Why social media’s focus on counting calories misses the point

Recently, I was googling how many calories are in an apple. I don’t necessarily care, but apples are in season, so I’ve been consuming them with gusto (and using them in my favorite apple pie and apple crumble recipes). Since I’m constantly surprised by how filling one apple can be, I thought I’d research the nutritional value to satisfy my curiosity. The most important Google results varied, ranging from 95 calories to 104 calories to 116 calories per fruit. After examining more than 10 articles with varying nutritional standards, I simply gave up on getting a definitive answer.

For years, I’ve been a firm believer that weight loss and overall health are just a question Eat fewer calories What you burn. With last night’s internet research in mind, I realized it’s not that simple.

Counting calories is often considered an effective way to quantitatively measure your nutrition. Applications such as MyFitnessPal and sleep They built their brands around determining how many calories are in a Starbucks Grand Vanilla Latte (250) or the banana you had for breakfast (105) for the stated purpose of helping users lose weight or make changes to their body shape by maintaining a calorie deficit. But is counting calories really an effective practice?

As with many trends emerging in health and wellness, we need to critically evaluate both the promised benefits and the potential risks. Self-proclaimed health experts on social media sites like Instagram and TikTok say (in a tone that suggests “duh”) that weight loss is all about calories in and calories out. Depending on where you look, research can either reject or confirm the effectiveness of calorie counting. To find out the truth, I spoke to an expert, David Gaviriaa doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

What is calorie counting?

Calories express the nutritional value of a particular food or drink, but at its simplest, a calorie is a unit of energy. Calories are units of measurement used to describe the amount of energy expended per day (calories burned) or consumed. They are essential to keeping us alive and keeping our organs functioning. Calories provide the body with the fuel needed to function and move, whether that is breathing, running a mile, or digesting food.

It is true that in order to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you consume, and you can do this by changing eating habits and increasing exercise. For many on a weight loss journey, the practice of self-monitoring every calorie consumed and burned per day is an effective way to stay within a targeted number of calories to reach health or weight goals.

Calorie counting has become popular as a result of diet culture, Gaviria said. While some people, such as athletes, may need to rely on calorie counting to ensure they are consuming enough energy to fuel rigorous exercise schedules, this has mostly been to manipulate weight status.

“Counting calories is not normal,” Gaviria said. “We eat food, not calories. And yes, our bodies convert food into calories that they use to function daily, but it’s really just a quantitative way, or number, to help people stick to their diet or maintain their weight.”

What are the potential risks of counting calories?

Although tracking daily calories can be a tool for weight loss or to ensure your body is properly fueled, it is not a practice that is appropriate for everyone. For some, it has been linked to contributing to Eating disorders And disordered eating.

This does not mean counting calories I cannot They can be beneficial, but it depends on the individual – including their health history and emotional relationship with food and their body. Risks can arise when counting calories, so it’s important to be aware of the potential risks and warning signs to watch out for.

Accuracy is close to impossible

It is very difficult to accurately track the calories you eat. For starters, it’s difficult to know how many calories are in the food you eat. Although there are many online guides to calorie counts for foods, getting accurate numbers is still not easy. For example, if you’re looking at the calories in 1/2 cup of rice, that number will be different if the rice is cooked or uncooked. It’s even more difficult for fruits and vegetables. If there are 105 calories in a banana, how big is that banana? With so many different sizes, each will have a different amount of calories.

“You have to know exactly what the calorie content of the food you’re eating is, and it’s hard to do that without being more precise by weighing and measuring things,” Gaviria said. “Not to mention it’s very time consuming, it takes up a lot of brain space to say, ‘Okay, well, if I need to eat this meal, I only have 500 calories left, what meal can I build? Is it going to be 500 calories?’ “

Besides trying to guess the calories in a given portion size and planning your daily meals down to a specific number of calories, it can also be difficult to remember to track every calorie.

Many people forget to keep track of the oils or butter used in frying, the seasonings added to a sandwich or the dressing added to a salad. It’s easy to skip tracking full meals if you’re eating on the go. Even minor omissions can add up to 500 to 700 calories that weren’t accounted for.

Links to eating disorders and compulsive tracking

While many people safely use calorie counting, this practice has been linked to… Which leads to food restriction beyond what is healthy Or encouraging Disordered eating. Calorie tracking is certainly not recommended for individuals with a history of eating disorders and weight or body disorders, as it may exacerbate symptoms and encourage a negative relationship with food.

One study A 2017 study found that of 105 people diagnosed with an eating disorder, 75% revealed that they used an app (MyFitnessPal) to count calories, and 73% said they felt this app contributed to their eating disorder symptoms. Although not all calorie tracker users experience unhealthy side effects, there is research to suggest that it can lead to a restrictive, unbalanced diet or can be associated with higher levels of calorie intake. Eating disorder diseases.

“Some people think the research on tracking calories shows it can put people at risk for eating disorders or compulsive tracking, but there are some people who think the research shows it doesn’t,” Gaviria said. “I think it comes down to the individual and their own circumstances. People need to take some time with themselves to realize whether or not this is a good process for them. And if they start doing this, when do they realize it’s not a good process? A good process for them.”

When should a person stop counting calories?

Chances are that at some point, you may try counting calories either out of curiosity or to lose weight. If you decide to use calorie tracking regularly, Gaviria mentioned, it’s important to know when to stop.

Feeling guilty, ashamed, or anxious is a sign that tracking calories has become harmful and you should stop immediately. If you find yourself thinking about food a lot or worrying throughout the day about your future food choices and how they will fit into your allotted calories, you should consider stopping. If you feel compelled to track calories while cooking or eating, it may be a sign that you are a compulsive tracker.

The biggest indicator you need to stop tracking is if you’re asked to eat and the first thing that comes to mind is your calorie window, Gaviria said.

“If you start depriving yourself of social situations that you previously enjoyed because they won’t fit into your calories, that’s a really big sign that you should reconsider what you’re doing,” Gaviria said.

Symptoms can also appear physically, not just psychologically. Gaviria explained that if you suddenly lose your appetite during the day or lose your sense of hunger, it may be a sign that you are not listening to your body. Lack of energy, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, and cessation of menstruation are the main signs of stopping. Sometimes it’s easier to pick up on those physical signs before noticing what’s going on mentally.

Is there really a safe way to count calories?

Many find that counting calories is an effective way to maintain a calorie deficit and lose weight. CNET already has A guide to expert-backed ways to safely count calories If you choose to do so, however, it is important to remember that body weight and shape are not the only indicators of your health. In fact, there is Many other metrics that matter to your overall health of weight, including genetics, access to health care and mental health.

If you choose to track calories, you would be wise to understand that it is not your ultimate solution. Any changes in your body take time and patience. If you track safely, you’ll keep eating the foods you enjoy even if it means exceeding your calorie count — and you won’t feel ashamed. Instead of denying yourself, you can do this Pay attention to what you choose to eat.

“There are healthy ways to do this,” Gaviria said. “But I think the moral of the story is to use calorie tracking in moderation and still allow yourself to enjoy what’s important in life rather than avoiding things that are important to you just because of the calories.”

Remember, health doesn’t need to be complicated. A healthy and nutritious diet can be achieved by eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Lean proteins Drink water, be physically active, reduce stress, and get plenty of sunlight. These basic changes can make you feel healthier and you’ll start to notice a difference holistically.