Is Counting Calories Effective For Weight Loss?

I always thought counting calories was a complete waste of time.

When I found myself failing with every attempt to reduce my weight through diets, I had to rethink my strategy.

I discovered that calorie counting could be highly effective, but only if done right!

Can counting calories help you with your weight loss goals?

The answer to that would be yes and no. Allow me to explain.

But first, let’s discover exactly what a calorie is.

What is a calorie?

A calorie is simply a unit of energy. All organisms need energy for their survival, and need calories to fuel their bodies.

Plants get energy from sunlight, and humans get energy from food. Food provides energy that fuels our activities and functions in the body.

Not all calories are the same though . There are more calories in a fat than there are in carbohydrates and proteins. That’s why it’s so important to eat foods in the right proportions.

A balanced diet has the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. A balanced diet also satisfies hunger and reduces our risk of developing diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. A balanced diet is essential for a healthy life.

Also remember that one calorie of sugar is not equal to one calorie of broccoli. At once it’s obvious that counting calories alone is not the answer to optimum health.

All you’re doing with counting calories is giving yourself a view into just how much energy material you’re putting into your body. You also need to determine how many fats, carbohydrates and proteins you need to be eating as well.

On top of that, make sure you’re picking nutrient dense foods like quality meats, fresh fruits and vegetables.

The acceptable daily mix of carbs, fats and protein, which are called macronutrients, are 45–65% of your daily calories from carbs, 20–35% from fats and 10–35% from protein.

If you want to lose weight, find a ratio that’s comfortable for you so you can stick with it. Focus on healthy foods and eat fewer calories than you burn

How counting calories can help lose weight?

Counting calories helps you figure out the amount of calories you have eaten in a day. By knowing how many calories you eat, you can then determine how many calories you need in a day to lose weight.

The objective is to consume fewer calories than you burn in a day. If you consume fewer calories, your body goes into so-called starvation mode. Sounds a bit dramatic. Let’s refer to it as fat-burning mode instead. Sounds more positive, right?

You’re not going to starve by cutting some calories if you’re careful and have a way to accurately measure carbs.

I use an app called Fat Secret at fatsecret.com. The have an online app and phone app that sync together. There are others. But this one works well for me.

By putting your body gently into fat-burning mode your body has to burn up calories stored in the body’s fat tissue for energy. It’s perfectly natural.

But how exactly does the body burn up calories stored in the body’s fat tissue for energy?

During fat-burning mode, the body breaks down the body fat into fatty acids and glycerol, which are then circulated in the bloodstream. The fatty acids then get stored in the liver. When the body needs energy, the liver releases these fatty acids and glycerol from the fat cells. Once they reach the muscles, the body uses them as energy instead of the glycogen stored in the liver or the muscle proteins.

This process is called lipolysis, the breaking down of fat.

If you eat more calories than you burn in a day, your body stores the excess calories as fat. Without knowing how many calories you’re consuming in a day, you’ll never be able to control your weight.

So, counting calories can help you.

On the other hand, just counting calories is not enough to succeed.

Just remember, counting calories is just a guideline and you should never just rely on it. You also need to take into account that the physical activities you’re doing each day are burning calories. Apps can help with recording everything.

It does take time to count calories every day. But in my opinion, it’s well worth it. Here are some reasons why.

-It’s so easy to overeat if you don’t know how many calories you’re consuming. I was a terrible judge of portions or how much I was eating. And so I got fatter and fatter. Counting calories help me bring order into the chaos of overeating.

-Gaining the knowledge of how much you’re eating each day, or how much you shouldn’t be eating gives you certainty that you’re on the right track. You feel calmer, which of course helps reduce stress.

-You see your weight reducing every day by your actions, and this makes you feel positive and happier.

-You begin to have more energy because you’re no longer stuffing yourself and putting a burden on your digestive system. Your body begins to feel less bloated and more comfortable.

Here’s another strategy you can use to help?

If you’re serious about losing weight, you need to use strategies that can help you lose the weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

One strategy is intermittent fasting. It can help you lose weight faster. Intermittent fasting involves eating during a specific time window or fasting for a specific length of time during the day.

There are many variations of intermittent fasting, but the most popular one is time-restricted fasting. In time-restricted fasting, you can choose to eat during a specific time window and fast during the rest of the time. For example, you can restrict your eating to 7 hours a day and eat nothing at all during your fasting period.

Another option for intermittent fasting is 16/8 intermittent fasting. In this program, you fast for 16 hours a day and eat during an eight-hour window. The eating window is decided by you depending on your lifestyle.

Intermittent fasting improves your health and helps you lose weight faster. For example, it’s been found to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It also improves your sleep and boosts your brain function.

There are many great reasons why you should use intermittent fasting to lose weight, and a healthy diet is the foundation of intermittent fasting and a healthy lifestyle. So, count your calories and get ready to eat healthy, healthy meals to lose weight with intermittent fasting.

The keys to losing weight with calorie counting

When you eat a healthy diet that meets your daily calorie requirements and often exceeds them, you can lose weight with calorie counting and maintain a healthy weight. But, there is more to calorie counting than just the number on the scale.

If you want to maintain a healthy body weight while counting calories, you need to also eat a balanced diet that is rich in nutrients such as: protein, carbs, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. You also need to exercise regularly.

You also need to find out how many calories you should be consuming each day for losing weight. There are a number of factors used to determine this figure.

The dangers of counting calories too strictly

Never use calorie counting to overly restrict yourself. Don’t use it as a punishment to make yourself wrong. Doing this will cause you to overeat by triggering emotions. It’s just a guide so you can take control of how much you’re eating. That’s all it is.

It’s as simple as burning more calories than you’re consuming. If you’re overweight, obviously you’re consuming more calories than you burn. By tweaking the number of calories you consume along with a balanced diet is what will determine your results.

If done well, it will help form and excellent habit that will stay with you forever. Your weight loss mindset will get stronger.

When you finally reach your goal weight, which you will do if you follow the plan, you will adjust the number of calories you need to maintain your weight.

Summary

Counting calories can be a useful tool if used correctly. There are many free apps like fatsecret.com that can help you. The key is not to be too restrictive and use calories only to guide you.

Of course you need to be eating nutrient dense, healthy foods. Like I said, a calorie of sugar is not equal to a calorie of broccoli. Be a responsible eater and you’ll win.

Remember to focus on the mindset aspects of calorie counting. It brings order into the chaos of overeating. It gives you the knowledge you need to know how much you’re eating. It creates in you a feeling of certainty and calmness.