The Truth About Counting Calories to Lose Weight

By Jason Hagen Ask nearly anyone the secret to long-lasting weight loss and you’ll likely hear some variation on calories in versus calories out. Seems pretty obvious then, that in order to lose weight successfully, you have to start by knowing how many calories to consume. Here’s the problem: Unless you have access to a science lab (and know how to use it) your calorie counts will rarely be accurate. Portion sizes, substitute ingredients, eating out, and a variety of other factors make knowing the true number of calories in your meal nearly impossible. If you’re not tracking calories accurately, you can quickly fall victim to the false sense of security that causes so many calorie-counting dieters to fail. You think you’re consuming only x number of calories, but in reality the number is much, much higher. Inaccurate measuring and counting aside, you also need to keep in mind that not all bodies are the same. What works for you will not work for someone else. Metabolisms vary; age, gender, and genetics play a role. With all those variables, it’s easy to see that simply pulling a number out of the air isn’t the answer to lasting weight loss. Let’s Hear it for Individuality Discovering the ideal amount of energy your body needs to remain healthy while still losing excess weight begins by measuring your unique metabolic baseline. A lot of factors go into this calculation, including your age, current weight, and normal activity levels. Unfortunately, most of us dramatically overestimate the amount of food our bodies need and at the same time underestimate the caloric impact of the foods we eat. What does all this mean? It means that we eat beyond the body’s ability to use those calories, and then don’t give it the right signals to mobilize fat for energy. Body type and gender both have a big impact on your metabolism as well. The larger you are, the more energy it takes just to keep you moving. There’s a reason weight lifters, for example, can consume so much energy without getting fat – they need it just to keep their bodies functioning. In addition, men typically require more fuel than women, tall people need more than short people, and athletes need more than couch potatoes. That’s just how we’re made. The biggest problem with counting calories is that we live in a carbohydrate-dominated world, so the easiest way to cut back is to greatly reduce or even eliminate carbs from our diet. When you’re counting calories, bread, rice, and pasta are often the first things you swear to avoid. And sure, you get some weight loss…but then it all comes back right? No One Right Answer So how many calories should you consume if you want to lose weight? That’s a bit like asking how many hairs are on your head. Each body is different, so there is no one single answer that’s right for everyone. The only way to know for sure is to get some help with calculating all the points above and creating a plan that’s unique to your body, your lifestyle, and your weight-loss goals. You also need access to a system that doesn’t require counting calories.