Calorie counting is a method people use to control their eating
and lose weight. It's a logical method as weight loss is all about
calories in vs. calories out. It stands to reason that by counting your
calories, you will gain control over how much you eat and be able to
create the calorie deficit needed for weight loss.
However, calorie counting isn't as easy or effective as some might think. In this article I want to share with you 3 reasons why I believe that calorie counting is bad.
You Will Likely Underestimate Your Calories
According to a nutrition expert I recently spoke with, most people tend to underestimate the number of calories that they eat, often by as much as 15%. They may think that they know how many calories they consume but they're usually wrong. The mistake is often not in their favor as they may believe they're creating a calorie deficit when in fact they're not.
This is one of the reasons calorie counting doesn't work: people get it wrong.
It's hard and tedious
have you ever tried counting your calories? It can be pretty hard work. You need to know how much calories there are in any food item that you buy. Unless you eat the entire pack, you have to weigh each and every dish. You need to take into account every spice or condiment that you use. It can quickly get tedious and I doubt that most people can really do it for any long stretch of time.
When you go out to eat, it can become even harder. Not every restaurant lists the number of calories in each dish so you can quickly lose control over how many calories you're eating.
This is the second reason why calorie counting doesn't work.
Labels are not always accurate
According to John Barban, a nutrition expert I interviewed, the labels on products we buy are not always accurate. They really present an average of sorts. There are differences between each specific product. So, one bag of chips may contain more calories than another.
While these differences may not be big, they can still make the entire count inaccurate. This isn't something that most people are aware of and it is yet another reason why calorie counting is not a good method for weight loss.
You do need to be aware of the general amount of calories that you eat. However, you do not need to count them dilligently to lose weight. Just eat sensibly and workout hard and you will lose weight.
However, calorie counting isn't as easy or effective as some might think. In this article I want to share with you 3 reasons why I believe that calorie counting is bad.
You Will Likely Underestimate Your Calories
According to a nutrition expert I recently spoke with, most people tend to underestimate the number of calories that they eat, often by as much as 15%. They may think that they know how many calories they consume but they're usually wrong. The mistake is often not in their favor as they may believe they're creating a calorie deficit when in fact they're not.
This is one of the reasons calorie counting doesn't work: people get it wrong.
It's hard and tedious
have you ever tried counting your calories? It can be pretty hard work. You need to know how much calories there are in any food item that you buy. Unless you eat the entire pack, you have to weigh each and every dish. You need to take into account every spice or condiment that you use. It can quickly get tedious and I doubt that most people can really do it for any long stretch of time.
When you go out to eat, it can become even harder. Not every restaurant lists the number of calories in each dish so you can quickly lose control over how many calories you're eating.
This is the second reason why calorie counting doesn't work.
Labels are not always accurate
According to John Barban, a nutrition expert I interviewed, the labels on products we buy are not always accurate. They really present an average of sorts. There are differences between each specific product. So, one bag of chips may contain more calories than another.
While these differences may not be big, they can still make the entire count inaccurate. This isn't something that most people are aware of and it is yet another reason why calorie counting is not a good method for weight loss.
You do need to be aware of the general amount of calories that you eat. However, you do not need to count them dilligently to lose weight. Just eat sensibly and workout hard and you will lose weight.
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