| When people hear the term Unified Theory, some | | | | This is where we get into the crux of the true |
| times called the Grand Unified Theory, or even | | | | debate and why the two schools of thought are not |
| "Theory of Everything," they probably think of it in | | | | actually as far apart from one another as they |
| terms of physics, where a Unified Theory, or single | | | | appear to the untrained eye. What has become |
| theory capable of defining the nature of the | | | | abundantly clear from the studies performed and real |
| interrelationships among nuclear, electromagnetic, and | | | | world evidence is that to lose weight we need to |
| gravitational forces, would reconcile seemingly | | | | use more calories than we take in (via reducing |
| incompatible aspects of various field theories to | | | | calorie intake and or increasing exercise), but we |
| create a single comprehensive set of equations. | | | | know different diets have different effects on the |
| Such a theory could potentially unlock all the secrets | | | | metabolism, appetite, body composition, and other |
| of nature and the universe itself, or as theoretical | | | | physiological variables... |
| physicist Michio Katu, puts it "an equation an inch long | | | | Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition |
| that would allow us to read the mind of God." That's | | | | ...Thus, this reality has led me to Brink's Unified |
| how important unified theories can be. However, | | | | Theory of Nutrition which states: |
| unified theories don't have to deal with such heady | | | | "Total calories dictates how much weight a person |
| topics as physics or the nature of the universe itself, | | | | gains or loses; macro nutrient ratios dictates what a |
| but can be applied to far more mundane topics, in | | | | person gains or loses" |
| this case nutrition. | | | | This seemingly simple statement allows people to |
| Regardless of the topic, a unified theory, as sated | | | | understand the differences between the two schools |
| above, seeks to explain seemingly incompatible | | | | of thought. For example, studies often find that two |
| aspects of various theories. In this article I attempt | | | | groups of people put on the same calorie intakes but |
| to unify seemingly incompatible or opposing views | | | | very different ratios of carbs, fats, and proteins will |
| regarding nutrition, namely, what is probably the | | | | lose different amounts of bodyfat and or lean body |
| longest running debate in the nutritional sciences: | | | | mass (i.e., muscle, bone, etc.). |
| calories vs. macro nutrients. | | | | Some studies find for example people on a higher |
| One school, I would say the 'old school' of nutrition, | | | | protein lower carb diet lose approximately the same |
| maintains weight loss or weight gain is all about | | | | amount of weight as another group on a high carb |
| calories, and "a calorie is a calorie," no matter the | | | | lower protein diet, but the group on the higher |
| source (e.g., carbs, fats, or proteins). They base their | | | | protein diet lost more actual fat and less lean body |
| position on various lines of evidence to come to that | | | | mass (muscle). Or, some studies using the same |
| conclusion. | | | | calorie intakes but different macro nutrient intakes |
| The other school, I would call more the 'new school' | | | | often find the higher protein diet may lose less actual |
| of thought on the issue, would state that gaining or | | | | weight than the higher carb lower protein diets, but |
| losing weight is really about where the calories come | | | | the actual fat loss is higher in the higher protein low |
| from (e.g., carbs, fats, and proteins), and that | | | | carb diets. This effect has also been seen in some |
| dictates weight loss or weight gain. Meaning, they | | | | studies that compared high fat/low carb vs. high carb |
| feel, the "calorie is a calorie" mantra of the old school | | | | low fat diets. The effect is usually amplified if |
| is wrong. They too come to this conclusion using | | | | exercise is involved as one might expect. |
| various lines of evidence. | | | | Of course these effects are not found universally in |
| This has been an ongoing debate between people in | | | | all studies that examine the issue, but the bulk of the |
| the field of nutrition, biology, physiology, and many | | | | data is clear: diets containing different macro nutrient |
| other disciplines, for decades. The result of which has | | | | ratios do have different effects on human physiology |
| led to conflicting advice and a great deal of confusion | | | | even when calorie intakes are identical |
| by the general public, not to mention many medical | | | | (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11). |
| professionals and other groups. | | | | Or, as the authors of one recent study that looked |
| Before I go any further, two key points that are | | | | at the issue concluded: |
| essential to understand about any unified theory: | | | | "Diets with identical energy contents can have |
| A good unified theory is simple, concise, and | | | | different effects on leptin concentrations, energy |
