Post # 2 | People Don’t Connect with Calories!

Greetings Food Lovers,

There are thousands if not millions of different diet plans on the market.  However, all the marketing and gimmicks in the world will not change the basic formula for losing weight;

Burn More Calories than You Consume!!!

Hence, success at losing weight normally requires that at a minimum the individual reduce their daily caloric intake.  The issue that I have with counting calories, is not one of scientific truth, but one of orientation and human nature. 

The reduction in calories should be a function of eating a proper portion size not the other way around.  This is in-part because calories are a rather arbitrary unit of heat measurement that only loosely relates to food.  It is an abstract concept at best, that has little relevance to healthy eating.

After trying to count calories myself and seeing others fail as well, I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that counting calories is not only tedious and impractical, but it does not address the core reason for obesity; a poor relationship with food. 

Let’s use a simple analogy to illustrate the point.  I am sure as a child all of us remember our parents dropping us off at the local amusement park or arcade with something like $10 dollars of spending money.  They probably told you that you only had $10 dollars so you better spend it wisely.  What did you do?  Sure, only having $10 dollars meant that you likely gave more consideration to how you spent the money, but there is no doubt that you spent the entire $10 dollars. Right?

Now imagine if later that afternoon, your favourite uncle came by and gave you another $10 dollars? I am sure you would have spent that as well.  Simply put you would spend all the money that anybody gave you that day.

Well that story is similar to the real-life experience that so many calorie counting dieters have every day.  Restricting caloric intake doesn't help the individual form a lasting healthy relationship with food.  Instead is perceived as punitive measure to get the Dieter back in shape. So just like the child who encountered their uncle, when the Dieter encounters their favourite snack machine or are out with friends at their favourite restaurant they will invariably eat some of those calories that they previously were deprived of.

Another problem with counting calories is that it is not a natural way for people to monitor how much they eat.  You can’t see, touch, smell or feel calories.  This often leads to making the wrong food choices. 

For example, a small item high in sugar or fat may have more calories than a large piece of lean meat and a salad.  Nuts and certain fruits may be loaded with calories but still be a much healthier option than a low calorie snack bar.

Moreover, while there are food labels on almost every product, most people (especially healthy eaters) prepare meals at home which often don’t conform to a rigid calorie calculation.  Equally important, most produce items (which are the best for us) will not include calorie labels.  Even if you did manage to count calories, the accepted margin of error is 20% and this error doesn't even take into account varying portion size.  For instance, if a standard small fry at McDonald's is suppose to have 450 calories, that count depends on the portion size that the server actually serves.  We all know that they stuff the bag with fries. Hence it is likely a lot more calories than on the label.

Most of all HUNGER IS UNDEFEATED AGAINST WILL POWER IN THE LONG RUN.

So what do you do when you reach the arbitrary magic daily calorie number but you are still hungry.  If you are like me and millions of other Americans, you grab something to eat and then go to bed feeling like a loser.  With Eden still watching and laughing.

And all of these problems still don't take into account our children's poor relationship with food. Children are suffering from being overweight and/or obese as well.  If it is difficult for adults to count calories, it is lunacy to expect that children will be able to.
So we know that counting calories for the rest of your life is impractical.  At best it is a short-term solution to a long-term problem.  But at the same time, we know that healthy weight loss is predicated on a consistent reduction in food intake and a monumental shift to healthier options.  And even for those who lose the weight, maintaining a healthy weight is even harder.

So, if I tried and failed at counting calories; how did I manage to lose weight, feel better and improve my relationship with food?

Stay tuned to to this blog to learn the answers to these questions and how the 5 Rules of Healthy Living changed my life and can do the same for you!