The BIG Fat Calorie Counting Lie

I’m sure you’ve heard the calories-in vs. calories-out argument.

It goes something like this…

If you want to lose weight, all you need to do is create a calorie deficit. To do this, simply eat fewer calories than you burn each day.

I hear this all the time, even by many so-called health experts.

But this statement is not completely true. In fact, it neglects to mention a very important part of the weight loss process.

You see, it is vital that you take the source of the calories into account. No one can claim that the calories from a cheeseburger are equivalent to the calories from a bowl of fruit.

And yet, this common mantra persists.

As a side note, the proponents of the low fat diet make the same mistake, which is something I will address in another blog post.

For now, realize that a label with “low calorie” printed on it does not make any indication of health or nutritional quality. Many times, food manufacturers like to use these labels, as they know people will confuse them as a sign of health.

Not all calories are created equal

Various studies have shown that not all calories are alike. It is very important to know that the quality of the calories you eat will determine the number of calories that you burn.

This is because the calories that are digested have a major impact on the body’s metabolism. For example, calories from protein will increase your metabolism, leading to more fat burning potential.

Eat calories that increase your metabolism

Keep in mind – you want to eat calories that increase your metabolism, allow your body to burn calories efficiently and keep off the excess pounds. You should also look at foods that prevent a surge of blood sugar when digested (as this will avoid a spike in insulin – which leads to fat storage).

As such, the best foods in this regard (and coincidentally the most healthy) are healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, seeds and lean meats.

Certain calories slow your metabolism

As noted above, what you eat will affect your metabolism. Foods with a high glycemic index will eventually lead to a slower metabolism, meaning weight gain (the glycemic index measures the rate of digested food and how quickly it converts to glucose, before entering the bloodstream).

So, if you want to lose weight and burn fat from your body, you MUST remove processed foods, refined carbohydrates and sugars from your diet.

Doing this will ensure that the majority of your calories are from whole foods, which are nutritious and healthy. This will help to build a lean body and you will notice weight loss each week.

In summary, don’t fall into the calories in v calories out fallacy. In fact, you don’t really need to count calories at all if you simply eat whole, natural foods.