| understandable even to lay people. However, | | | | expenditure, voluntary food intake, and nitrogen |
| underneath, or behind that theory, is often a great | | | | balance, suggesting that the physiologic adaptations |
| deal of information that can take up many volumes | | | | to energy restriction can be modified by dietary |
| of books. So, for me to outline all the information I | | | | composition."(12) |
| have used to come to these conclusions, would take | | | | The point being, there are many studies confirming |
| a large book, if not several and is far beyond the | | | | that the actual ratio of carbs, fats, and proteins in a |
| scope of this article. | | | | given diet can effect what is actually lost (i.e., fat, |
| A unified theory is often proposed by some theorist | | | | muscle, bone, and water) and that total calories has |
| before it can even be proven or fully supported by | | | | the greatest effect on how much total weight is lost. |
| physical evidence. Over time, different lines of | | | | Are you starting to see how my unified theory of |
| evidence, whether it be mathematical, physical, etc., | | | | nutrition combines the "calorie is a calorie" school with |
| supports the theory and thus solidifies that theory as | | | | the "calories don't matter" school to help people |
| being correct, or continued lines of evidence shows | | | | make decisions about nutrition? |
| the theory needs to be revised or is simply incorrect. | | | | Knowing this, it becomes much easier for people to |
| I feel there is now more than enough evidence at | | | | understand the seemingly conflicting diet and nutrition |
| this point to give a unified theory of nutrition and | | | | advice out there (of course this does not account |
| continuing lines of evidence will continue (with some | | | | for the down right unscientific and dangerous nutrition |
| possible revisions) to solidify the theory as fact. | | | | advice people are subjected to via bad books, TV, |
| "A calorie is a calorie" | | | | the 'net, and well meaning friends, but that's another |
| The old school of nutrition, which often includes most | | | | article altogether). |
| nutritionists, is a calorie is a calorie when it comes to | | | | Knowing the above information and keeping the |
| gaining or losing weight. That weight loss or weight | | | | Unified Theory of Nutrition in mind, leads us to some |
| gain is strictly a matter of "calories in, calories out." | | | | important and potentially useful conclusions: |
| Translated, if you "burn" more calories than you take | | | | An optimal diet designed to make a person lose fat |
| in, you will lose weight regardless of the calorie | | | | and retain as much LBM as possible is not the same |
| source and if you eat more calories than you burn | | | | as a diet simply designed to lose weight. |
| off each day, you will gain weight, regardless of the | | | | A nutrition program designed to create fat loss is not |
| calorie source. | | | | simply a reduced calorie version of a nutrition |
| This long held and accepted view of nutrition is based | | | | program designed to gain weight, and visa versa. |
| on the fact that protein and carbs contain approx 4 | | | | Diets need to be designed with fat loss, NOT just |
| calories per gram and fat approximately 9 calories per | | | | weight loss, as the goal, but total calories can't be |
| gram and the source of those calories matters not. | | | | ignored. |
| They base this on the many studies that finds if one | | | | This is why the diets I design for people-or write |
| reduces calories by X number each day, weight loss | | | | about-for gaining or losing weight are not simply |
| is the result and so it goes if you add X number of | | | | higher or lower calorie versions of the same diet. In |
| calories above what you use each day for gaining | | | | short: diets plans I design for gaining LBM start with |
| weight. | | | | total calories and build macro nutrient ratios into the |
| However, the "calories in calories out" mantra fails to | | | | number of calories required. However, diets designed |
| take into account modern research that finds that | | | | for fat loss (vs. weight loss!) start with the correct |
| fats, carbs, and proteins have very different effects | | | | macro nutrient ratios that depend on variables such |
| on the metabolism via countless pathways, such as | | | | as amount of LBM the person carries vs. bodyfat |
| their effects on hormones (e.g., insulin, leptin, | | | | percent , activity levels, etc., and figure out calories |
| glucagon, etc), effects on hunger and appetite, | | | | based on the proper macro nutrient ratios to achieve |
| thermic effects (heat production), effects on | | | | fat loss with a minimum loss of LBM. The actual ratio |
| uncoupling proteins (UCPs), and 1000 other effects | | | | of macro nutrients can be quite different for both |
| that could be mentioned. | | | | diets and even for individuals. |
| Even worse, this school of thought fails to take into | | | | Diets that give the same macro nutrient ratio to all |
