Two Models of Counting Calories for Weight Loss, Weight Gain and Obesity

Throughout recorded human history, the understanding about food and body weight was that some people gain weight more easily and some not so easy. Many never gain excessive weight, regardless of how much food they eat and how much they are physically active or inactive. The human understanding was like that until the "A calorie is a calorie" model, along with the rule of "3,500 calories equals 1 pound of body fat," was introduced.

According to obesity experts, the "A calorie is a calorie" model is based on the principle of the Law of Conservation, also known as the First Law of Thermodynamics.

Guided by the model of "A calorie is a calorie" and the rule "3,500 calories equals 1 pound of body fat," obesity experts, weight-loss gurus, public health officials, etc. and most of the general population were accusing obese people of their claim of eating less but still gaining weight as liars, anonymous overeaters, binge eaters, compulsive eaters, food addicts, etc. (The principle of the First Law of Thermodynamics is cited to justify their judgment of obese people.)

In order not to be ridiculed, most obese people stay silent about their eating habits, and many get self-convinced that they are overeaters because the scientific consensus based on "A calorie is a calorie" and the rule "3,500 calories equals 1 pound of body fat” tells them that they are obese because they are eating too much.

Along with stigmatizing obese people, restrictive diets, weight loss pills, and various weight loss surgeries were invented to forcefully restrict food intake.

Until 2002, the model of "A calorie is a calorie" and the rule "3,500 calories equals 1 pound of body fat" was regarded as well-known science and not even remotely controversial.

Questioning the "A calorie is a calorie" model was regarded as questioning the First Law of Thermodynamics.

In 2002, many obesity experts realized that a significant number of calories in food intake leaves the body with metabolic waste like faeces, urine, sweat breath, etc. and the model of “A calorie is a calorie” is silently abandoned by obesity experts but, immediately they have created another model of obesity called “Calories In Calories Out (CICO).

The general population is unaware that there are two models of obesity (two models of weight gain/weight loss) based on counting calories. One model is “A calorie is a calorie” (abandoned after 2002), and the current model “Calories In - Calories Out (CICO)” is the new model of weight gain, weight loss, and obesity introduced after 2002.

Both models, the “a calorie is a calorie” and the “Calories In Calories Out (CICO),” look the same at first glance, but in reality, they are different from each other.

1. The first model of obesity (A calorie is a calorie) was invented when obesity researchers didn’t know that a significant number of calories in food intake leaves the body with metabolic waste like faeces, urine, sweat, breath, etc.

2. The second model of obesity (Calories In Calories Out) was invented when the obesity experts realized that a significant number of calories in food intake leaves the body with metabolic waste like faeces, urine, sweat, breath, etc.

One purpose of inventing the model of “Calories In Calories Out” was to remove the fallacy of the first model (“A calorie is a calorie”) and to hide from the general population the misconception on which is based the first model of obesity.

Along with inventing the “Calories In Calories Out (CICO)” model of obesity, they have invented the Concept of Energy balance in an attempt to give scientific validity to the “Calories In Calories Out (CICO)” model of obesity.

Until 2002, the First Law of Thermodynamics principle was cited to support the scientific validity of the "A calorie is a calorie" model. (energy of a closed system remains constant, even if it is converted from one form to another). Citing the laws of thermodynamics to support the scientific validity of "A calorie is a calorie" shows that the creators and promoters of the "A calorie is a calorie" model weren't aware of energy (matter) in metabolic waste (faces, urine, swath, breath, etc.).

After 2002, the so-called principle of Energy Balance is cited to support the scientific validity of the "Calories In - Calories Out" model, also known as the "CICO" model. (energy cannot be destroyed and can only be gained, lost, or stored) covers the energy (matter) lost in metabolic waste.

In 2002 not all obesity experts realized that metabolic waste contain calories because those who learned didn't talk about it due to embarrassment. And that has consequences that many obesity experts long after 2002 still have cited the principle of the first law of thermodynamics to justify their belief that obese people overeat.

The model "A calorie is a calorie” and the rule "3,500 calories equal 1 pound of body fat" were abandoned after 2002, but the belief built on that model is not abandoned by obesity experts.

Even after abandoning the model that created this belief, these beliefs persist. One consequence of their persistent belief is that overweight and obese people affected with anorexia and/or bulimia are ignored, but the slim and severely underweight people with anorexia and/or bulimia are used to justify the notion that obese people eat too much.

The general population is not aware that the model "A calorie is a calorie” and the rule "3,500 calories equals 1 pound of body fat" was abandoned by obesity experts, and that is the reason for regarding obese people as someone who can’t restrain themselves from overeating.