🫦 More evidence that your body doesn’t give a shit about calories and macros has just dropped out of Virginia Tech University in the USA.
Researchers compared the metabolic and brain response to two meals that were matched within 1% for calories, carbohydrates, fat, protein, water and salt.
The primary difference between the two meals that was being measured was how processed the food was.
Meal 1 included a bite of peanut butter and jelly sandwich, deli turkey, veggie chips, a cookie, cereal, instant mashed potatoes and a little bit of water.
Meal 2 was a sliced banana, some dried cranberries, cheese, and an egg.
The results were reported as being interesting AF, but for this Hot Mess, not surprising.
The ultra-processed meal triggered a longer blood glucose spike, greater insulin release, and increased activity in the brain’s dopamine-mediated reward system, which was measured using functional MRI imaging.
Listen to that again, even when calories and macros were matched, the body’s metabolic response, and brain reward activity wasn’t identical.
So what does it all mean?
If you haven’t figured it out already, your body isn’t a f*cking calculator.
There is way more to nutrition, and way more to the way your body responds to food than calories and macros alone.
Food interacts with your metabolism, your hormones, your brain activity and your appetite regulation circuits in really complex ways.
Hence, your food-related thoughts, feelings, urges and behaviour are also influenced by the composition of your diet.
And hence, counting calories and macros is not the key to long-term health. In fact, it’s kind of actually bullshit, just like I have been saying for ages.
So, if you’re a woman dealing with fatigue, hormonal havoc, cravings, mood swings or a complicated relationship with food, perhaps it’s time to stop treating your body like a maths problem that needs solving.
Instead of asking, “How can I eat less?”
Maybe ask:
✨ What am I actually feeding my body?
✨ How is my body responding to the food I’m eating?
✨ Am I nourishing myself, or just trying to hit a number?
At The Hot Mess Studio, we’re here for science over diet culture, nourishment over punishment, and understanding your body instead of fighting it. 👑
Need support to navigate BS diet culture?
Dial A Hottie.