Why You Don’t Have to Count Calories, But Probably Should

Many dieters associate carbs with being "fattening" and the cause of unwanted fat gain. But contrary to what you've heard, there is nothing inherently fattening about carbohydrates.

 

Remember, calories are what determine whether we gain or lose weight. So it's not the carbs that make people fat, but rather the AMOUNT of carbs (and calories) they're eating.  

 

You see, most people struggling with weight tend to abuse the amount of carb-rich foods they're eating.

 

We've all have had nights where after a long and stressful day we just want to stay home and eat our feelings from a large bag of chocolate-covered pretzels, cheesy popcorn puffs, or a combination of both...

 

The problem is that foods high in carbs, and particularly those low in fiber, aren't very filling and easier to overeat.

 

(You're more likely find people overeating carb-heavy chips, cereal, bread, and sodas than chicken breast and veggies.)

 

Knowing this, it makes sense that reducing your carbohydrate intake will naturally lead to fewer calories eaten throughout the day, and particularly late at night when most of us are overeating.

 

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The easiest way to cut your carbs is to eliminate sugars, sweets, regular sodas, and limit your intake to starchy foods and grains (bread, pasta, potato, etc.) to 1-2 servings per day.

 

(and if you're going to have a serving, make it no bigger than the size of your fist).

 

Rely on fiber-rich fruits and veggies (like the ones given above) for the bulk of your carbohydrates.

 

Note: dried fruit doesn't count towards your fruit intake. They have the fiber and water stripped from them, which essentially makes them the same as eating straight sugar.

 

Don't worry - at one point or another, we've all tried to convince ourselves that chocolate covered raisins were "healthy" since they had "fruit" in them...

 

4. Eliminate Snacking Between Meals

For many people trying to lose weight, the problem isn't what they are eating at their 3-4 main meals during the day, but rather the 3-4 snacks they're having in between.

 

What's worse is that the majority of these snacks are coming from sugary foods that barely fill them up... It's basically like eating empty calories.

 

So to naturally reduce your calorie intake, eliminate snacking and stick to 3-4 meals a day (that follow the first three strategies).

 

If you're starving and must have something to eat between meals, opt for a piece of fruit. Not only will it be lower in calories (~120 calories tops), but fruit also helps blunt hunger more so than other carb sources.

 

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Like I said, if you're someone who only has 10-20 pounds to lose and has no problem restricting high-calorie, sugary foods, then those strategies will unquestionably help you consume fewer calories and lose weight without counting.

 

However, things get trickery if you are 30-50+ pounds overweight and, like most of us, don't do so well controlling portions and food cravings.

 

And while the strategies I shared may help you lose weight initially, you'll inevitably reach a point where your weight and progress plateau. When that happens, the only way to continue making progress is to create harsher restrictions.

 

Which brings me to why you should probably count calories, especially if your goal is consistent and calculated fat loss results.

 

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Why You Should Probably Count Calories

 

Most people who are serious about losing weight don't have a measly 10-15 pounds to lose–they need to lose 30, 50, or more pounds to reach a healthy body weight.

 

Not only that, people who find themselves 30+ pounds overweight have more than likely tried and failed various diets in the past.

 

And while there are many reasons as to why they might have failed, I can guarantee that one of the biggest reason was from being too restrictive.

 

You see, for most of us, restricting sweets and other food cravings will only work for so long as it often causes us to desire those foods even more.

 

You only have so much willpower in reserve. After a few weeks of using it every day resisting the urge to eat "naughty" foods, your levels are drained dry.

 

The next thing you know you're forking down 3 and a half slices of Peanut Butter Cheesecake at dinner...(Oh, and of course you have to stop by the store on the way home to pick up a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey)

 

The Bottom Line is this: overly restrictive diets simply don't work in the long run, especially for those who have a lot of weight to lose and struggle to control their cravings.

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Now, you may be asking, "Okay Carter, I understand that too much restriction isn't good, but how does counting calories make dieting any less restrictive?"

 

That's a good question, too, because every diet has to have some form of restriction or they wouldn't work in the first place!

 

Weight loss is simply a numbers game. WHAT you eat doesn't determine whether you lose weight or not, rather, it's HOW MUCH you're eating.

 

Despite what you may have been told, weight loss doesn't require you only eat certain kinds of food, avoid other types, combine foods in different ways, or any other silliness - It only requires that you regularly feed your body less energy than it burns.

 

That's why calorie counting is so special.

 

It doesn't involve 100% elimination of certain foods, or that you adhere to a one-size-fits-all strict eating schedule. Instead, you can have any food you desire, just as long as you don't go over your calorie goal for the day.

 

Think of calorie counting like a budget for your food. You get a prescribed calorie budget at the beginning of the day, and as long as you don't go over your budget, what exactly you spend those calories on is up to you.

 

Is the ice cream in the freeze calling your name? No problem, you can have it! Just be sure that it fits within your calorie goals for the day.

 

The key is having moderation.

 

You probably can't have the whole pint of ice cream, but you could easily fit in 200-300 calories, which is often enough to curb your craving.

 

The bottom line: If you want to reduce the psychological stress of dieting, increase your adherence, and continue enjoying the foods you love while losing weight, then you should consider counting your calories.

 

How To Get Started Counting Calories For Effortless Fat Loss

 

The one issue with counting calories is that it has a steep learning curve in the beginning. But, like most things in life, once you get past that learning curve, counting calories becomes simple and even enjoyable.

 

While the tips I am about to provide are great for getting started, you'll probably need more information to get the best results possible.

 

So after you finish reading, I highly recommend you download my FREE Fitness Plan. It goes into more detail on tracking calories and losing fat.

 

Either click the link above or the big button at the end of this article to download the plan.

 

(Personally, I prefer the big button 😀 )

 

1. Start Exercising (At Least 3 Times A Week)

Whether you are counting calories or not, exercise is essential for both your health and weight loss success.

 

Ideally, you would do mostly resistance training (aka lifting weights) to build muscle and burn more fat. You could also include a day or two of cardio if you'd like.

 

(my fitness plan goes into exact protocols for fat loss exercise)

 

2. Be Sure You Are Eating the Right Amount of Calories.

To determine your calorie goal for losing fat, all you need to do is multiplying your GOAL body weight by an "activity multiplier" of 11-13.

 

The activity multipliers (11-13) represent your activity level OUTSIDE of the gym:

 

11 - Mostly Sedentary (desk job or on your butt most of the day)

12 - Somewhat Active (teacher or on feet walking around during the day)

13 - Very Active (construction worker or on feet walking and lifting heavy equipment during the day.)

 

For example, if you want to weigh 150 pounds and are somewhat active throughout the day, you'd take 150x11 for a calorie goal of 1650.

 

Now, don't assume that this number is perfect. It's only meant to get you in the ballpark for how many calories you need to lose fat.

 

You should aim to lose roughly 0.5-1% of your total bodyweight each week.

 

If you don't lose 0.5-1% of your total body weight after 7-10 days, drop your calories by 100-200. If you lose more than 0.5-1% of your bodyweight, add back 100-200 calories.

 

(It can be tempting to continue eating very few calories if you're losing more than 1% body weight per week, but it will eventually slow down, and you'll risk losing muscle from eating too few calories.)

 

3. Use A Food Tracking App

While you could take the old fashion route of pen and paper to journal your food intake, modern technology has made it easier than ever to keep track of your food and calorie intake.

 

I prefer MyFitnessPal for tracking calories, but there are many others available for download.