CALORIE COUNTING
STEP 1- UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE OF CALORIE COUNTING
As previously mentioned, when it comes to weight management there are two elements to the process- psychology and science, and in this section we discuss the scientific principle of weight loss, which is energy balance based on the law of conservation of energy which is put into measurable terms by
the CICO (Calories In, Calories Out) model.
This weight management model states that weight loss occurs when you burn more calories (Out) than you consume (In).
The CICO model is science-backed and is the foundational core of ALL diet plans such as the ketogenic, Paleo, Mediterranean, Slimming World, SlimFast, Weight Watchers or intermittent fasting.
Each may have devised their own delivery format with their own different rules (e.g., restricting food groups, timing meals, points systems) but each format is based on the CICO model, meaning they all explicitly reduce overall calorie intake for weight management, but I personally feel that this can often overcomplicate the process, and it also applies restrictions and rules to food which often leads to a deprivation mindset.
And as a nutritional therapist and weight management specialist (as well as a formal serial dieter) I have studied and trialled countless formats of the CICO model, and have found that the most effective is in fact calorie counting in a calorie deficit because of its simplicity, and it's ability to
teach portion control, raise awareness of hidden calories in drinks, snacks, and large portions, and teaching about the energy density of different foods. It also is proven to help with motivation, due to being able to see progress in measurable data.
For me personally, implementing the practice of calorie counting into my weight management strategy was a huge eye-opener. It made me realise how many hidden calories I was eating, and how many calories I was mindlessly eating AND drinking. It was like a re-education of nutrition and weight loss for me, but the primary appeal for me was its straightforward logic and the flexibility, meaning no food groups were strictly forbidden, teaching me mindfulness and balance. And as a result of those learnings I was eventually able to understand portion control and nutritional balance to the point that I know longer needed to calorie count at all as I had learnt visual cues to control portions by eye, and along with all of the other steps I took to transform my relationship with food and rewire my brain, after a year of calorie counting I was actually able to develop the ability to eat intuitively, which meant instead of counting calories and tracking foods I instead ate in a way that honoured my body's natural hunger, fullness, and satisfaction cues, as they had all been reinstated again and my appetite had regulated itself meaning I could trust my internal signals for making food choices which has given me so much mental freedom and peace.
So make no mistake, I'm not expecting you to count calories for the rest of your life, because whilst I do feel like calorie counting is a powerful and effective tool for weight management, I also believe it should be a stepping stone and not a lifelong practice.
Fundamentally the lifelong goal should actually be for you to prioritise food differently so that you learn to eat to live, and not live to eat. Because believe when I say, it is exhausting and distracting to spend so much time and mental energy thinking about food (chronic food noise).
Food should never be a sole life focus, and with all of the elements of this system you will rewire your brain to learn that and along with the nutritional lessons you learn from calorie counting you too will develop the ability to eventually transition to eating intuitively and break free from living such a 'food-focused' life,
It is an individual process, and only you will know when the time is right to do this, but the goal of this system is to ensure that the time does and will come for you when you are ready and confident within the changes that you have made, and your ability to listen to your body.
STEP 2- UNDERSTANDING YOUR PERSONAL CALORIE ALLOWANCE AND HOW TO USE THEM
YOUR ALLOWANCE-
On signing up for this system you were allocated your personal calorie allowance which was calculated based upon your unique body metrics (age, sex, weight, height) and activity level.
Now I often face confusion, fear and resistance when most people first hear what their calorie allowance is, feeling it is too high. And this is a direct consequence of being brainwashed for years by the diet industry into believing that restrictive eating and extreme dieting is the key to weight loss, when in fact it is a key factor in habitual weight-cycling.
And so this is where I have to just be brutally honest about scientific weight loss facts, and explain that the reality is that if you are needing to lose weight then you clearly have a larger body, and larger bodies scientifically require more calories to lose weight than smaller bodies, and this is due to the fact that they have larger organs, higher blood volume, more tissue (especially fatty tissue) and more fat which causes metabolic compensation. This means larger bodies require more energy (calories) just to function (Basal Metabolic Rate) and move around, never mind to also burn fat. And so to to create the deficit your body needs to function properly and burn fat, the percentage drop in calories might be similar to a smaller persons, but the number of calories wouldn't be.
And although eating less calories than your body needs may lead to an initial loss, in the long-term it will actually preventing and block success due to the metabolic and hormonal adaptations and physiological responses that occur as a result of eating below your calorie needs as it activates your body’s survival mechanisms, meaning your body begins to use its fat stores as a primary energy source and muscle and skeletal tissue as secondary energy sources, which slows your metabolism down and prevents your fat burning system to work efficiently, which causes issues with long-term maintenance.
