ShareThis morning I had to grab an emergency coffee at Starbucks. You know, it’s a strange sight to catch me in that long line.
Usually, I prefer my own concoction of caffeinated deliciousness first thing in the morning – I know it’s quite a process, however completely worth it.
But today was one of those days. I just needed another round of happiness to get me through the mayhem.
Anyway, while I was lining up I noticed the bright array of neatly organized temptations, the ones begging to be taken home. It’s almost as bad as the puppy shop, except you don’t end up paying for that spontaneous decision for the next 10 years.
Now I noticed next to each item, there was tiny little number – no, not the extortionate price.
The calorie damage.
Yes, it’s been a while since I’ve paid that much attention at Starbucks and now they have the calorie count listed on all food and beverage items. (Thanks Mayor Bloomberg).
Awesome. Or not?
You see, as an ex-calorie counter, I often take for granted my ability to “just know” how many calories are approximately in a certain food.
While some of these foods (can I even call it that?) in Starbucks completely fooled me, I think the greater issue to address is the quality of food people are eating – not so much the calorie count.
Nutrition plays a major role in fat loss, there’s no doubt about it. But how beneficial is counting calories? And this golden number, is it worth obsessing over to get you fast results?
New clients often ask me if they need to count calories to lose body fat. Here’s what I advise them:
Focus your energy on the quality and type of food you eat.
I’m anti-calorie counting.
But despite this, the ONE essential thing for fat loss is: you must create calorie deficit.
Fat loss is not a magic trick. It’s basic science. You have to burn more calories than you consume, either through eating less (diet) and/or burning more (exercise).
Simple right? Hardly.
The Problem With Counting Calories
In a commercial setting, such as my Starbucks adventure today, a number assigned to a food (big or small), does not indicate the ingredients, and therefore the quality and nutrients can remain relatively unknown.
Logistically, I’m not a fan of counting calories because:
1. It’s Very Time Consuming
What an insane process! This leads to the big issue with processed foods. I’ve found people on a diet tend to eat packaged junk with calories listed for accuracy, simply to avoid the hassle of measuring what they ate. The chemical count of low/zero calorie, diet foods – containing ingredients that you can’t pronounce will do scary things to your body
2. Accuracy
Getting out the trusty cooking scales and precisely weighing your food may work perfectly in your kitchen. But surely, you will have dinners with friends and there’s no room for measuring devices at the table. It’s just not practical in “real life”.
3. Boring
Counting calories is tedious. Need I say more? There is nothing fun about it. Mind numbing tasks like this will drive you to insanity.
4. Unhealthy Obsessions
The world doesn’t revolve around the number of calories you consume or limit yourself to. I have received a lot of emails from people who reach plateaus and immediately cut more calories. Your body needs fuel to function, repair and perform at highest levels and depriving yourself of the nutrients it needs is slowing the process.
5. Failure…
Fat loss programs that focus on calorie counting and processed foods have a very high failure rate. Why? They are so structured and it’s very difficult to comply with. Processed foods contain chemicals and “fake” ingredients that are highly addictive. The result – you crave more, you eat more, you gain more, and it’s back to square one.
It is far more important to understand and appreciate the quality of a food, and the nutrients it can provide for your body. Calories do not determine the nutritious value of a food. A strong, healthy body will only function optimally if fed the right fuel, along with enough calories.
There is sufficient scientific evidence supporting both the case for and against in the “calorie in vs calorie out” debate for fat loss. I don’t believe a calorie is equal to a calorie, the main reason being this:
Your body reacts differently when digesting and utilizing various macronutrients (carbs, protein and fats), particularly on a hormonal level.
For example, eating 150 calories of highly processed commercial breads or instant oatmeal will have a different effect on your blood sugar levels, compared to 150 calories of organic eggs with steamed spinach, despite consuming the same number of calories. With this in mind, eating processed carbs will leave you feeling hungry shortly after, and craving more.
Your #1 nutrition rule for accelerating fat loss:
Avoid the white stuff
On the other hand, it’s important not to completely exclude any macronutrients from your diet in the long-term, like Atkins, low-fat revolution, or the grapefruit diet. While these may work for certain people in the short-term, you are starving your body of essential nutrients.
Instead of calorie counting, my success equation is:
Type of calorie + calorie deficit = fat loss
Choosing the right type of food (protein, vegetables and good fats) most of the time will create the deficit to lose body fat. As a bonus, you will feel more energized and this will carry over to your training.
Tip: An effective solution for creating calorie deficit is learing how to eye-ball your serving sizes. I encourage you to repeat similar sized, healthy meals. Experimenting with spices is a perfect variation to beat boredom.
Instead of going out with your calculator, weighing device (aka scales) and the latest calorie counting app, hold up for a moment. Strategically eating the right foods at the right time will enhance your rate of fat loss, and avoid future failure.
The bottom line
Leave calorie counting behind. Eat real, whole foods that provide essential nutrients for your body, use proven strategies to resist temptation and use your newfound energy to train harder.
Not only will this accelerate fat loss – you will save time and energy for doing the things you love.
Eat real food and stay well,
KV
P.S. Do you count calories? Let me know your thoughts in the comments box below the post.
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