Sunday, April 8, 2012

My Anti-Smart List : Counting Calories, is DUMB!

I think counting calories is PLUM DUMB!  What kind of lifestyle change is counting calories?  How does one do a calculation each time they consume sustenance?  Do these people walk around with a calorie journal, scientific calculator and spreadsheet? 

I have heard this remark recently:  "I only ate 825 calories today."  This from a young lady who weighs approx. 325lbs!  Okay fellow lifestyle changers, just reading it I am sure you are shaking your head thinking, "that's stupid", I know I am as I type.

Foremost, what is a Calorie?   As defined by the Medical Dictionary a Calorie is A unit of energy-producing potential supplied by food and released upon oxidation by the body. And as we all learned (at least I hope you learned in 4th grade science); Oxidation as a chemical reaction.  As calorie counters say "burning calories" is when a food (ion in this case) gives up electrons when combined with oxygen (like when food enters your body.) Now we all know we need the energy (calories) from food to
survive.  Consuming fewer calories in theory can lead to short term weight loss, subsequently causing a calorie counter to plateau very quickly, then resulting in ultimate weight regain. 


Calorie counting is NOT a Lifestyle change!  As a matter of fact if you have quite a bit of weight you are trying to lose and keep off counting calories will more than likely just result in a see-saw of weight loss / gain leaving.  Thus the Calorie Counter will feel defeated, and ultimately they will oust the calorie counting and gain the lost weight back and then some!  It's the same vicious circle over, and over, and over again!  

7 Reasons Counting Calories is on my ANTI-SMART list of Things to do! 

1.  Like Suicide its a Temporary Solution to a Permanent Problem.

2. The amount of calories a person needs each day is not constant. It largely depends on the amount of physical, emotional and mental activity in which the person is engaged. Keep in mind stress, anxiety or physical strain, increase the amount of calories you burn; and this is much higher than normal. (Hey Calorie Counters, don't go looking for stressful situations just so you can ingest more calories)

3.  Food Labeling Regulators are just guessing!  The calorie count listed on a food label or chart is an estimation based on averages.  Food labeling regulators know any one piece or package of food can have more or fewer calories than a label or calorie chart says; they actually allow a 20% difference in calories up or down from what's listed on the label (hmmm how do you do that equation?)
 
4. There is NO WAY TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MANY CALORIES YOU ARE EATING!  Your Calorie Math does not equal your body's Digestive Math.  Everyone digests and absorbs food differently.  We don't actually absorb the number of calories listed on the label for a serving of food.   Therefore, without knowing exactly how your body digests each molecule of food you consume you really never know how many calories you are consuming.

5. Its Metabolism Murder!  Calorie restriction is short lived because consistent calorie restriction programs fight against your metabolism.  These programs your force body to store more fat to use for energy.  In short your body ends up confused by your label counting and math.

6. Counting calories and limiting the variety of products you consume may even be harmful to your health.

7. A.K.A. The Starvation Diet.  Any initial weight loss is mostly water weight, and not fat loss.  Some people carry up to 40lbs of excess water weight.  So yes, you may have lost 40lbs but none of it is water; and as soon as you return to your regular portions and calories the weight plus some comes right back with it!


Okay, now Calorie Counters keep in mind different foods have different energy caloric value: Let’s suppose that a mixed fruit and nut salad contains 250 calories, and a candy bar contains the same amount. Do you think that both foods will have the same effect on you just because they have the same number of calories? UMMM NO!!!


Do not get me wrong here, I am not saying Carbohydrate intake moderation is the only Lifestyle change that is effective.  This I am not implying at all!  I will say however, this is what works best for me.  The bottom line is this:  in order to permanently lose excess pounds you must submit yourself to changing your lifestyle full circle, incorporating whatever eating habit or regime and exercise program you find most fitting.  I repeatedly say this there is no such thing as a quick fix, you must change your lifestyle. 


A great alternative to counting calories is to focus on a healthy diet and create a habit of regular exercise. These simple measures will lower your stress levels regarding calories consumption and will help you burn fat and stay healthy.


 Yupper on my Soap Box today!

Xoxo,
BG!


1 comment:

Your comments are so super welcomed and I really love your feed back...C'mon don't be shy -- let your fingers do the talking