Why “Calorie In, Calorie Out” Is a Load of Crap: The Real Truth About Your Body and Weight Loss

Why “Calorie In, Calorie Out” Is a Load of Crap: The Real Truth About Your Body and Weight Loss

Let me guess: You’ve been told over and over that the secret to weight loss is just about calories in, calories out (CICO). Burn more than you eat, and the fat will melt away, right? Sure, if you’re a robot. But you’re not. You’re a human, and your body doesn’t work like a closed system. It’s not a basic math equation. The truth is, the CICO model is far too simplistic. Your body is an open system, constantly interacting with its environment, adapting to what you eat, and dealing with way more variables than calories alone.

Closed Systems and Why CICO Is a Fantasy

First, let’s talk about closed systems. Think of it like this: A car engine burns fuel, and if you add too much, it just gets stored, or the engine chokes. That’s the CICO model in a nutshell. If you eat more than you burn, you gain weight. If you burn more than you eat, you lose weight. Sounds good on paper—but your body isn’t a car engine.

The human body is far more complex. It’s constantly adapting, interacting with food, hormones, metabolism, and a bunch of other factors that CICO ignores. In short, your body is an open system—and this changes everything.

Why Fat vs. Calories Matters More Than You Think

You’ve probably heard that fat has more calories than protein or carbs. So logically, eating fat should make you gain more weight, right? Wrong. Here’s why:

  1. Hormones Are King: When you eat fat, your body reacts very differently compared to when you eat carbs. Fat doesn’t spike insulin, which is the hormone responsible for fat storage. On the other hand, carbs can send your insulin levels through the roof, putting your body into into storage mode—aka, fat-keeping mode. So, by keeping insulin low with fat, you’re actually priming your body to burn fat instead of storing it.
  2. Fat Keeps You Full: Ever chow down on a fatty ribeye and not feel hungry for hours? That’s because fat is insanely satiating. It triggers hormones that tell your brain you’re full, and guess what? You stop eating. Compare that to carbs, which leave you hungry two hours later, rummaging through the fridge for more.
  3. Metabolism Isn’t a One-Way Street: Eating fat can actually make you burn more fat. Yep, you heard that right. When you fuel up with fat, your body enters ketosis—where it starts burning fat (including your body fat) for energy. Carbs, on the other hand, push you into insulin spikes, crashes, and fat storage. Not exactly the fat-burning fiesta you’re hoping for.
  4. It’s Not Just About Calories: Your body burns energy to break down food, and different foods take different amounts of effort to process. Fat requires less energy than protein, but it’s still part of the metabolic equation. Plus, your body adapts to eating fat over time, making it more efficient at using it for fuel. That’s why CICO doesn’t tell the whole story—calories aren’t just calories.

The BMJ Article: Where Does the Fat Go When You Lose It?

Here’s where things get interesting. According to this study published in The BMJ, 84% of the fat you lose is exhaled as carbon dioxide, while the remaining 16% is turned into water and leaves your body through sweat, urine, or other fluids. That’s right—you literally breathe out fat.

Even more shocking? When 150 health professionals were asked where the fat goes, only 2 knew the correct answer. This shows just how misunderstood fat loss really is! This study completely flips the idea of “burning fat” on its head. It’s not just about exercise and energy expenditure—it’s about how your body metabolises fat and removes it, primarily through your lungs. So the next time you’re working out or even just sitting around breathing, remember: you’re exhaling fat with every breath. Forget counting calories; your body’s far more sophisticated than that.

Example Time: Fat vs. Carbs in Action

Let’s get practical. You eat a 500-calorie meal. One day, it’s steak and eggs; the next day, it’s a big bowl of pasta. If you’re going by the CICO logic, it’s all the same, right? But here’s what really happens:

  • After that bowl of pasta, your insulin spikes like crazy, then your blood sugar crashes, and within a couple of hours, you’re hungry again and probably storing fat. The rollercoaster of cravings begins.
  • After the steak and eggs, your insulin stays stable, you feel full for hours, and your body is primed to burn fat for energy. No crashes, no cravings, just smooth sailing and fat-burning goodness.

Same calories, completely different outcomes. That’s because the quality of what you eat matters far more than the number on the label.

Your Body is Dynamic, Not a Calculator

Here’s the kicker: your body is constantly adapting. It responds to what you feed it, how you exercise, and how you live your life. Stick to a high-carb, low-fat diet, and your body gets used to running on carbs—and it’ll make it harder to burn fat. But switch to a diet higher in fat, like the carnivore or keto approach, and your body becomes a fat-burning machine.

Forget about treating your body like it’s a simple math equation. It’s a dynamic, open system that changes based on what you feed it. And when you focus on nutrient-dense, fatty foods, you’ll burn fat more efficiently, stay full longer, and avoid the rollercoaster of insulin crashes and cravings.

Bottom Line: Ditch the CICO Nonsense

Stop pretending like your body is a calculator. It’s not. The calorie in, calorie out model is broken because it assumes your body doesn’t adapt, doesn’t respond to hormones, and doesn’t care what kind of calories you’re eating. But it does. Your body is a complex, adaptable machine, and when you fuel it with high-quality fats, you’ll see the difference in how you feel, how you eat, and most importantly, how you lose weight.

So go ahead, embrace the fat. CICO is a fantasy.

Patrick
Your CICO Ditching Steak Guru 🥩💪

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