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.
By doing this, we focus on how calories are absorbed and digested, and the quality of these calories. When we nourish our body with enough of the right calories, we change the hormonal and inflammatory landscape of our body, which unlocks the path to weight loss and energy.
Furthermore, all calories are not created equal. Even different types of carbs that provide the same amount of calories aren’t seen as the same by our bodies and metabolism. Take sugars for example. Glucose can be metabolized by all of our body’s tissues, whereas fructose can only be metabolized by the liver. The differences in these pathways affect our feeling of satiety, hormone release, blood sugar levels, and more! We explained this in the fructose blog last week. To read again click here
Those low-cal snacks are made with highly processed refined carbs that convert to fat in our body 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.
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 choose whole over processed foods regardless of the calorie count!
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