Walk into any Starbucks nowadays and the menu board overloads you with information on the calorie count of all their items. 400 calories in one beverage. 350 calories in another. But what does a calorie even mean? Calories are defined as “amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water from 0 to 1 degree Celsius”. So it is used as a measurement of “energy” in our body.
Calorie counting is based on the concept of creating a calorie deficit, less goes in and more comes out. But this undermines the complexity of our bodies, it oversimplifies our physiology.
Ever see those 100-calorie snack packs of cookies or other sugary treats? We are told that eating these snacks is no problem because they’re only 100 calories. But all calories are not created equal. Those low-cal snacks are made with highly processed refined carbs that convert to fat in our bodies and leave us hungry again shortly after. Whereas a snack like nuts has a higher calorie count, but also a variety of macronutrients (fiber, protein, and healthy fats), which will supply you with a long digestion process and signaling to satiety hormones that will keep you full and energized longer. So yes, you may be eating more calories in a handful of nuts than a 100 cal snack pack, but the calories are better calories, which will put your metabolism in fat-burning mode instead of fat storing mode.
So why do we care so much about the calorie count?
Calorie counting is based on the concept of creating a calorie deficit, less goes in and more comes out. But this undermines the complexity of our bodies, it oversimplifies our physiology. Our body knows when it has not gotten enough of what it needs. Our hormones will signal to our body that we are not full, we are not satisfied, and will overcompensate for the loss by eating more later. When we eat less our body responds by slowing down our metabolism to allow for the body to regain what we lost, negating our effort. We are better off eating a healthy variety of foods, full of all the macronutrients, and allowing our bodies to do the work it wants to do.
So if eating less, smaller portions, and counting calories is not going to burn fat. What is?
- Eat the Key3: Clean protein, healthy fats, and fibers are key to weight loss.
- Avoid low fat or low calories claims – usually filled with extra sugar
- Always chose whole over processed foods regardless of the calorie count!
