There are many clients that don’t want to track their food and calorie count , and some do and it can all work, but why?. And even certain diets now claim that calories don’t even matter in terms of weight loss, so where is the confusion coming from. what are calories ?!
What are calories ?
So the actual definition of calories is the amount of energy required to raise the temp of 1g of water by 1 degree Celsius. so essentially, calories are a unit that we can measure, from the energy that food and drink give us. (kcals)
When you look at the back of food, on the food labels, the energy (calories) is written and shown in kilocalories (kcals). ‘kilocalories’ and ‘calories’ are the same.
Our bodies require energy for literally everything we do in life. Not just exercising, digestion, walking, fidgeting, thinking , breathing , we need energy for it all.
Calories have nothing to do with health.
calorie amounts show nothing about the nutrient density within a food. so even if you had a burger for 400 calories or a buddha bowl for 400 calories, whilst the same calories are in each food the buddha bowl will likely benefit our bodies much more because it has more nutrient value to it, the nutrient value and the effect it has on our bodies, mind, composition (body fat > muscle mass) is very different. (not jus from one sitting I might add)
our bodies need specific nutrients to function optimally, whether that’s day to day or training, or trying to change your physique. Micronutrients stand for the nutrients, vitamins minerals that we need in diet and macro nutrients stand for carbohydrates fats and proteins that we need in our diet.
Calories in vs calories out.
this IS the bulk of it. however there is also a lot that can come into play to make it just a little more complicated.
1 – our bodies change all the time and our energy needs will change, around menstruation, its been shown women can increase their metabolic rate by 20% during the luteal phase of their cycle. Genetics,sleep routine, body composition, illness, medication can all play a role in our metabolic health. Our bodies change and adapt, we are not robots.
2. Absorption of foods can vary. The way that our bodies digest food can vary from person to person too. For example, protein uses up to five times more energy to digest compared to carbs and fats, which is significant. considering digestion uses calories to digest calories. Digestion alone stands for about 10% of our daily calorie expenditure.
3. Incorrect packaging. sometimes companies can over shoot or undershoot by around 20% which can make it difficult to be 100%.
SO WHAT DO I DO ?!
1 – calorie counting can be a great way to understand general amounts of what you’re having give or take a few. Ive found so much success from calorie counting with clients and myself, but we always adjust quality of food alongside this, by adding more veggies, starchy carbs like potato, adding more lean protein sources and taking away processed food. But not taking away everything processed, because thats part of life !
2 – calories don’t show the nutrient density, so just because you’re in a calorie deficit doesnt mean your body in functioning optimally. This can then reflect negatively in anyone wanting to make physique changes, poor digestion, lathery, sleep disruption, bloating etc the list goes on. Quality of diet plays a massive role in regards to Weightloss, but also mood, body function, cognitive function, hunger signals etc.
3 – So yes to lose weight and body fat, taking in less energy (calories) than you burn is the way our body will use body fat as energy. so YES calorie counting will make sure you’re doing this. Just make sure 80% of the time its of good quality!
Jas x
instagram – jasssimmons.pt
