Calories always count but don't always have to be counted
stroutman81
Posts: 2,474 Member
I posted this on the BI facebook page and then my blog here on MFP and it received a lot of positive feedback. I figured it'd be worth posting publicly for those who might be interested in this sort of info.
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Many of my clients are calorie counters. Admittedly, as a coach, it does make my job easier. A lack of progress almost always stems from the nutritional side of the coin.
And when progress is lacking, troubleshooting is much easier when we have a firm grip on what's coming in the door in terms of calories and nutrients. "Bump this down here, add a little there."
The process of tracking nutrition also holds people accountable. They have certain limits and they know that if they go above those limits too often, they're going to be sacrificing progress.
But...
It's these very limits that don't jive with some folks. I've said many times around here that rigidity begets rebellion. Tracking calories and nutrients, for some, can feel like total rigidity. It's nutritional prison. Because it feels so tight and confined for certain people... it doesn't work long term. It goes against their grain and their grain doesn't shift directions no matter how long they track.
I do think going through a period of tracking and weighing is a very good idea for pretty much everyone. It fuels insight and perspective that can only be found by dirtying your hands with nutritional tracking.
If it's not for you, long term, though... then an alternate plan needs to be developed for regulating your nutrition.
Many people come to me expecting miracles. In short time they want to learn to be "intuitive" with their eating. They want to build the body of their dreams without having to worry about any nutritional rules. Here's the thing though... listening to your body only makes sense if you speak its language.
Most don't.
If being natural isn't natural to you... well... being natural isn't very realistic.
When you've been conditioned to overeat - for whatever reasons - have them be emotional, environmental, etc... listening to your body is only going to lead to more overeating. The "programs" that are "installed" only know one thing and it's to rely on food in ways that aren't conducive to your physique goals.
So yeah... some form of rules are necessary and if calorie counting isn't your cup of tea... you'll need to experiment with other options in order to find something that doesn't feel so restrictive to you.
In practice with my clients, I'll often take an approach where I ween people off of calorie counting. Maybe they'll track every other day or something along those lines. The exact mechanics depend on the person. As they transition away from strict counting, we move them toward an alternative approach.
One such alternative approach is meal planning. It's doesn't have to be as restrictive as it might sound. Essentially you're doing all the nutritional tracking up front. You build out meal plans that fit the calorie and nutrient targets you're trying to hit. From there, it's simply a matter of eating the foods in the right quantities as per the meal plan.
I find that many people overlook this approach and in my experience... my most successful clients are meal planners. There's definitely something to it.
Working as much flexibility into the meal plan is definitely important. Having swappable foods and meals is a great idea. It makes the plan feel a whole lot less restrictive. If you're not in the mood for a particular food or meal, you swap it with another food or meal of like calories and similar nutrient profiles - all of which was worked out from the onset.
It removes a lot of the thinking and guesswork. I could write an entire article on meal planning but we'll save that for a later day.
For some clients, meal planning doesn't resonate with them. In these cases, I'll generally have them try to adhere to a list of bigger picture rules. I'll have them track when they deviate from these rules just to see how well they're implementing them. Without some form of tracking, it's very difficult to assess behavior.
These broad sweeping rules likely should include things like:
1. Sticking with single ingredient foods 80-90% of the time.
2. Waiting 20-30 minutes before eating to try and separate physical hunger from boredom, emotional eating, etc.
3. Base all feedings on protein. It doesn't matter if it's a meal or a snack... it should be built around protein. This is so important that I'll have many clients continue to track the number of grams or protein they consume even when they drop all other nutritional tracking. When protein targets are hit, everything else tends to fall in line for a lot of people.
4. Consume 3-6 servings of fibrous veggies and 2-4 servings of fruit per day.
5. Stay hydrated.
If you take these sort of rules seriously... if you actually adhere to them... by and large calories and nutrients will fall into place naturally.
Long story short, calories and nutrients always matter. You can control them directly (physically counting them) or indirectly (following some meal plan or list of rules that will get you close to your mark).
You have options. Make no mistake... you do need some version of order/structure. Very few people can just wing it and for those who can... they're an exception to the norm. They're the minority who likely never will content with excess fat on their bodies.
