Calorie Counting
Is it slowing you down?

Too many people are caught up in the notion that getting the "right number" of calories per day is all they need to lose weight.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that calorie counting isn't important, it's just that it isn't the most important thing for losing weight.

Chances are that you know people who are overweight that do not eat much. You probably also know people who are skinny that are constantly over-eating. If losing weight were a simple matter of calories this wouldn't be the case, but the truth is that there are several factors involved in the weight loss process.

First and foremost, if you want to lose weight fast then you need to change your focus from counting calories to eating the right calories. Eating 500 calories of the wrong food isn't the same as eating 500 calories of the right food.

Have you ever noticed that people are obsessed with fat calories in particular?

I could stick fifty different foods together and ask them what food they thought was the healthiest. They would inevitably pick the one with the fewest fat calories.

It's the same with people who believe that fruit is bad because of all the sugar. What they don't understand is that the sugar in fruit is far superior to the standard, empty calorie, refined sugar you purchase at the store. Some fruits are also known to have a negative calorie impact on your weight loss.

Secondly, caloric intake does not influence everyone the same. If you were placed on the exact same eating plan (same amount of calories, same food) as another individual trying to lose weight, you would not lose weight the same. People have different calorie needs when it comes to losing weight.

Do to factors such as activity level, stress level and genetics, people lose weight at different rates and the weight comes off easier in different areas of their body.

Calorie counting can also have a negative impact on individuals trying to lose weight...

Exercise, as you know, can be a very important factor in weight loss. You can greatly increase the rate at which you lose weight through the proper physical activity. However, exercise can also negatively impact your weight loss if you are not eating enough of the right calories.

I know individuals who are incredibly active and yet overweight. They exercise many times a week without any weight loss results.

What is happening to them?

The same thing that happens to a fire when you stop putting on the wood, the flame goes out...

Your body needs healthy calories to burn calories. If you are calorie counting to the point of calorie restriction your weight loss will be negatively impacted.

On the flip side; if you are getting enough calories, but they are from things like sweets, red meat, liquor, beer and other junk food, your weight loss will also be negatively impacted.

Calorie counting just isn't the most important thing when it comes to weight loss. The bottom line; don't drive yourself crazy calorie counting, your time is better spent focusing on eating the right calories.

Calories in vegetables
A list of the amount of calories in different vegetables.