{"id":51220,"date":"2018-01-11T07:15:03","date_gmt":"2018-01-11T12:15:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=51220"},"modified":"2021-11-18T10:11:22","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T15:11:22","slug":"calorie-counting-weight-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/calorie-counting-weight-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Weight Loss Really As Easy As Calorie Counting?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"The
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When you\u2019re trying to lose weight<\/a>, it\u2019s easy to get sucked into counting calories. After all, that\u2019s what weight loss is all about, right? To some extent, that\u2019s true, says Keri Gans<\/a>, MS, RDN, author of The Small Change Diet<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

For example, if you usually consume 2,500 calories a day and then cut back to 1,600 calories, you\u2019re going to lose weight from that 900-calorie daily deficit \u2014 even if all you ate was potato chips. But you won\u2019t be healthy and you most likely won\u2019t be able to keep the pounds off.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, there\u2019s much more going on behind the scenes than simply calories in, calories out. Here\u2019s what you should know about the real role of nutrition in weight loss<\/a>, and what you can do to set yourself up for success.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>I\u2019m Exercising More \u2014 So Why Am I Gaining Weight?<\/a><\/p>\n

Calories: It\u2019s All About Quality Over Quantity<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re only focused on calorie counting, you could be missing the bigger picture. Sure, cutting back on how much you eat will lead to weight loss, but what\u2019s even more important than calories is the quality of the foods you\u2019re choosing, says Gans. Eating balanced, healthful meals<\/a> will not only ensure you\u2019re getting all the nutrients you need to improve your overall health status, but it will make your weight loss more sustainable.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t just look at a number on the scale when we think about weight loss,\u201d she advises.<\/p>\n

If you eat too few calories, or too many empty calories, you\u2019ll wind up feeling hungry all the time. And you’ll likely overeat more unhealthy foods later on, she says. Going back to the potato chip example, you could eat 160 calories of chips, but it won\u2019t hold you over. In an hour, you\u2019ll be hungry for another 160 calories, or even double that, because your \u201cmeal\u201d was lacking the variety, fiber and protein needed to keep you satisfied. Eating foods high in fiber, healthy fats<\/a> and lean protein<\/a>, such as eggs, grilled chicken, vegetables and fruit, nuts and seeds, avocados and olive oil, can keep hunger at bay and keep you fuller longer.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>The One Habit That Could Slash 1,400 Calories Per Week<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you had sat down at the beginning and had 300 calories of some whole grain bread, avocado, a little chicken<\/a>, now all of a sudden you have a well-balanced meal and you\u2019re not going to be hungry,\u201d says Gans. \u201cThose 300 calories are going to do a lot more for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calorie Counting Conundrum: You Can\u2019t Out-Run a Bad Diet<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If weight loss were as simple as calorie counting, you\u2019d be able to lose as much weight as calories you could rack up on the treadmill screen<\/a>. Unfortunately, no amount of exercise can make up for a poor diet, says Gans. It\u2019s common for people to hit a weight loss plateau or even gain weight if they continue to follow a bad diet, despite becoming more active.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re exercising all the time but eating like crap or eating too many calories, you\u2019re not going to lose weight,\u201d she says. In other words, how many calories you burn<\/a> in the gym is irrelevant if you’re overeating \u2014 or attempting to fuel with low-quality foods every day.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, while you can <\/em>lose weight by cutting calories and not exercising at all, Gans strongly advises against it. Not only would you miss out on all the health benefits of exercise, but activities like running, swimming and cycling are lifestyle factors that often make it easier to keep the pounds off. Plus, exercise helps boost your metabolism, especially strength training<\/a>. The more muscle mass you have, the more energy you\u2019ll have to burn calories even when you\u2019re just sitting down.<\/p>\n

In fact, one 2014 scientific review<\/a> found that diet plus exercise was more effective for weight loss than diet alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis tells us it\u2019s a lifestyle,\u201d says Gans. \u201cFor those individuals who lose weight and incorporate exercise, it\u2019s because they\u2019ve made a better lifestyle of taking care of themselves. And that\u2019s where you see the true success.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>6 Ways to Naturally Boost Your Metabolism<\/a><\/p>\n

Eat, Sleep, Train, Repeat: All in a Day’s Work<\/h3>\n

The three most important factors for weight loss are diet, exercise and sleep<\/a>, says Gans. If you can work on improving the quality of one of those factors in your life, you can create a chain reaction for improving the rest.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s almost like what came first, the chicken or the egg,\u201d she says. \u201cIf you sleep well and have more energy, it stands to reason that you would be more likely to go to the gym. Now you\u2019ve been going to the gym, you\u2019re working out better, which makes you want to eat better. And so the cycle continues.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>What 8 Busy Trainers Really Eat for Dinner<\/a><\/p>\n

When counseling patients, Gans stresses that even though what we put in our mouths is the most important thing for weight loss, if you\u2019re exhausted it will be a lot more difficult to choose a yogurt and a banana over a donut on the way to work. She also emphasizes the importance of planning and getting enough sleep. Be sure to get seven to eight hours of sleep<\/a> each night to help your body recover from the day, manage stress levels and improve your willpower so you reach for a kale salad instead of a burger a fries.<\/p>\n

\u201cYogurt and fruit could have more calories than a donut. But we know that the donut is probably going to make you hungrier, and now you\u2019re going to have a bigger lunch,\u201d says Gans. \u201cBut if you had that yogurt and fruit because you planned for it, you might have been able to control what you had for lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Originally published August 2016. Updated January 2018.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Read More<\/strong>
\nWant to Start Eating Clean? Avoid These 6 Common Mistakes<\/a>
\nThis Is How Many Calories You’re Burning During Exercise<\/a>
\nHow to Calculate Your BMR (And Why It Matters)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The secret to losing weight isn\u2019t just counting calories \u2014 it\u2019s also about eating wholesome foods that will keep the pounds off and your metabolism revving. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,18],"tags":[41,289,48,51,71,341,352,285],"class_list":["post-51220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-weight-loss","tag-diets","tag-exercise","tag-fasting","tag-food-choices","tag-nutrition","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2weight-loss","tag-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51220"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51220\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51220"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}