For everyone else, you need to find a setup that fits your lifestyle and mindset. If what you're currently doing isn't something you feel you can adhere to long term, you should be willing to experiment with another approach. Otherwise, any progress you realize is likely to be temporary.
---
Many of my clients are calorie counters. Admittedly, as a coach, it does make my job easier. A lack of progress almost always stems from the nutritional side of the coin.
And when progress is lacking, troubleshooting is much easier when we have a firm grip on what's coming in the door in terms of calories and nutrients. "Bump this down here, add a little there."
The process of tracking nutrition also holds people accountable. They have certain limits and they know that if they go above those limits too often, they're going to be sacrificing progress.
But...
It's these very limits that don't jive with some folks. I've said many times around here that rigidity begets rebellion. Tracking calories and nutrients, for some, can feel like total rigidity. It's nutritional prison. Because it feels so tight and confined for certain people... it doesn't work long term. It goes against their grain and their grain doesn't shift directions no matter how long they track.
I do think going through a period of tracking and weighing is a very good idea for pretty much everyone. It fuels insight and perspective that can only be found by dirtying your hands with nutritional tracking.
If it's not for you, long term, though... then an alternate plan needs to be developed for regulating your nutrition.
Many people come to me expecting miracles. In short time they want to learn to be "intuitive" with their eating. They want to build the body of their dreams without having to worry about any nutritional rules. Here's the thing though... listening to your body only makes sense if you speak its language.
Most don't.
If being natural isn't natural to you... well... being natural isn't very realistic.
When you've been conditioned to overeat - for whatever reasons - have them be emotional, environmental, etc... listening to your body is only going to lead to more overeating. The "programs" that are "installed" only know one thing and it's to rely on food in ways that aren't conducive to your physique goals.
So yeah... some form of rules are necessary and if calorie counting isn't your cup of tea... you'll need to experiment with other options in order to find something that doesn't feel so restrictive to you.
In practice with my clients, I'll often take an approach where I ween people off of calorie counting. Maybe they'll track every other day or something along those lines. The exact mechanics depend on the person. As they transition away from strict counting, we move them toward an alternative approach.
One such alternative approach is meal planning. It's doesn't have to be as restrictive as it might sound. Essentially you're doing all the nutritional tracking up front. You build out meal plans that fit the calorie and nutrient targets you're trying to hit. From there, it's simply a matter of eating the foods in the right quantities as per the meal plan.
I find that many people overlook this approach and in my experience... my most successful clients are meal planners. There's definitely something to it.
Working as much flexibility into the meal plan is definitely important. Having swappable foods and meals is a great idea. It makes the plan feel a whole lot less restrictive. If you're not in the mood for a particular food or meal, you swap it with another food or meal of like calories and similar nutrient profiles - all of which was worked out from the onset.
It removes a lot of the thinking and guesswork. I could write an entire article on meal planning but we'll save that for a later day.
For some clients, meal planning doesn't resonate with them. In these cases, I'll generally have them try to adhere to a list of bigger picture rules. I'll have them track when they deviate from these rules just to see how well they're implementing them. Without some form of tracking, it's very difficult to assess behavior.
These broad sweeping rules likely should include things like:
1. Sticking with single ingredient foods 80-90% of the time.
2. Waiting 20-30 minutes before eating to try and separate physical hunger from boredom, emotional eating, etc.
3. Base all feedings on protein. It doesn't matter if it's a meal or a snack... it should be built around protein. This is so important that I'll have many clients continue to track the number of grams or protein they consume even when they drop all other nutritional tracking. When protein targets are hit, everything else tends to fall in line for a lot of people.
4. Consume 3-6 servings of fibrous veggies and 2-4 servings of fruit per day.
5. Stay hydrated.
If you take these sort of rules seriously... if you actually adhere to them... by and large calories and nutrients will fall into place naturally.
Long story short, calories and nutrients always matter. You can control them directly (physically counting them) or indirectly (following some meal plan or list of rules that will get you close to your mark).
You have options. Make no mistake... you do need some version of order/structure. Very few people can just wing it and for those who can... they're an exception to the norm. They're the minority who likely never will content with excess fat on their bodies.
For everyone else, you need to find a setup that fits your lifestyle and mindset. If what you're currently doing isn't something you feel you can adhere to long term, you should be willing to experiment with another approach. Otherwise, any progress you realize is likely to be temporary.
