Calories, combining them, and effective combustion

Proper nutrition is based on the right balance between the energy-providing macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, and protein).

When this balance is in place, it is easier for the body to utilize the different micronutrients (such as vitamins, minerals, and trace elements).

As we humans are all different with respect to our genetic makeup and lifestyle, we need to follow different guidelines. Sometimes it is necessary to experiment a little to see what feels right to eat and what provides the highest level of satiety.

Weight loss is primarily a matter of burning calories effectively

It is very important to eat protein-rich meals and stick with low-GI carbohydrates, as this helps ensure a slow and stable energy turnover and release. It is generally a good idea to avoid calories that enter the bloodstream too fast, as they can easily be converted into fat and deposited, instead of being metabolized and converted into energy immediately in connection with physical activity.

Eating blood sugar-stabilizing meals is like putting a piece of oak wood into the stove. Its density provides efficient combustion and heat for hours without leaving a lot of ashes.
Meals with a high glycemic index, on the other hand, are like stuffing newspaper into the stove. It goes up in flames right away, but the flames quickly die out, and the flames hardly deliver any heat. To make matters worse, they leave a lot of ashes. You can compare this to unhealthy calories that are not utilized properly and end up as fat.

Some calories give better combustion than others do

A study headed by the Danish professor, Karsten Kristiansen, shows that if mice are fed a diet consisting of plant oil and protein they must eat seven times more to gain a single gram, as opposed to if they eat plant oil together with sugar. The weight increase depends on whether the oil is combined with sugar (carbohydrate) that increases the fat storage or with protein that increases the burning of fat. Although we are humans, not mice, the study reveals that combustion and weight control are controlled by other factors than calories alone.

Calories and common sense

It is generally a good idea to stick with protein-rich meals that contain a lot of vegetables and healthy fats in order to make your combustion stable and effective. While we are at the subject of calories, it is good to eat less and exercise more.