Jake: Hey I’m Jake of Body by Jake and here’s your nutrition tip of the day. Yes, it is that time again: Dr. P is with me and we are answering your most frequently asked questions. This one comes from Craig, “Do low calorie diets work for weight loss?”
Dr. P:
Listen. Listen Craig, if low calorie food programming really worked, and I hate using that word, but I may use it, people wouldn’t be fat.
Most folks, they wake up, they don’t have breakfast, they catch a muffin at work, they have salad at lunch, they skip a snack or they eat a Snickers bar. Sometimes they have soup for dinner, sometimes they just go to bed.
The food programming that we experience as a nation is very inconsistent. Calories are heat energy units, that’s the definition of a calorie. Metabolism isn’t fast, or too slow like you hear about. Oh, I have a fast metabolism! I have a slow one. It’s not hot or cold because calories represent heat.
So here’s our question: how many calories do I have to consume a day? How much heat do I have to eat to utilize fat effectively as an energy source? You line up 20 of the best athletes in the world and you say to them “boys this week you have to give up something: training or food. What will you give up?” They’ll all say dump the training, maintain the food.
Calories first! Get your food in. Food is your friend – make friends with your kitchen, and your bedroom – that’s where your physique changes!
Jake: Perfect as always, Dr. P, well done!