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Replies
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This is so great. Thank you!! I really would love to count calories forever but I'm not sure if it's realistic. I think meal planning may be a good option for me, I'm already kind of there in terms of breakfast and moving there with lunch. Gonna see what happens along the road ahead.0
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That's exactly it: you have to do something you can stick with. For some, it's meal planning, for some it's choosing not to eat some foods. For some it's calorie counting. Do what works.You have to have something that you can stick with that's for sure. For me I would not want to have to plan out meals at this stage in my life. I also don't want to weigh and measure every bite of food. I need a very simple program. (for some meal planning might work and be simple)
That being said I do plan out my physical exercise. I have for example in my program walk 5 times a week, Shoulder/Legs 1 a week, back/ triceps 1 a week, chess/ biceps 1 a week. I put these in ahead of time because they rarely ever change. So I have them in my plan section and can simply click on them when I do them and it automatically logs with 1 click. I could do it for my meals as well but I don't. I do have a few recipes in their that I make frequently so it is a 1 click log.
I could see how it could benefit people that eat a certain diet or follow a certain diet. If I did follow a certain way of eating I would put it in my plans and then make it a 1 click log to make logging it super simple.0 -
I really like this post. Personally, counting calories is starting to irritate the heck out of me, which means I tend to fall off track more easily. I'm going to have to try something different for the long-term. I like the idea of following the major rules and possibly tracking just protein.0
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Nice! Thanks for posting! Good food for thought. I generally agree, but I figure we were born speaking our body's language, maybe we can relearn. Maybe not for most of us, though. I'm still trying to nail it, obviously!
By single ingredient foods, you mean like dinner should be a chicken breast, sweet potato and broccoli rather than a casserole or sandwich or pasta dish? It does make it easier. I love a good soup and salad, though, for dieting.0 -
That was my favourite MFP thread of all time...
(the actual thread I mean, not the offshoot one that was linked above
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I like em both!
That was my favourite MFP thread of all time...
(the actual thread I mean, not the offshoot one that was linked above0 -
Great post as always, Steve! I like the thread title too -- that's a nice nugget that can be shared with those who are struggling with the idea.0
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I think that kind of meal planning is a really good way to get started and would probably work if you didn't want to count calories. It's also probably how counting really works for many after a bit (if not from the very beginning) as you have a sense of what kind of meal or combination of meals is going to be the right size before actually logging.
I've probably said this too many times already, but that kind of thing was how I lost weight the only other time I did it and how I ate to keep it off for 5 years (I did not yet know about MFP like services, if they even existed), and falling away from it (and not failing to count) is part of how the regain happened. It's also what I was basically doing for a couple of months before finding MFP.
Currently I actually think the counting part makes it more fun (but I'm weird maybe, and just like tracking things).
If I'm understanding the single ingredient thing (meat, a veg, a starch, vs. a recipe, for example) that's kind of how I naturally cook quite often when I have to cook all the time, since it's fast and easy, so I'm certainly in favor. For me the trick is figuring out how to make regular weekday cooking easy, and the answer I've found is having the right ingredients on hand that can be cooked up quickly. Basically, meat and veg for the week. Then I can come home and just do something with what's in the refrigerator.0 -
Great post. I tracked and logged religiously for about 9 months and lost 40 Lbs over that time. I also learned a lot about nutrition in general, but I also learned a lot about myself...I knew that I was never going to be a life tracker...and personally, I think most people who think tracking is the "lifestyle change" everyone talks about are sort of missing the boat. It's a great tool for learning how to eat properly and healthfully, but not something that the vast majority are going to be able to do into perpetuity for the rest of their life...that's just not realistic for the vast majority.
I've been maintaining for 16 months or so by basically do a combination of what was mentioned above. I'm not a strict meal planner, but I do sit down on the weekends and go through a basic plan for the week...this also helps with budgeting and shopping as well as it helps me make sure I'm getting well balanced meals throughout the day.
I also have a good set of rules for myself:
1 - emphasis on fruits and veg...I get around 6 or so servings of veg daily and around 2-3 servings of fruit
2 - emphasis on lean protein sources...primarily eggs, chicken, fish, lean cuts of beef and pork. fattier and more calorie dense options are "special" and occasional.
3 - emphasis on home prepared meals. I don't really eat much in the way of convenience food and I only eat out at a restaurant maybe 3-4 times per month (except when on vacation).