Not only that, but when your body is deprived of nutrients it may begin to prioritise essential bodily functions, like breathing and heart rate, and slow down nonessential bodily processes, such as:
* Hair and nail growth: Your hair and nails may become brittle.
* Immunity: Your immune system may have a harder time fighting infection and illness.
* Digestion and hunger regulation: You may experience irregular or intensified hunger, recurring bloating, or stomach discomfort.
* Reproductive health: Your menstrual cycle may change or stop.
* Skin health: You may experience improper or delayed wound healing or premature aging.
* Bone health: Your bones may become weakened.
Causing you to look and feel anything but healthy.
It's also a sure fire way to "fall off the wagon" as it can lead to uncontrollable hunger, mood swings, and overeating, which often ends in regret and shame.
So please understand that the calorie allowance that you have been allocated is the correct amount of calories for your personal weight loss needs, and refrain from cutting them further until your eight week calorie review where they may be adjusted depending on your progress so far.
HOW TO USE USE YOUR ALLOWANCE- You would have been given your calorie allowance calculation in two formats- daily and weekly, and it is down to your own individual preference which format you choose and prefer.
DAILY- your calories have been calculated equally on a daily basis. Each day your calorie allowance allowance When it comes to using your calorie allowance there are two ways in which you can use them, and each one is purely down to your
STEP 3- CHOOSE DAILY OR WEEKLY CALORIE GOALS
When allocated your calorie allowance you were given it in two formats- daily and weekly. It is down to you to choose which format you prefer as both have their own benefits.
To demonstrate the fact that these eating behaviours are associated with discomfort and not comfort I’d like you to take 10 minutes to complete this task-
Find a place where you can be alone and quiet and listen to this audio-
to just take a moment to close your eyes and in your mind’s eye scan your entire body in its current physical form. Consider how your body feels when you have to move more than normal. If you’re able to, consider how your body and joints feel when you have to climb stairs, walk long distances, climb in and out of a bath or car.
If you’re disabled consider how your body feels when you have to move in ways to support and care for yourself.
Now consider looking into a full length mirror for a period of time observing your naked body, or entering a big room where everyone present turns to look at you.
Do any of those above scenarios make you feel comfortable in any way? I’m willing to guess from experience that they don’t. And the root cause of that uncomfortableness is your weight, and your weight is an issue because of your eating habits.
But not only that, when you have unhealthy eating habits/behaviours at play you’ll be experiencing feelings of guilt, regret and at times disgust too at the eating episodes you experience, which only adds to and intensifies the original issues that triggered the eating episode in the first place, perpetuating the cycle of “feel bad → eat → feel emotional and physical discomfort”, but calling it ‘comfort eating’ to mask and disassociate from those feelings is only prolonging them, because it doesn’t matter how much you try to lessen it’s true nature by dressing it up in a justifiable and more reassuring package such as “comfort eating”, the reality is that it is actually a form of non-suicidal self-harm, and accepting that fact moving forward will make you far more consciously aware of your inclinations to engage in acts of disordered and unhealthy eating, as it’s a stark and hard act to inflict on yourself, so you’ll be far more mindful of your triggers and choices with that acceptance in place.
Or if you’re unable to listen to an audio, follow these instructions-
Take a moment to close your eyes and in your mind’s eye scan your entire body in its current physical form. Consider how your body feels when you have to move more than normal. If you’re able to, consider how your body and joints feel when you have to climb stairs, walk long distances, climb in and out of a bath or car.
If you’re disabled consider how your body feels when you have to move in ways to support and care for yourself.
Now consider looking into a full length mirror for a period of time observing your naked body, or entering a big room where everyone present turns to look at you.
Do any of those above scenarios make you feel comfortable in any way? I’m willing to guess from experience that they don’t. And the root cause of that uncomfortableness is your weight, and your weight is an issue because of your eating habits.
Now open your eyes-
I want you to now also recognise that when you have unhealthy eating habits/behaviours at play you’ll be experiencing feelings of guilt, regret and at times disgust too at the eating episodes you experience, which only adds to and intensifies the original issues that triggered the eating episode in the first place, perpetuating the cycle of “feel bad → eat → feel emotional and physical discomfort”, but calling it ‘comfort eating’ to mask and disassociate from those feelings is only prolonging them, because it doesn’t matter how much you try to lessen it’s true nature by dressing it up in a justifiable and more reassuring package such as “comfort eating”, the reality is that it is actually a form of non-suicidal self-harm, and accepting that fact moving forward will make you far more consciously aware of your inclinations to engage in acts of disordered and unhealthy eating, as it’s a stark and hard act to inflict on yourself, so you’ll be far more mindful of your triggers and choices with that acceptance in place.
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