CICO - Calories In - Calories Out by Roxana Soetebeer MHP PHC
CICO - Calories In - Calories Out
Have we been using the wrong gauge to estimate energy in food all along? I believe that calling calories in food energy and saying the body burns this energy has led to the CICO myth.
The idea that our bodies run on calories is one of the most persistent myths. The CICO (Calories In, Calories Out) model has fooled many into thinking that weight management is all about balancing calorie intake with calorie expenditure. But here's the truth: calories don't matter. They are completely misleading.
Calories are a measure of potential energy in food, but they tell us nothing about how the body partitions energy, or about the hormonal and thermal effects of food. In fact, the body doesn't use calories directly. The notion that we "burn" calories is a gross oversimplification. Our bodies break down nutrients—carbohydrates, fats, and proteins—releasing the chemical energy stored in their bonds. This energy is then converted into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which cells use for energy. Spoiler: it’s not the calories that matter, but the mass (the physical quantity of nutrients).
The CICO model is not just an oversimplification; it's fundamentally wrong. It assumes the first law of thermodynamics, which applies to closed systems. The human body, however, is not a closed system. If it were, we could not lose weight because energy and matter would be conserved within the system, with no way to expel byproducts.
The CICO model gives the false impression that we can control our weight by simply managing calorie intake and expenditure. It suggests that eating fewer calories than we burn will lead to weight loss. However, this doesn't account for the complexities of our metabolism, hormonal regulation, fuel partitioning, and how different foods affect our bodies. It also ignores the metabolic health of individuals. What truly matters is the chemical energy in nutrients, which is converted to ATP. Focusing on nutrient-dense foods, rather than counting calories, leads to better health outcomes and more effective weight management.
Calorie restriction as a weight loss tool ignores the fact that not all calories are created equal. 400 calories of steak, rich in protein and healthy fats, have a completely different effect on your body than 400 calories of sugary snacks. The former supports muscle maintenance and satiety (keeping you full longer), while the latter can lead to energy spikes and cravings.
We do not lose weight by expending more calories than we consume. Calories have no weight. Weight, or more accurately fat loss, occurs when the body metabolizes fat for energy, breaking it down into carbon dioxide and water. These byproducts are then expelled from the body through breathing, urination, and sweating. Essentially, we lose weight by exhaling, peeing, and sweating. Approximately 84% of fat loss occurs through breathing out carbon dioxide, while the remaining 16% is lost through water, expelled via urine and sweat.
https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g7257
In short, the CICO model is not just an oversimplification; it's misleading and fundamentally wrong. It's time to move beyond the outdated calorie-focused thinking and understand that the quality of what we eat matters, not the calories.
Written by Roxana Soetebeer, MHP, PHC
Published August 3rd, 2024
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