4 - limited and scheduled snacking...usually fruit and/or nuts, jerky, greek yogurt, etc. Generally protein based
5 - limited "junk" food; I do have desert most nights, but it is well planned into my day...these days, it is primarily dark chocolate of some kind which is a treat, but also has a lot of nutrition.
6 - what goes on my plate is roughly a recommended serving size...most of my cooking is proportional to this so there are rarely seconds available even if I wanted them. When I do make larger soups, stews, casseroles, etc I stick to one serving in most cases.
7 - No mindless eating...always mindful of what I'm doing and what is going into my mouth
8 - No eating off of the kids plates
9 - always making efforts to improve my NEAT...I try not to sit down when I get home from work for at least a couple of hours...I park relatively far from the stores I shop at so I have to walk a bit more...I park in a spot at work that requires me to walk a fair distance to get to the building...I always take the stairs, etc.
10 - regular, routine fitness of at least a moderate effort 5-6 days per week. I usually get more as I generally ride around 60 miles or so per week and lift 3x weekly. This helps a lot when I blow rules 1 - 9...which happens on occasion.0 -
I have found that for myself, calorie counting has led to the ability to meal plan. Prior to counting calories I never really knew what was in food, there were just good and bad foods. After tracking for so long I have a better idea and on days I don't track still make good choices and put together balanced meals of appropraite size. Calorie counting seems to have been the training I needed to be able to do that.0
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This. THIS is a recipe for success. I like that you added NEAT. That's a big one for me.Great post. I tracked and logged religiously for about 9 months and lost 40 Lbs over that time. I also learned a lot about nutrition in general, but I also learned a lot about myself...I knew that I was never going to be a life tracker...and personally, I think most people who think tracking is the "lifestyle change" everyone talks about are sort of missing the boat. It's a great tool for learning how to eat properly and healthfully, but not something that the vast majority are going to be able to do into perpetuity for the rest of their life...that's just not realistic for the vast majority.
I've been maintaining for 16 months or so by basically do a combination of what was mentioned above. I'm not a strict meal planner, but I do sit down on the weekends and go through a basic plan for the week...this also helps with budgeting and shopping as well as it helps me make sure I'm getting well balanced meals throughout the day.
I also have a good set of rules for myself:
1 - emphasis on fruits and veg...I get around 6 or so servings of veg daily and around 2-3 servings of fruit
2 - emphasis on lean protein sources...primarily eggs, chicken, fish, lean cuts of beef and pork. fattier and more calorie dense options are "special" and occasional.
3 - emphasis on home prepared meals. I don't really eat much in the way of convenience food and I only eat out at a restaurant maybe 3-4 times per month (except when on vacation).
4 - limited and scheduled snacking...usually fruit and/or nuts, jerky, greek yogurt, etc. Generally protein based
5 - limited "junk" food; I do have desert most nights, but it is well planned into my day...these days, it is primarily dark chocolate of some kind which is a treat, but also has a lot of nutrition.
6 - what goes on my plate is roughly a recommended serving size...most of my cooking is proportional to this so there are rarely seconds available even if I wanted them. When I do make larger soups, stews, casseroles, etc I stick to one serving in most cases.
7 - No mindless eating...always mindful of what I'm doing and what is going into my mouth
8 - No eating off of the kids plates
9 - always making efforts to improve my NEAT...I try not to sit down when I get home from work for at least a couple of hours...I park relatively far from the stores I shop at so I have to walk a bit more...I park in a spot at work that requires me to walk a fair distance to get to the building...I always take the stairs, etc.
10 - regular, routine fitness of at least a moderate effort 5-6 days per week. I usually get more as I generally ride around 60 miles or so per week and lift 3x weekly. This helps a lot when I blow rules 1 - 9...which happens on occasion.0 -
Yeah, #6, sticking to one serving, is a biggie for me. If I skip seconds I do pretty well. And I don't miss them. I would have them for stupid reasons, like to minimize leftovers or put off cleaning the kitchen.
I think too a lot of times we keep eating trying to get another bite as good as those first few bites, when we were hungry. It doesn't ever happen, though. The last bites are always meh. Same calories, half the enjoyment. I tell myself to save it for the next meal, then the food will be really good again.0
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