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I Don't Believe in Calorie Counting
PiperGirl08
Posts: 134 Member
in Debate Club
by Tracey Anderson,
http://motto.time.com/4315473/tracy-anderson-calorie-counting/?xid=newsletter-brief
"People need to have the courage and the determination to understand food and to really reflect on their past relationships with food. It’s more about the awareness of the kinds of food people are eating, the amounts they’re eating...so much of our hunger is not even rooted in a real biological need to eat; a lot of it is rooted in emotion.
"I think it’s just about having an ongoing dialogue with yourself where you try as often as possible to say, “How can I show up for myself and my body today through my food choices?”"
I agree. Thoughts?
http://motto.time.com/4315473/tracy-anderson-calorie-counting/?xid=newsletter-brief
"People need to have the courage and the determination to understand food and to really reflect on their past relationships with food. It’s more about the awareness of the kinds of food people are eating, the amounts they’re eating...so much of our hunger is not even rooted in a real biological need to eat; a lot of it is rooted in emotion.
"I think it’s just about having an ongoing dialogue with yourself where you try as often as possible to say, “How can I show up for myself and my body today through my food choices?”"
I agree. Thoughts?
3
Replies
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Meh. It works for me. You can "not believe" in anything you choose. Doesn't negate the science.46
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Meh, my brain generally answered back with a B*te me. I'm going to eat that anyway. If it didn't, I wouldn't be here.21
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I remember reading about parents who didn't believe in medication, so they let their kid die. Whatever floats your boat, but science is science.52
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Vague "awareness" of portion sizes is what got me into trouble in the first place, along with vastly reduced activity levels. Counting and measuring is really not all that difficult. I get more annoyed by a fat roll on my stomach than by working to be more disciplined and using the tool of rudimentary mathematics to do so.22
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Don't see what this approach has to do with whether you calorie count or not.
Why does calorie counting prevent a person from reflecting on why they want to overeat? I'd think keeping that kind of food diary would be helpful for just that. I'd think logging in advance of eating would help with emotional eating. It gives you one more chance to distance yourself from the emotion before digging in, at least.
I can tell you that if I cut out all the times I ate for reasons other than 'I'm hungry' I would probably still gain weight. Why? Because if I'm not aware, I'm reaching for higher calorie items than I should be. I'm eating more of lower calorie items than I should be. And I'm doing it because I have a sedentary job and very little margin for error.
Exercise helps with that, but if I don't track it, I'll more than compensate for my activity.
All that being said, obviously people are also successful without calorie counting. I just don't see where others' success without counting invalidates the success of everyone who did count.27 -
Calorie counting is a tool. It's not for everyone. Some people can lose/maintain weight using portion control. Some can be successful with intuitive eating. Some can go to therapy, come to terms with whatever they were covering up with eating, and establish a healthier relationship with food.
Then there's people who have had eating disorders or been on VLCDs and can't trust their body's hunger signals anymore. There's people who are good with numbers and budgets, and calorie counting is a very easy method. There's people who think they're eating healthy but don't realize how much they're overeating until they start tracking it. There's people who use calorie counting in conjunction with other tools for success.
It's fine to say a certain tool doesn't work for you, but to "not believe in it" (Which, what? It's not the Flying Spaghetti Monster) and imply no one should use it is very narrow-minded.15 -
To a large extent I agree...I haven't logged anything in over three years. I think calorie counting can have a very negative impact on certain people...I was one of those people that just got pretty over the top obsessed with things. Initially things were OK for me, but the longer I did it, the "crazier" I got...having anxiety attacks about going out to eat at a local restaurant...going on a camping trip or something and not being able to enjoy myself because I didn't know exactly the calories I was eating and couldn't log it...etc, etc, etc.
I think it can be a useful tool, but yeah...a lot of people go over the top and get some pretty disordered thinking going on. I've been her for about 3.5 years and have seen a lot of disordered thinking and crummy relationships with food.
I've done so much better just focusing on good livin' and doing the things that healthy, lean, and fit people do and just being aware of what I'm putting into my body. I'm still calorie aware, but yeah...haven't logged in over three years.16 -
I pretty much don't believe anything Tracy Anderson says, ever. Among some of the gems:
- women shouldn't lift weights over 3 pounds because they'll get bulky
- running and biking will make women develop bulky man-looking rear ends
- only work small muscle groups (no, really, she says this)
Also she has lied about her qualifications (said she studied at Juilliard but they have no record of her enrollment, taught Pilates without any certification), etc., etc. Recommends diets that are unsafe because they are below 1000 calories (I realize that some people go that low with medical supervision but she is NOT a doctor). Has been sued as a result of some shady stuff she did running a fitness center in Indiana.
Considering the source, I can't get behind anything she says, ever. (Also, MFP and counting calories are working for me.)
http://thedailybanter.com/2013/09/tracy-anderson-and-the-myth-behind-celebrity-trainers-and-diets/
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2009/10/21/madonnas-trainer-fights-back.html
https://loseweightnobullshit.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/tracy-andersons-methods-are-dangerous-damaging-and-anti-feminist/
41 -
DanyellMcGinnis wrote: »Recommends diets that are unsafe because they are below 1000 calories (I realize that some people go that low with medical supervision but she is NOT a doctor).
That's because she doesn't believe in counting calories
3 -
I don't believe in Tracy Anderson.38
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Don't see what this approach has to do with whether you calorie count or not.
Why does calorie counting prevent a person from reflecting on why they want to overeat? I'd think keeping that kind of food diary would be helpful for just that. I'd think logging in advance of eating would help with emotional eating. It gives you one more chance to distance yourself from the emotion before digging in, at least.
