Years ago, I was meticulously counting every calorie that went in my body and made sure to measure every bit of food I ate. We’re not meant to count calories. What way is that to live?
Today, I no longer count calories for both my physical and mental health. I’m going to tell you why I no longer count calories and ways for you to stop for good.
Calories Aren’t Everything
Let’s just talk about calories for a second. What even is a calorie? A calorie is a unit of energy given to food products to determine the amount of energy we’re getting from it. Yes, calories are meant to give us energy! They’re not the devil!
It seems that a lot of people are hung up on the calories of their food, no matter what it is. What about the quality of the foods? Sure, a banana and cookie may have similar amounts of sugar and calories, but can you really compare those two?
Think of some paleo or “lighter” desserts you see on the market. Odds are, a lot of them have the same amount of calories as the regular one, but most people pick the “healthier” one because they think it’s fewer calories. For my recipes, I don’t measure or count the calories, so I really don’t know how many they have. I do know that they have ingredients that make my body feel good, despite the calories. Sometimes it’s quality over quantity.
Calorie Counting Leads to Restriction
Ultimately, when it comes down to it, counting calories leads to some sort of restriction. Why else would you be counting and tracking the food that went in your body if it weren’t to restrict your intake and change your body?
Living in a state of restriction is no way to live a happy and healthy life. Sure, your body may look smaller when you’re counting calories, but how is your mental health? People seem to neglect their mental health when they’re dieting or going through a phase of caloric restriction. A friendly reminder, your mental health is just as important, if not more so, than your physical health.
When you’re restricting your calories during the day, I can 99% guarantee that your body is going to make it up in some way or another. After I stopped counting calories, I was hungry ALL THE TIME. This is known as extreme hunger, and is very common after dieting stops.
Your body is playing catch up for all the energy it’s been missing for so long. My body felt restricted, so it wanted all the food it could get while I allowed it. Eventually, this will settle out once your body realizes that it’s in a safe place and food is no longer being restricted.
We’re Losing Touch With Our Bodies
Counting calories leads you to lose touch with your body and your own innate cues of hunger and fullness. If you’re letting an app dictate what you eat, how can you truly gauge how much your body needs, or even the foods that your body is craving?
Let’s look at “If It Fits Your Macros,” or IIFYM for short. This is a diet where you’re allotted a certain amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat to eat per day. What if you eat more carbohydrates than you’re “allowed?” Odds are you’re going to feel bad about yourself and think that you did something wrong. Listening to your body and giving it energy is never wrong!
On the other side, let’s say you’re satisfied and not hungry, but you haven’t eaten “enough” protein for the day (which I bust, here). Are you really going to eat more protein just because an app is telling you to even though you’re not physically hungry?
The whole idea of counting calories is just pushing you farther and farther away from your body’s true signals. I see this a lot with the Weight Watchers diets. I’ve heard people say that it’s not a diet…Any way of eating that requires you to track your calories, points, etc, is ABSOLUTELY a diet.
Ways to Stop Counting Calories
1. Start small
If you track every single piece of food that goes into your body, just stopping one day may seem a little extreme. Maybe just stop tracking breakfast, and see how you feel. Keep adding a meal until you’re no longer tracking. The goal of this is to make it attainable and realistic.
2. Think of the benefits you’re getting from the foods
This has helped me IMMENSELY. If I ever get a thought that I shouldn’t be eating something because it’s “too high” in calories, I think of the benefits of the food I’m getting. For example, if I have some extra peanut butter, instead of thinking that it’s high in calories, I think of the benefits. I’m getting protein for my muscles, healthy fats for my hormones and brain, B vitamins, and a delicious snack!
Even if you’re eating something that may not be super “nutritious,” you can still use this tool. If you’re eating a slice of chocolate cake, think of the pleasure, tastes, textures, etc, that you’re getting from the food. Some foods are meant to fuel our bodies, while others are meant to fuel our souls.
3. Divert your mind
I talk about this in my mantras blog post, but I’m a huge fan of this. If you’re thinking about calories every time you eat, give yourself a thought that you have on hand that you can divert your mind to. For example, if you’re thinking and mentally tracking the calories of your meal, you may instead think, “I’m fueling my body with good food.” The more you do this, the more natural it will become.
4. Think of a life without it
This is huge!! Picture your life without counting calories. Are you enjoying food with your family on holidays? Maybe you’re out to eat with friends and not stressing about the extra drink you had. Think of how much better and free you will feel once you finally put the calorie game to rest for good.
xoxo
