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Dieting Failure And Calories In Vs Calories Out
You Need To Understand It’s Complicated!
I post a lot about diet culture, that dieting doesn’t work and that it is extremely difficult to lose weight and keep it off long term. Many commenters accuse me of being deluded. They quote calories in calories out and the laws of thermodynamics. They say if you eat little enough, you will lose weight, full stop.
I accept what they say at the basic level about calories in/calories out and weight in general. However, there are many, many variables when it comes to calories. When I first moved in with my boyfriend (now husband), I cooked the same food and ate as I had at home with my parents.
I grew up in a social housing area. My stepfather worked full time and my mother part-time as a nurse. They also had my brother, who was ten years my junior. My parents were poor, tired, and had mental health issues, so heavily processed foods like chips (fries), chicken burgers, fish fingers etc., were both cheap and easy. The home-cooked meals my mother made when my sister and I were younger became extremely rare.
Once I educated myself about nutrition and started cooking healthier meals, our grocery spend more than doubled. Although we were fortunate that we could afford to do that, many others aren’t so lucky. I know there are…
