Does calorie counting really help you lose weight? Yes and no. The answer may be more nuanced than you may think, and some of this has to do with your personal preference and what motivates you individually. Some people swear by calorie counting for weight loss, and others detest it. The good news is, it can be effective, but it’s not necessary.
First, know that math is math in terms of calories consumed and burned, but there’s more to it.
You do need to achieve a calorie deficit to lose weight, but not all calories are equal. If you eat 100 calories of cookies as opposed to 100 calories of fruit, your body is going to metabolize these calories differently, and your hormones will react to them differently. Chances are the cookie calories won’t keep you full for as long as the fruit calories do, because fruit is full of nutrition and fiber. A diet rich in fiber, healthy fats and protein can promote less calorie consumption overall because you’re more likely to feel satisfied longer. What type of food you eat plays a huge role in how you feel, how you look, how you metabolize your food, and in your overall health. Consider the quality of your calories for both weight loss and health. A good place to start is with whole, nutrient-rich, minimally-processed foods.
Using calorie-counting apps can work, and this may be why:
Studies show that people underestimate how much they eat by up to 45% and can under-report their calorie intake by as much as 2,000 calories per day. People also tend to overestimate how much they exercise by up to 51%. How often do you look at your food labels? Do you really pay attention to how much junk food you’re eating, or what exactly is in those snacks you grab throughout the day? Research shows that honest calorie counting can be a wake-up call about how large your portions really are, and where in your eating patterns you may need to change your habits.
A while back, I put this theory to the test by using the popular app myfitnesspal for a month.
I religiously punched in my calories consumed and burned, every single day for 4 weeks. Here’s what I learned:
1. Although some foods may be great for us, they can also be very calorie dense, and should be eaten in moderation. For example, peanut butter. How many people measure the amount of peanut butter they spread on a slice of bread? Not me! While it’s an excellent source of fat, measure your portions if you’re trying to lose weight. Two tablespoons of natural peanut butter has 200 calories!
2. It is very easy to erase the calories burned through a good workout by eating badly. This makes me so sad, but it’s true. But take heart: Every bit of physical activity counts. Ten minutes of brisk walking? That counts. Ten minutes on the stationary bike? That counts too.
3. If you mess up one day, it’s not the end of the world, and there’s no need to quit trying altogether. You can still stay within your calorie count for the week! It’s all about balance.
4. You can find out if you have any nutritional deficiencies. I really like that the app lets you track your daily nutrition intake.
In addition, I noticed a couple of “cons”…
For instance, it can be tedious scanning food labels and entering every single food you’ve eaten every single day, especially if you make a lot of recipes like I do. Also, calorie counting day after day can become a bit neurotic after a while. If you get to a point where you’re saying, “I just ate a cupcake, I’ve got to go run 2 miles now!” it may be time to step back and re-evaluate the situation.
Despite this, I found that by using myfitnesspal for a short period of time, I gained valuable knowledge about what exactly was in the food I ate. I uncovered and changed eating habits that were sabotaging my health goals. That said, counting calories long-term is not for me. If this whole calorie-counting business sounds like a nightmare, don’t worry. Many people are able to lose weight without counting calories. In the end, research shows that consistency and change of lifestyle over the long-term yields the most success, so the best strategies for you are the ones you’ll stick with—and only you know what those are.
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15466943
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3233993/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005789405802126
