In order to lose weight, we need to expend MORE energy than we take in.
Which means we need to consume less calories than we expend.
And in order to know if we’re doing that, counting calories sounds like a good idea.
While it is good to know what is in your food and about how many calories you are consuming, it is practically impossible to accurately count calories.
Here is why calorie counting alone is faulty:
๐ People are not great at eyeballing calories.
๐ Food labels can have a % of error.
๐ Cooking and preparing foods can alter the calories and nutrients.
๐ Energy burned through digestion varies depending on macronutrients.
๐ The body burns calories in various ways and every person differs.
๐ It is hard to know how many calories we burn when we exercise.
๐ Different forms of exercise have different calorie-burning effects.
This is EXACTLY why being educated along with learning to be mindful and aware of your choices is important to long-term diet success.
Blindly following a meal plan or diet may work for a while, but what happens when you have to actually make your own choices?
Every person is unique.ย
Everybody processes, absorbs, and uses food differentlyโฆ also known as our metabolism.
In order to know what works BEST for you right now, you have to try various things and make an educated decision (how you feel, is it sustainable, are you moving towards your goal, ect.)
And here is another thing to keep in mind.
What works today may not work next year.
And what worked 10 years ago may not work now.
The human body works very hard to adapt/maintain homeostasis.
And as we age, our resting metabolic rate naturally goes down.
While there are tips, techniques and best practices when it comes to fitness and nutrition, you will only know what is best for you by trying different things and seeing how your body responds.
I am a firm believer in educating my clients as well as keeping them accountable. If you need help, my Clean Eating Jump Start Program is a great place to begin.
If you are interested in learning more, leave a comment or shoot me a message!