THE TWINKIE DIET: Why a Calorie Is Not a Calorie

Photo by Deon Black on Unsplash

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THE BIG THOUGHT IN THIS LITTLE POST: Although calories do matter for weight loss, the SATIETY of those calories matters more.

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A lot of weight-loss advice says the only thing that matters in the quest for a smaller waistline is the number of calories you eat; this both is and isn't true.

It is true in that, if you want to lost weight, you need to consume less food than whatever you're currently eating, because whatever you're currently eating is maintaining your current weight.

If you wanna lose weight, you gotta eat less; I think we can all agree on that.

The problem is that a lot of people - armed with this tidbit of knowledge "eat less calories"  - will start counting calories and within that calorie break-down, will eat absolute garbage.

And this can work, at least from a weight-loss perspective (if not a health perspective).

Take the case of this nutrition professor who lost 27 lbs in 10-weeks by eating mostly Twinkies; he ate a Twinkie every three hours instead of a meal. (But he added Doritos, Oreos and sugary-cereals for variety. Yum yum!)

The man proved his point: you wanna lose weight? You can literally eat anything, as long as you're maintaining a calorie deficit.

Photo by Marcus Wallis on Unsplash

But where it isn't true in that not all calories are created equal; "A calorie is a calorie" isn't the whole story.

You already know this because you're not a dumb-dumb; you know that certain foods are healthier than others. You know there's no Oreo-tree or Doritos-bush. (Right...?)

Now, I'm not here to tell you what to eat; although I have a diploma in Holistic Nutrition*, I'm also a former binge-eater, and I know just how triggering it can be to be told "No, you can't have _____ (fill in the blank with your Kryptonite food.)"

I'm here to tell you how you can both cut your calories and eat (some) of your favourite foods.

The key to successfully cutting your calories is SATIETY - meaning how much any food satisfies your hunger.

Can we all agree that if you spend your days feeling HUNGRY, you're not going to be able to stay in a calorie deficit for long? That makes sense right?

So the key is to ensure that you don't feel hungry while in a calorie deficit.

How do you do that?

By making sure that the food you're eating is satiating.

Satiety (meaning no longer feeling hungry) comes from three things:

• The VOLUME of the food you eat (how much space it takes up in your stomach)
• The CALORIES of the food you eat (how much energy it contains)
• The TIME it takes to digest the food you eat. (Protein, fat, and complex carbs digest more slowly, while simple carbs digest quickly).

Let's compare the above-mentioned Twinkie with Eggs; one Twinkie and two large eggs both have 140 calories.

The problem with a Twinkie is that it's pretty small (no VOLUME), and it's a simple carb so it will take relatively little TIME to digest. Meaning you'll be hungry again soon afterwards.

Two large eggs are more substantial (more VOLUME), and they contain both protein and healthy fats, which will slow digestion TIME. Meaning you'll be satiated longer.

Photo by Hannah Tasker on Unsplash

One Twinkie versus two large Eggs.

Both are low in calories, and both contain the same number of calories, but the eggs will be far more satiating than a Twinkie.

Satiety matters for weight loss because the only way to reduce your calories long enough to lose weight is not feel as though you're starving all the time.

What does that mean for you?

It means eating foods that have a slow digestion TIME (high protein, complex carbs, healthy fats), have enough VOLUME, and are low-to-moderate in CALORIES.

But you don't need to use the all-or-nothing approach here; You can 80/20 you calories, so that 80% of them come from very healthy and satiating foods, and 20% of them come from your Kryptonite foods.

What does that look like?

If you're someone who likes or needs to EAT OFTEN:

BREAKFAST = 220 calories

• Eggs, 2 large (160 calories)
• Tomato, 1 medium, sliced (20 calories)
• Coffee + 2 tablespoons half & half (40 calories)

LUNCH = 262 calories

• Green salad (2 cups leaf lettuce + 1/2 cup sliced cucumbers = 20 calories) with 1 tablespoon olive oil (120 calories) + 1 tablespoon lemon juice (2 calories)
• Tuna, canned (chunk albacore in water, drained) 120 calories

SNACK = 185 calories

• Almonds, raw, 15 pieces (105 calories)
• Apple, MacIntosh, medium (80 calories)

DINNER = 983 calories

• Steak, sirloin, 4 oz (307 calories)
• Potato, medium (160 calories) + 2 tablespoons sour cream (60 calories) + 1 tablespoon chives (1 calorie)
• Broccoli, 1 cup (30 calories) + 1/2 tablespoon butter (50 calories)
• Dinner Roll, 1 oz (75 calories) + 1/2 tablespoon butter (50 calories)
• Chocolate Ice Cream, 1 cup (250 calories)

TOTAL CALORIES = 1650*

Or if you're someone who likes to eat less often but have LARGER PORTIONS:

BRUNCH = 580 calories

• Eggs, 2 large (160 calories)
• Bacon, 2 slices cooked medium well (110 calories)
• Avocado Toast, 1 slice, whole grain (100 calories) + 1/2 avocado (120 calories)
• Strawberries, 1 cup sliced (50 calories)
• Coffee + 2 tablespoons half & half (40 calories)

DINNER = 1057 calories

• Pasta, 2 cups, cooked (360 calories)
• Shrimp, 6 oz, cooked (200 calories)
• Red Peppers, 1 cup chopped, (19 calories)
• Garlic Aioli Sauce: 1 tablespoon olive oil (120 calories) + 2 cloves garlic (8 calories)
• Red Wine, 5 oz (120 calories)
• Tiramisu, 1 cup (230 calories)

TOTAL CALORIES = 1637*

(For any of you folks who prefer savoury foods, you can swap the desserts for a snack-size bag of your favourite potato chips or pretzels.)

That's a reasonable amount of food to not feel as though you're starving, while still being in a calorie-deficit.

Every meal above has a slow digestion TIME, and has adequate CALORIES and VOLUME; you won't feel stuffed, but you will feel satiated. 

This is an example of how - as long as you watch your portion sizes - you can eat really well while being in a calorie deficit, without feeling deprived.

The Trifecta of enough VOLUME, enough CALORIES, and longer digestion TIME is the key to sustainable weight-loss.

Anything that isn't sustainable isn't a long-term solution: cutting out 100% of all Kryptonite-foods (no Twinkies allowed) isn't any more sustainable than eating only Kryptonite-foods (only Twinkies allowed).

You need balance; on the road to weight-loss and better health, you need to support yourself in feeling well, but also in enjoying life.

Photo by Milli on Unsplash

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*Although I have a diploma in Holistic Nutrition, I'm not a doctor. Always seek the advice of your physician before undertaking a new health care regimen. I only offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for better health. In the event you use any of this information for yourself, I do not assume responsibility for your actions.

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**All calorie calculations taken from My Fitness Pal.

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For more on how to give yourself complete and total permission to eat anything you want, click here to get my guide on how to quit Binge Eating — yours FREE with subscription to my site.

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