Originally Posted by
George
my first issue with any discussion like this is the normal way of determining "calories" in food has little to do with the ability of that food to transfer usable metabolic energy to the human body
food is dried, burned and heat creation monitored - modern science could do much better, but so far this marginally useful system is still accepted as valid
not only does the available energy vs combustion energy of foods vary widely, different bodies and the same body at different times will vary on the ability to extract energy from the same food
my answer to the questions raised by the OP is there are no valid answers to be had - way too many uncontrolled variables for any info to to considered "scientific"
my advice: quit worrying about it - eat, hike, rinse, repeat
if it seems that you are getting to thin/ feeling crappy ---- than just eat more