Counting Calories Hurts Cognition

shl000

Just when I'm having a particularly hard day concentrating, I come across this article:

http://www.menshealth.com/health/counting-calories-hurts-brain-focus?cid=NL_DailyDoseNL_2096104_04202015_CountingCalories_Module6

Is anybody else experiencing the same thing? How do you keep it compartmentalized?

LAWoman72

Uh, no. Not at all. "Mentally taxing"? Overfocusing on food? I click to enter what I ate, I eat, and I move on.

jgnatca

My cognitive function would decline when I tried to resolve an intransigent issue at work (difficult co-worker). I figured that out while trying to solve Sudoku. I definitely dumbed down when worrying about that other problem. My ultimate solution was to leave that job. It was a great choice for my mental health!

MFP if used judiciously, can cut down a lot of the worry with calorie counting. It adds all the foods up for us, after all.

TiffanyR71

Wow... That's the dumbest thing (published, that is) I've read in a long time...

dubird

I find dealing with people MUCH more mentally taxing. And video games on nightmare difficulty. The only 'taxing' part I have with counting calories is getting my freakin' phone to cooperate with the app!!

usmcmp

There's no actual study, just "preliminary research" and there isn't even a link to it. I think if you asked a bunch of random people to start tracking their intake it would be taxing. The reason logging a doughnut might mess people up is this whole culture of good vs. bad foods.

A better way to "compartmentalize" this is to log in advance and make sure you include a treat during the week. That way the doughnut or ice cream is still on plan, but you have the chance to make sure the rest of the calories are filling foods.

TimothyFish

I can see the truth in that. We can only keep up with so many things at a time.

DKG28

there was a learning curve for calorie counting for me at first. But I think the brain power utilized was more directed toward self-control than doing the math. Consciously making food choices does take more attention than eating whatever without thought. But now, i plan and pre-log food, and at work, it's a no-brainer. I eat what I packed. That's so much easier than trying to figure out from where and what to get for lunch every day. Yes, if there's a box of doughnuts I think about them. I did before I started counting calories too. But now I can cut that thinking off short. And before I would spend brain effort waffling on the decision making whether to indulge or not. Definitely easier on the brain now.

tulips_and_tea

herrspoons wrote: »

Men's Health.

Not one of the world's most reliable sources.

Uh, on - what did you do (or say) that got you put into jail? I find your posts amusing on this site, so just being nosy.

This article seems like another excuse. Way too many of those as it is.

PeachyCarol

usmcmp wrote: »

There's no actual study, just "preliminary research" and there isn't even a link to it. I think if you asked a bunch of random people to start tracking their intake it would be taxing. The reason logging a doughnut might mess people up is this whole culture of good vs. bad foods.

A better way to "compartmentalize" this is to log in advance and make sure you include a treat during the week. That way the doughnut or ice cream is still on plan, but you have the chance to make sure the rest of the calories are filling foods.

Yup. Preplanning solves the whole problem.

DirrtyH

How does using my hand stop me from eating a donut if I don't have the calories for it in my day? How does using my hand tell me that I have room to fit a donut in?

Otherwise, I do agree that counting calories makes me hyper aware of food. I'm constantly telling people how many calories are in their cereal which is really annoying for everybody involved.

usmcmp

I think that part of the problem with it taking so much energy is like someone else said, there is a learning curve.

When we first learn how to ride a bicycle it takes so much mental energy. Pedal, blance, steer, pedal, balance, steer, pedal, blance, steer. You have to actually think about everything while you are doing it. After a while you are just naturally aware of your balance, speed and direction on a bike. You pedal when needed and steer as necessary while maintaining natural balance. Same thing with counting calories. You have to think harder about it when you are starting than when you've been doing it for a while.

kommodevaran

Stupid article. It's the temptations that would be "taxing", not the calorie counting, and as if counting handfuls is any easier than letting MFP do the math Stupid, stupid, stupid article hurts my brain and my dignity!

callsitlikeiseeit

LAWoman72 wrote: »

Uh, no. Not at all. "Mentally taxing"? Overfocusing on food? I click to enter what I ate, I eat, and I move on.

ditto.....

sofaking6

I guess their articles are aimed at idiots? or people with really slow/infected computers?

ear1011

I think it keeps me sane!! I used to worry more about what I ate and if I was being a pig! Without this site I wouldn't have a good idea of how much I eat. It helps me be mindful

DeguelloTex

TimothyFish wrote: »

I can see the truth in that. We can only keep up with so many things at a time.

Are you doing a lot of things while you track food or do you track food constantly throughout the day?

I log it, I eat it, I move on to other things. It's not like it's constantly somehow interrupting other things I'm trying to do.