I can tell you that if I cut out all the times I ate for reasons other than 'I'm hungry' I would probably still gain weight. Why? Because if I'm not aware, I'm reaching for higher calorie items than I should be. I'm eating more of lower calorie items than I should be. And I'm doing it because I have a sedentary job and very little margin for error.
Exercise helps with that, but if I don't track it, I'll more than compensate for my activity.
All that being said, obviously people are also successful without calorie counting. I just don't see where others' success without counting invalidates the success of everyone who did count.
Thank you for the well-thought out reply. I agree that it doesn't have to be an either or other choice, but to the author's point, I can't count the number of posts I've seem on MFP with people berating themselves because they blew their budget. The stress and self-loathing she describes are real.
Her point is that if people understand food better, then the problems that lead to weight gain can be much eliminated.
Personally, apart from holidays and special occasions, I simply don't have "bad" food in the house. Only whole foods -- no chips, no crackers, no cakes, no pies, no cookies, no packaged meals. What I eat is filling and satisfying and I have to work hard to exceed my caloric range. To the degree that I log in MFP, is to get a look at the nutritional makeup of what I consume (Iron, Protein, Cholestrol and Potassium). Consequently, I don't need to count calories, and I've don't have and have never had a weight problem.
Calorie counting does work for those who need it. But at the end of the day, we'd probably see fewer problems with weight gain afterwards if people learned how to eat to live, rather than lived to eat, which is what get folks in the position of needing to count calories in the first place.5 -
I dislike any advise which suggests "belief". It basically shuts out rational argument, any scientific-based discussion or any understanding of real-life variables.
Case in point, "I don't believe anyone who doesn't believe in counting calories, because it worked for me".
I could say that, but it would be daft.17 -
7
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If you are "opposed to obsessing over calorie counts and punishing yourself when you exceed your daily limit" like she was then yes, it probably isn't for you.
Calorie counting can be a very useful tool. It shouldn't be the only thing you do with regards to fitness or healthy eating.
I don't know who she is but if she has 17 years in the industry and doesn't understand the use and limits of calorie counting, well, she's missed out on the basics.10 -
Whatever works for Tracy Anderson. Calorie counting works for me.3
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Apparently Tracy Anderson is peddling yet another diet/exercise plan and protein powder/bar products to be sold in stores. Something tells me she has a vested interest in downplaying an effective and free technique of weight management to favor her products.
And honestly, if I have to have an "ongoing dialog" with myself about what I'm going to eat, people are going to question my sanity. I imagine others would think I look like Smeagol and Gollum arguing over the Precious, but in my case it would be that cheeseburger I'd love to grill tonight.
G: "I can haz cheesburger?"
S: "No! We must eats the chicken and broccoli!"
G: "But we loves the cheeseburger, it is our Precious!"
Personally, I'd rather plan and organize and not have to rationalize every food "decision'. Calorie counting is simply the way for me to determine if "I can haz cheeseburger" or "I can't haz, pick something else".
58 -
PiperGirl08 wrote: »by Tracey Anderson,
http://motto.time.com/4315473/tracy-anderson-calorie-counting/?xid=newsletter-brief
"People need to have the courage and the determination to understand food and to really reflect on their past relationships with food. It’s more about the awareness of the kinds of food people are eating, the amounts they’re eating...so much of our hunger is not even rooted in a real biological need to eat; a lot of it is rooted in emotion.
"I think it’s just about having an ongoing dialogue with yourself where you try as often as possible to say, “How can I show up for myself and my body today through my food choices?”"
I agree. Thoughts?
The woman has no training in psychology but wants to talk about emotions like a pro.
She just needs to take a long walk off a short pier.13 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »If you are "opposed to obsessing over calorie counts and punishing yourself when you exceed your daily limit" like she was then yes, it probably isn't for you.
Calorie counting can be a very useful tool. It shouldn't be the only thing you do with regards to fitness or healthy eating.
I don't know who she is but if she has 17 years in the industry and doesn't understand the use and limits of calorie counting, well, she's missed out on the basics.
She is a media creation. No education in health,fitness, nutrition, etc.
Bottom feeder.10 -
PiperGirl08 wrote: »by Tracey Anderson,
http://motto.time.com/4315473/tracy-anderson-calorie-counting/?xid=newsletter-brief
"People need to have the courage and the determination to understand food and to really reflect on their past relationships with food. It’s more about the awareness of the kinds of food people are eating, the amounts they’re eating...so much of our hunger is not even rooted in a real biological need to eat; a lot of it is rooted in emotion.
"I think it’s just about having an ongoing dialogue with yourself where you try as often as possible to say, “How can I show up for myself and my body today through my food choices?”"
I agree. Thoughts?
The bolded is the kind of touchy feely mumbo jumbo that makes me throw up in my mouth.19 -
"I really, really believe it’s incredibly negative to your system" - So is NOT counting calories.
"People need to have the courage and the determination to understand food and to really reflect on their past relationships with food" - a lot of people achieve this by keeping a food log and with that comes calorie counting for most of them.
Not every person is devoted to fitness.
I wonder.... How would Tracy Anderson tell an overweight person to lose pounds? Buy her shakes or bars? Her program? Have a conversation with themselves about food? Estimate appropriate portions? Get in touch with their feelz and really reflect on their relationship with food?
Yeesh.
Any "expert" would know that what goes INTO your body is equally, if not more important than the effort it puts out.
And how would one measure that intake? Ok then.
No logging, or logging forever isnt for everyone but for many it works.
If a person takes it to a dark place- it is the person, not the counting that needs adjusting.
Meh.8
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