| account the fact that even within a macro nutrient, | | | | people (e.g., 40/30/30, or 70,30,10, etc.) regardless of |
| they too can have different effects on metabolism. | | | | total calories, goals, activity levels, etc., will always be |
| This school of thought ignores the ever mounting | | | | less than optimal. Optimal macro nutrient ratios can |
| volume of studies that have found diets with | | | | change with total calories and other variables. |
| different macro nutrient ratios with identical calorie | | | | Perhaps most important, the unified theory explains |
| intakes have different effects on body composition, | | | | why the focus on weight loss vs. fat loss by the |
| cholesterol levels, oxidative stress, etc. | | | | vast majority of people, including most medical |
| Translated, not only is the mantra "a calorie us a | | | | professionals, and the media, will always fail in the |
| calorie" proven to be false, "all fats are created equal" | | | | long run to deliver the results people want. |
| or "protein is protein" is also incorrect. For example, | | | | Finally, the Universal Theory makes it clear that the |
| we no know different fats (e.g. fish oils vs. saturated | | | | optimal diet for losing fat, or gaining muscle, or what |
| fats) have vastly different effects on metabolism | | | | ever the goal, must account not only for total |
| and health in general, as we now know different | | | | calories, but macro nutrient ratios that optimize |
| carbohydrates have their own effects (e.g. high GI | | | | metabolic effects and answer the questions: what |
| vs. low GI), as we know different proteins can have | | | | effects will this diet have on appetite? What effects |
| unique effects. | | | | will this diet have on metabolic rate? What effects |
| The "calories don't matter" school of thought | | | | will this diet have on my lean body mass (LBM)? |
| This school of thought will typically tell you that if you | | | | What effects will this diet have on hormones; both |
| eat large amounts of some particular macro nutrient | | | | hormones that may improve or impede my goals? |
| in their magic ratios, calories don't matter. For | | | | What effects will this diet have on (fill in the blank)? |
| example, followers of ketogenic style diets that | | | | Simply asking, "how much weight will I lose?" is the |
| consist of high fat intakes and very low | | | | wrong question which will lead to the wrong answer. |
| carbohydrate intakes (i.e., Atkins, etc.) often maintain | | | | To get the optimal effects from your next diet, |
| calories don't matter in such a diet. | | | | whether looking to gain weight or lose it, you must |
| Others maintain if you eat very high protein intakes | | | | ask the right questions to get meaningful answers. |
| with very low fat and carbohydrate intakes, calories | | | | Asking the right questions will also help you avoid the |
| don't matter. Like the old school, this school fails to | | | | pitfalls of unscientific poorly thought out diets which |
| take into account the effects such diets have on | | | | make promises they can't keep and go against what |
| various pathways and ignore the simple realities of | | | | we know about human physiology and the very laws |
| human physiology, not to mention the laws of | | | | of physics! |
| thermodynamics! | | | | There are of course many additional questions that |
| The reality is, although it's clear different macro | | | | can be asked and points that can be raised as it |
| nutrients in different amounts and ratios have | | | | applies to the above, but those are some of the key |
| different effects on weight loss, fat loss, and other | | | | issues that come to mind. Bottom line here is, if the |
| metabolic effects, calories do matter. They always | | | | diet you are following to either gain or loss weight |
| have and they always will. The data, and real world | | | | does not address those issues and or questions, then |
| experience of millions of dieters, is quite clear on that | | | | you can count on being among the millions of |
| reality. | | | | disappointed people who don't receive the optimal |
| The truth behind such diets is that they are often | | | | results they had hoped for and have made yet |
| quite good at suppressing appetite and thus the | | | | another nutrition "guru" laugh all the way to the bank |
| person simply ends up eating fewer calories and | | | | at your expense. |
| losing weight. Also, the weight loss from such diets is | | | | Any diet that claims calories don't matter, forget it. |
| often from water vs. fat, at least in the first few | | | | Any diet that tells you they have a magic ratio of |
| weeks. That's not to say people can't experience | | | | foods, ignore it. Any diet that tells you any one food |
| meaningful weight loss with some of these diets, but | | | | source is evil, it's a scam. Any diet that tells you it will |
| the effect comes from a reduction in calories vs. any | | | | work for all people all the time no matter the |
| magical effects often claimed by proponents of such | | | | circumstances, throw it out or give it to someone |
| diets. | | | | you don't like! |
| Weight loss vs. fat loss! | | | | |