Counting calories can be counterproductive

by Jacki Donaldson (Subscribe to Jacki Donaldson's posts)
Nov 3rd 2008 7:00AM

Categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements

Derail. You know the word. Let's face it, most of us working toward good health through diet and exercise have an intimate relationship with the word. Diet derailers are everywhere -- in your house, in the grocery store, at work, at play, in your head even. Here, we'll address the very things that throw us off course. Together, we'll learn how to avoid our diet traps -- and how to get back on track when we can't.

Restaurants in the state of New York are counting calories. Just check out New York menus and alongside the description of your favorite cheeseburger will be the lowdown on how many calories are packed into such a tasty treat. The View co-host Joy Behar doesn't like calorie counts on menus. She thinks we generally know what's good for us and what isn't. Who needs written proof, right? I wonder what she thinks about counting calories in general. Some think that if you're trying to lose weight, it's not such a good idea.

Our friends at Diet Blog think calorie counting is one of the worst diet derailers around. Why? Because research shows that low-calorie diets not only don't work, they actually make you fatter. Check out these eight consequences of calorie counting: A slowed-down metabolism, a net gain in percent body fat, loss of muscle mass, an increase in appetite and cravings, an obsession with food and cooking, depression, fatigue, and overall weight gain. I'm not too keen on these eight. How about you?

The experts at WebMD aren't fans of calorie counting either. They think it's too difficult to count accurately because nine out of 10 of us have no idea how many calories we even need. We also miscount, most of us underestimate the calories we consume, and we really have no accurate way of determining how many calories we burn while exercising. Why do we keep counting, then? Because it's what we've always done. Let's change things up. Let's stop counting calories and just make our calories count. Here's how we can get started.

Don't count calories, just eat smaller portions. Bigger portions have more calories. Eat smaller portions, then, and your calorie count goes down.
Don't count calories, just choose foods that use more calories. Some foods require more energy than others to digest and metabolize. Whole wheat bread, for example, takes longer to digest than bread made from refined flour. The difference may be small, but it adds up.
Don't count calories, just consume the right kind. Don't waste your calories on sweets, desserts, soft drinks, and alcohol. Use them on nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables instead.

Good tips. But isn't calorie counting sometimes good? I mean, don't we tell you to jot down your calories in a food journal and read food labels for calorie information? Yes we do -- because we believe that like eating certain foods in moderation, counting calories in moderation isn't all that bad. So here's the deal: Use calorie counting as a tool to get a grip on your diet and then put that tool away. Bring it back out when you get stuck, but don't rely on it for constant diet management. It's like stepping on the scale or throwing back some cupcakes, Sometimes enough is just simply -- enough. Check out these eight tips for managing your calories without counting them every step of the way.

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