The truth about counting calories

counting calories intuitive eating journaling macros sustainability weight loss weight watchers Sep 23, 2019

A lot of people suggest counting in some form or another.

Whether it's calories, points, or macros...

Here's the thing, if you think counting calories is something you will enjoy doing for the rest of your life, then by all means, count away.

What you do now to maintain your health and your weight it should be enjoyable and sustainable for life.

Does counting sound appealing to you? Do you think you'll be able to keep it up long term? Will it be easy to do in many different situations?

If the answer is "no", then look for another tool to help you maintain for the rest of your life.

I suggest you try two things:

Listening to your body! Your stomach is always speaking to you, you're just not used to listening. Tune in, it knows when you've had enough. It also know exactly which foods it likes and which it doesn't like.
Journaling. Counting can bring some awareness to what goes in your mouth, but it misses a big piece of the picture, the emotional side. Journaling can not only help you see what you're eating (you can't leave anything off!), but it can help you see the thoughts that led to you eating what you did. If you are new to this, write down what you ate and then ask yourself "what was I thinking when I ate that". Write all of those thoughts down and then take a look. Which thoughts are helpful, and which are harmful?

If you are currently counting anything, I would love to hear how it has gone for you so far! Helpful? Annoying? Great? Tell me in the comments!