Let me tell you a story about a girl. This girl was just beginning her life as a woman, as a dancer, and as a female plagued by the pressures of society's beauty standards. She'd read Teen Vogue and Seventeen and all she noticed was how thin and beautiful all of the models were. She'd go to school and realize that she was bigger than every other girl in her grade, and she was haunted by her chubby days. "Remember how fat you used to be?" her classmates would jest, her fake smile and laugh reverberating back as if by instinct. One day, she decided she was tired of it. She downloaded MyFitnessPal on her iPod Touch (the good old days) and thus, her obsession with calorie counting was born. She set unrealistic goals, pledging to lose 5 pounds in a week, striving to eat as little as possible. She'd go to dance for four hours with only an apple or a yogurt and a diet coke in her stomach. Every time she ate three full meals, she felt guilty and hated herself for "giving in" to her hunger. At one point, she kept a journal of what she wanted to look like: sickeningly thin, bones exposed, but to her, beautiful. This girl was me. The worst part? I was only twelve years old. Twelve. Luckily my unhealthy thoughts never turned incredibly serious, but too often they do. I stopped counting calories, and here's why you should too.�
1. It's Easy to Miscalculate
First of all, the 2000-calorie diet recommendation is incredibly generalized. This intake is only right for specific people-in fact, the real estimates for calorie consumption is nearly 2400 for women and 2700 for men. So from the start, you're miscalculating how much your body needs to sustain itself per day. Also, it's very difficult to count every single calorie that enters your body. Even if you stick with an app, those numbers will never be exactly accurate and you'll end up obsessing over something that isn't even in line with reality.
2. Healthy Intentions Can Fall to Obsession
When I first started losing weight, it was in an attempt to eat healthier and exercise more. All of my intentions were good, but they quickly gave way to obsessive behaviors. Once you start to see results, you never want to stop seeing those results. Loose calorie counting can give way to complete restriction and exercising can turn into hours on the elliptical. When you focus on the numbers, it's too easy to become obsessed and develop an unhealthy relationship with food.
3. Low-Cal Doesn't Mean Healthy
Often times, people associate low-calorie or low-fat with healthy. In fact, this is the opposite from true. Brands that advertise low-calorie foods try to sway the consumer into thinking that the two words are synonymous, when really the food you are buying is worse for you than something higher in calories would be. Processed foods are more harmful not only to your health but your weight-loss plan than natural, unprocessed foods that may be higher calorie. When you try to fit as many low-cal foods in as possible, you really just end up hurting yourself by feeding your body processed junk.
4. It's Not Realistic Long-Term
Calorie counting can be helpful in certain circumstances: if you're an athlete or using it on a very short-term basis. This behavior of restrictive dieting is difficult and should only be used if you really know what you're doing and have a realistic long-term plan. Weight maintenance cannot be supported by calorie-counting as it provides a basis for restriction rather than feeding your body the nutrients it really needs. Most times, those who stop dieting shortly gain all of the weight back afterwards. It isn't a solution for long-term health.
5. All Calories Aren't Created Equal
You could have one cup of oatmeal for 158 calories or you could have two cubes of cheese for 100 calories. Which one will sustain you longer? Oatmeal is full of complex carbs that will keep you full and give you energy for hours after, while the cheese cubes will provide you a quick burst of energy and some fats for the day, but they aren't even comparable. It doesn't matter how many calories you consume if they're all trash; filling your body up with processed, junk foods will not sustain you regardless of whether you met your calorie goal for the day or not. It just isn't realistic; your body needs real nutrients that it can't find in foods supported by calorie-counting.
This topic is something close to my heart as it's too common to see people fall to calorie-restrictive diets that spiral into something harmful. It's important to realize the potential dangers and try to address them before the fact. Bottom line: food is your friend! Feed your body with love and it will love you back: that means unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods and exercise. Health should be a lifestyle, not a chore. When you take steps to be a better you, you won't need to count the calories. Allow yourself to live without total restriction-your body and mind will thank you.
