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IS CALORIE COUNTING EFFECTIVE?
Calories are found in the foods that we eat and their purpose is to provide us with energy. Calories you eat are either converted to physical energy or stored within our body as fat if they are not burnt off. So some people think it is wise to approach their goal for weight loss with calorie counting.
In order to lose weight through calorie counting, we need to create a calorie deficit by the end of the day. This means the amount of calories that go in our body through food must then be burnt off throughout the day either through exercise or by eating less overall in the day so we create a calorie deficit.
An approach like this is not as simple as it sounds, as some people might end up feeling moody, lethargic, hungry, crave more foods and generally do not tend to keep this up for a long term basis. This can create the yo-yo dieting effect which you want to avoid as this is where our weight decreases and then increases again at a rapid pace, and thus not being a long term solution.
Personally I believe that calorie counting alone is not the best effective approach. Stop and think about it…… You can have two types of different foods such as a small piece of cake and a whole chicken breast. Which food do you think has the most calories? Naturally we think the small cake contains more calories but put next to each other, and due their size, they actually contain the SAME amount of calories, but it is the rest of their nutritional value that makes a difference. The small cake contains more fat, more carbohydrates and a low amount of protein. The chicken is definitely a better nutritional option, not because of the calories but because it is low in fat, low in carbohydrates and also high in protein. So it can actually be a wiser option to look at the nutritional value of the food we are consuming rather than just counting calories.
So what happens if we consume the cake and what happens if we consume the chicken? Consuming the cake will make our blood sugar levels spike due to the high amount of carbohydrates (sugar) it contains. This rise gives us a burst of energy so we feel good, energised and ready to face and take on the day. We also have a surge of the hormone insulin in the body. Insulin is produced to be able to lower the bloody sugar levels. Insulin increases fat storage and slows down fat burning in the body. After the blood sugar level rise there is always a fall and the blood sugar level drops back down again. This is when we feel down, tired, moody, hungry and crave for something else and we tend to reach for a cup of coffee or tea to perk us back up. You want to avoid the rise and fall of the blood sugar and keep it more steady and constant. You do this by consuming the right foods such as protein and complex slow burning carbohydrates. So if we consumed the chicken instead, our blood sugar levels will remain steady, our energy will remain steady, we will be fuller for longer and we can avoid that increase in the hormone insulin so our body will remain more in the fat burning state rather than the fat storing state.
So if I was to count calories, then both are the same equivalent number of calories that are going in, but look at the difference they make in the body. So it is about being smart in choosing the right foods. Protein is one of the key components for weight loss as it increases satiety and energy expenditure and avoids blood sugar and insulin spikes. I would recommend to always try and chose protein first alongside complex slow burning carbohydrates (that are higher in fibre) at each meal or snack.
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