I love this mentality. So many times have I been told calories in/out = weight loss/gain, but I so agree it's more than that, even looking at how your metabolism functions. If you start going too low on calories, you start retaining fat and burning muscle in "starvation mode". Keep writing, I love your courage!
When and if my husband and I try to drop a few pounds or maintain our weight, he counts calories and continues to drink sweet drinks. I try to eat only nutrient dense mainly plant based whole foods. I tend to only gain when I eat too much processed food. He rarely has success as quickly as I do and it almost never lasts when he does. I think that your method not only makes sense for daily nutrition (and you presented it well), but it is also easier for dieting.
This was so well written and informative. I’ve heard your side of this argument from my dietician (I’m in Australia) and it’s refreshing but you worded it extremely well. Thanks for your continued value!
Question about counting calories for endurance athletes (ie: runners) - does a bit of calorie counting help to make sure you don't under/over eat? I've found that doing either can wreak havoc on your training and general health and the "Calories in/calories out" approach does give you a simple framework to make sure you recover well (and again, don't over eat and gain weight as a lot of runners tend to do)
Definitely a great question for a sports dietitian! I think it is important to make sure athletes are fueling themselves appropriately - eating enough of the right kinds of foods - to provide the energy they need for performance and post-exercise repair. I'm a big fan of honoring hunger and the feeling of satisfaction (vs "full") as a guideline for when and how much to eat - think of it as a built-in mechanism to hep you decide how much to eat. But again, a sports dietitian will likely be able to add important specifics that are outside the scope of this blog.
I love this mentality. So many times have I been told calories in/out = weight loss/gain, but I so agree it's more than that, even looking at how your metabolism functions. If you start going too low on calories, you start retaining fat and burning muscle in "starvation mode". Keep writing, I love your courage!
Thanks Allison, actually had to get food while reading, reading these make me hungry too. I have to try those bites:)
The bites would make a nice reading snack :)
I find your approach to food choices refreshing while making it easier to understand and follow through. Nicely explained!
Thanks so much!
Well said, and I love when "nutrient-density" is promoted!!
Thanks! Definitely not as "flashy" as some of the fads out there, but gets at the heart of what eating is all about. Thanks for reading!
When and if my husband and I try to drop a few pounds or maintain our weight, he counts calories and continues to drink sweet drinks. I try to eat only nutrient dense mainly plant based whole foods. I tend to only gain when I eat too much processed food. He rarely has success as quickly as I do and it almost never lasts when he does. I think that your method not only makes sense for daily nutrition (and you presented it well), but it is also easier for dieting.
Thanks for sharing that "real world" example, and thanks for reading!
This was so well written and informative. I’ve heard your side of this argument from my dietician (I’m in Australia) and it’s refreshing but you worded it extremely well. Thanks for your continued value!
Thank you for taking a moment to let me know you enjoyed the piece!
Anytime!
Question about counting calories for endurance athletes (ie: runners) - does a bit of calorie counting help to make sure you don't under/over eat? I've found that doing either can wreak havoc on your training and general health and the "Calories in/calories out" approach does give you a simple framework to make sure you recover well (and again, don't over eat and gain weight as a lot of runners tend to do)
Definitely a great question for a sports dietitian! I think it is important to make sure athletes are fueling themselves appropriately - eating enough of the right kinds of foods - to provide the energy they need for performance and post-exercise repair. I'm a big fan of honoring hunger and the feeling of satisfaction (vs "full") as a guideline for when and how much to eat - think of it as a built-in mechanism to hep you decide how much to eat. But again, a sports dietitian will likely be able to add important specifics that are outside the scope of this blog.
Allison - thanks for this considered answer. Looking forward to your future posts!