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Why You Should Stop Focusing ONLY on Calories

By Kim Ball

You are a smart person who just wants to know how to make good nutritional choices. You are also a hard-working consumer who is bombarded by diet information, nutritional products, and targeted marketing. And because of this, it is certain that you have heard a thing or two about calories. In fact, I'm sure you've heard that you must eat fewer calories in order to lose body fat.

Well, calorie counts only cover a small fraction of the big picture of nutrition. So it's time to understand that there is more to your nutritional plan than simply counting calories. Below are common mistakes that consumers make when it comes to calories.

Mistake #1: Thinking that all calories are equal

The idea of calories going in (via food) and calories being used (via activity) is the basis of energy balance. In order to maintain our body weight, we must balance our calories in and calories out. In order to lose weight, we must 'burn' more calories than we take in. Basic concept, right?

Well, this is not the only concept that should earn our focus. Simply because all calories are not created equal. The body responds differently to a calorie of protein than it does to a calorie of carbohydrate or fat. For example, protein calories require a lot of energy to digest. Therefore, when protein is eaten, metabolism is increased.

Also, the body has separate responses to different kinds of carbohydrate calories. As an example, if you ate 200 calories of broccoli (that's a lot of broccoli) versus 200 calories of ice cream, do you think that your body would react to these carbohydrates in the same way?

Different kinds of fat also cause the body to behave in various ways. Trans fat from muffins, doughnuts, and cake elicits a much different response than the unsaturated fats in fish, nuts and avocado.

The body also has hormones that respond to the composition of food. For example, the hormone insulin responds much differently to carbohydrates than it does to protein or fat. These hormones also behave differently depending on what time of day the calories are consumed. Specifically, carbohydrates are best tolerated in the 2-3 hours after exercise because insulin shoves the carbs straight into the muscle (instead of the fat cells).

So, do you still believe that all calories are equal?

Mistake #2: Only worrying about caloric content and not food quality

It's amazing to me how many people will justify their food choices based on calories. A large majority of people who are trying to cut calories often eat treats and processed snacks all day in place of nutritious foods. The rationale for their choice is that the treats/snacks have the same amount of calories as a healthier choice.

So be it. But the body doesn't care about numbers. It cares about food quality. It is concerned about extracting vital nutrients, vitamins, and minerals from the food you eat. And it isn't fooled by your attempt to feed it low quality, chemically-treated food. Treats and processed foods are empty calories. They have nothing to offer the body (other than extra material for fat storage). Natural, clean, whole foods are nutrient-rich and filled with the stuff your body needs. So, stop replacing what your body needs with those 'other' calories!

Mistake #3: Not eating enough calories (for fat loss)

By focusing solely on the calories in food, most health-conscious persons end up eating too few calories. And when the body doesn't receive enough calories, it reacts by lowering metabolism and simultaneously increasing hunger. 'So if my calories are minimal, I will actually burn less fuel, have less energy, and be hungrier'?? Unfortunately, yes. Progress will be slow, you will feel miserable, and failure to stick with the low calories will result in immediate weight gain.

So, what's the solution? If our goal is to shed fat, we still need to take in less calories than we burn. However, we can still have a calorie deficit when we eat more. How? By exercising more! By doing more activity. Why would we want to eat more and exercise more? To boost metabolism. To maintain muscle mass. To cause a constant flow of energy in the body throughout the day. And to give the body more nutrients with which to thrive.

Mistake #4: Eating your calories all at one time

We all know a few people that skip breakfast, eat a small lunch, refuse to make the time for nutritious snacks, and ultimately stuff themselves with a 5-course dinner. These people truly believe that they are doing wonders for their physique by depriving themselves of those evil little calories throughout the day. But this pattern is extremely destructive to one's health and waistline.

When eating very few calories throughout the day, the body protects itself by slowing the metabolism way down. If it's not receiving any calories, then it has no fuel to burn. Picture a campfire. If you fail to add wood to the flames, the fire will dwindle. The one distinction between a fire and a human body is that, while a fire can harmlessly burn out, the body needs to keep burning fuel in order to stay alive. If a person consistently deprives him/herself of fuel, then the body will begin offering up its own muscle as fuel.

So, if this person now has less muscle and a chronically slower metabolism, their 5-course dinner will not be digested very efficiently. In fact, most of it will be stored as fat. Also, it is very difficult to fit multiple servings of fruit, vegetables, lean protein, and fat into one or two daily meals. This person is not only quickly gaining fat, but he/she is most likely undernourished as well.

What's the fix? We need to eat more often throughout the day in order to maintain our lean muscle and to keep metabolism high. Meals should consist of smaller portions, contain a mix of veges, fruits, proteins, fats, and slow-burning carbs, and be spaced out every 2-4 hours.

Mistake #5: Focusing on calories burned only during exercise

The health industry has taught us to pay attention to the amount of calories we burn during an exercise. For this reason, longer spans of low intensity exercise are often viewed as optimal. You can sustain activity at this level and accumulate a lot of calories. However, lower intensity exercise doesn't burn any more calories after the exercise ends.

High intensity bouts of strength training and interval training will burn calories during and after exercise. In fact, the more intense the exercise, the longer you burn calories afterward.

To Wrap Up:

It's true that you need to watch your caloric intake. It's true that you will lose weight if you eat less calories than you burn. But what type of weight do you want to lose? If you want to lose muscle, go ahead and eat low-quality, 100-calorie packs of processed food, deprive your body of important nutrients and energy, and only exercise at a low intensity. You'll do a wonderful job of losing muscle and slowing your metabolism way down. Because of this, the little bit of fat you lost in the process won't stay off for long?

If you want to lose fat and maintain a high metabolism, eat more and exercise more. Eat more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats, and slow-burning carbs. (Healthy foods that come from natural sources don't usually have many calories anyway!) Space your calories out throughout the day. You'll have more energy for more activity. Make your exercise more intense! Maintain your muscle because muscle is what burns the fat.

About the Author:

Kim Ball is the owner and sole trainer of Deliberate Movement in Long Beach, California. She specializes in fat loss and spends much of her focus on correcting poor nutritional habits. She holds a masters degree in both exercise physiology and nutritional sciences. Sign up for her FREE monthly newsletter at www.deliberatemovement.com