I am sick and tired of watching people counting Calories with each meal they eat as if they have cracked the code to weight loss. Downloading a calorie counting app and micro-managing each meal simply seems unnecessary.
No matter how accurately you count calories from all your meals to lose weight, it will not help you much. Here’s why.
1. Calorie Counting Works Against Hunger Cues:
Calorie counting leads to you feeling empty at times. This is when you should actually eat something. People do not do that. Instead, they starve to stay within the calorie limit. This is unnecessary. Your body gives you a signal when it requires food, do not ignore this, or else you may suffer from other health issues like weakness, acidity, etc.
2. Your Body Absorbs Calories Differently:
Did you know your body cannot absorb all the calories you eat? The body absorbs calories differently for different meals. Many factors determine the calories your body will absorb, and it is complicated to start with.
3. Calorie Counting Misleads You:
As calorie counting is all about addition and subtraction, when someone indulges, they try to work out extra to burn those calories. Well, that sounds ridiculous. Eating more and then doing an extra workout is no way to lose weight. It is ok to indulge once in a while, but as calorie counting gives you the freedom to indulge at your will, it is useless to burn it off later.
4. Calorie Counting Does Not Talk About Nutrition:
I hate calorie counting because it talks all about eating low-calorie food, but there is no emphasis on eating nutritious food. For e.g., It means you can eat a small portion of fries instead of 3 bananas as the latter is high in calories. Well, it does not talk about how fries contain trans-fat, which is bad for your heart health, and how bananas can help your digestive system.
5. You can Develop an Obsession:
Counting calories may seem cute initially, but as you get too much into this process, you may start obsessing about every tiny bit you put in your mouth. This may lead to an eating disorder as well. It is ok to note down what you eat to be conscious of your eating choices, but micromanaging will not help.
6. Weight Loss is More than Just Counting Calories:
Weight loss is not mathematics that you can calculate the calories you eat and the ones you burn to find the end result. It depends on several factors, including exercise, stress, sleep pattern, hormonal changes, etc. It is not a fixed equation you can solve as there are several variables involved, and it is impossible to know how your body will react to your current lifestyle.
The Bottom Line:
Instead of counting every calorie, you eat, start thinking about eating nutritious food. Look at your diet as a whole and make sure you include all essential sources of nutrients in it. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meat, and probiotics. There are Fitness Clubs that offer workout techniques long with realistic diet plans that actually work. Counting calories may help you reduce weight, but it will not help keep you fit and healthy.
