in foods that aren't good for you. They are usually very high in calories without benefiting your body in proper nutrients. High in either sugar, sodium and/or cholesterol and usually contain chemicals and preservatives, it's what's called "empty calories."
The calories you want are from what's commonly referred to as "clean foods, or clean eating". This is the premise that all of your nutrients should be coming from foods in their most pure form. Trust me when I say this alone will make your trips to the grocery store a breeze. You can pretty much skip the middle sections everything is on the outskirts! Fresh produce, when things aren't in season I buy canned or frozen and always check to make sure there is no added salt or sugars. The butcher/fish man for fresh lean meats. The dairy section for eggs, light milks and yogurts. Grains should always be whole and nuts should be raw and these should be sampled in moderation. Sounds too simple, it really is that easy.
Once you get use to eating more clean food you will notice how your body rejects processed food. My lowered tolerance for lactose aside I can barely eat anything that isn't pure now. There is so much sodium in most packaged foods I get too bloated and feel too ill to enjoy it.
Also with eating a proper balance of good clean foods you will notice a new form of energy. Exercise won't seem as terribly labored, you'll sleep much better and will wake up feeling more "empty" because your body is using everything. Your mood will be elevated and you'll feel better in tune with how your body feels.
This is essentially the lead into learning how to form a balanced diet. You might have to rewire your thoughts on food, but once you start to understand what your food is doing for you it's not as obscure.
Hope this helped explain the basic components of where are energy comes from in a fairly easy light. I'll be doing more detailed and longer nutrition posts in the following weeks so stay tuned :)
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