The Hidden Story of Calories & Why They're Misleading

Gday team, stoked to see a bunch of you legends send through your Strength & Speed numbers and identify your weakness from last weeks newsletter… now use that to build and retest in a few weeks. Ill be sending through some program tips in upcoming newsletters.

Today we will cover:

• truth behind calories & how to truly use them 🍔

• how one of you is winning a Paradise 9 from Breville ⏲️

• Recipe perfect for meal prepping this week 📝

When you hear the word “calories,” you probably think of food labels, diets, and a number you should aim to hit or avoid. I personally get frustrated by how much we get caught up in these misleading numbers. The reason.. did you know the concept of calories originated far from nutrition science?

The Origin of Calories

In the early 19th century, calories were used in physics as a unit of heat energy, thanks to French chemist Nicolas Clément. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that American chemist Wilbur Olin Atwater applied the idea to food. He measured how much heat food released when burned in a lab, which became the basis for how calories were linked to energy in the body.

However, our bodies aren’t furnaces, and food doesn’t simply “burn” like fuel. The way our bodies digest and metabolize food is far more complex, and using heat energy as a stand-in for nutritional value has limitations

Why Calories Don’t Tell the Full Story

Fast forward to today, and we’ve come to rely on calories as the gold standard for managing our diets. But is that approach really accurate?

Imagine a basketball team has 100 shots to take in a game. If you only count how many shots they take, you’re missing key factors: where they’re shooting from, the skill of the players, and the defense. The number of shots is just one aspect of performance, not the full picture.

In the same way, calories measure one aspect of food: heat energy. But they don’t account for how different foods affect our metabolism or how nutrients are absorbed. For example, 100 calories from almonds affect your body differently than 100 calories from soda. Almonds contain fiber, fats, and proteins that provide sustained energy, while soda causes a blood sugar spike followed by a crash.

The Zero-Calorie Beverage Conundrum

Another example is the rise of zero-calorie beverages. How can something with flavor contain zero calories? These drinks often use artificial sweeteners, which trick your taste buds without providing caloric energy. But just because they’re calorie-free doesn’t mean they’re without effect. Studies suggest artificial sweeteners can still trigger insulin responses and cravings.

Calories aren’t the full story—your body reacts to food in ways that go beyond numbers on a label.

Calorie Tracking Reimagined: Guide, Don’t Obsess

1. Use Calories as a Learning Tool & guide not the rule: Track calories for three days to understand portion sizes and the energy in your meals. This gives you a baseline without needing long-term tracking.

2. Identify Common Ingredients & Make Connections: Spot repeating ingredients in meals to estimate their calories and macros. This helps you recognize patterns & make informed guesses without ongoing tracking. Eg. chicken in two meals

3. Learn About Dietary Fiber (Coming Next Week!): Fiber is crucial for digestion, energy, and overall health. Next week’s newsletter will explore how much to have daily, how to track and how it supports gut health and

Easy Meal Prep Recipe: Mediterranean Chicken tray Bake 📝

Macros: Protein 32g, Carbs: 51g, Fat: 15.2g, Fiber 12g

1. Prep: Should take 15 minutes

2. Cook: Should take 30 minutes (all oven so no time on the tools for you!)

Total time: 45 mins, but only 15 minutes of yours and it makes a bunch of meals for the week

Cooking Note: This is a classic sheet tray dinner. Put everything on a large sheet tray and pop it in the oven. Classic set and forget, have your meal prep containers ready.

A Little Favor

If you feel you are getting value from this newsletter team and you think your friends can also benefit, share the link below.. I have prizes coming your for the more you refer. it is my way of saying thank you. Eg. you could get the coffee machine from Breville

Quick Notes

• 🎥 We dropped episode 1 of my Hyrox series on Youtube last week. Thanks for the support, watch here if you missed it

•  🛌 WHOOP is supporting my Sober October campaign. Use this link to get a free first month with me. HRV and RHR are just two factors we see benefit this month

• ⏲️ To win the Breville Paradise 9, simply respond to this email with the 3 rules behind my Instagram How to Meal Prep in a NYC kitchen series. Hint (we posted this last Thursday on my instagram 😀 

Lots of love team!

DC

#EatGoodFeelGood