Why are people still counting calories when it doesn’t work

[Ifyoubelieveyouwill]

Just that really. I don’t understand why people are still counting calories when the science shows it doesn’t work and makes you gain more weight in the long term. As a 20 year yo-yo dieter I’m proof calorie counting leads to obesity over time.

Now the scientific evidence is conclusive that it’s the nutritional quality of food that matters for weight loss. Not the calories in/ calories out equation. I wonder why diets like WW and Noom are still so popular.

Have people just missed the memo? Not being goady, I’m just wondering whether people feel the short term weight loss is worth it.

@maxelly interesting thoughts there and I totally agree with all of it. I certainly don’t know best and I’m not advising anyone to do anything.

The science in the last 5 years is so convincing that our nutritional guidelines are wrong and that calorie counting is counter productive in the long term for many. I expect it does work for those with an iron will. But for many like me, it’s a road to yo-yo dieting.

Well calories consumed versus calories burned off is definitely relevant. You can’t eat more than you burn and expect to lose weight- that’s just basic science!

But yes you can eat your calories in a healthier way, just like some fats are healthier than others. I think most people understand that. Portion control is still important though - and that’s also calorie control really isn’t it?

Yo yo dieting leads to weight gain.

Calorie counting leads to weight loss.

@Vanishun

For the vast, vast majority of human beings, eating less than they burn off will make them lose weight. Counting calories is a means to making sure this is done safely.

Well that’s true, but you don’t have any control over how much you burn off, do you, as your body compensated for low calorie days by burning off less

Calorie counting does work. DD1 was only 37kg in January - she had chronically consumed less calories than she needed. She was put on a high (3000) calorie plan and she has gained just short of 15kg in 4 months.

@GintyMcGinty yep definitely! I just think calorie counting leads to yo-yo dieting for many, because it’s really difficult to sustain and can make you become obsessed with food intake.

@GintyMcGinty

Yo yo dieting leads to weight gain.

Calorie counting leads to weight loss.

This. OP it's not the type of food or the calorie content per se that's leading to your inability to keep the weight off - it's because you have the diet mentality. You go on a diet, lose they weight. And think hurray goal achieved and promptly come off the diet!

Change your eating patterns FOR LIFE. Not just a few weeks/months. Work out what sort of diet is sustainable for you to eat for the rest of your life.

You tell yourself that if you want but food is fuel. If you take in less of it that your body requires for its functions, you will lose weight.

I'm in my mid-40s and in the healthy BMI range. When I feel that I have put on a few pounds I calorie count to get back to my happy weight. I've done this for the past 15 years without issue.

I calorie count, as do most sports people, in season this enables me to tweak my weight, as it does out of season. Simple system that works very well.

Yo-yo dieting isn’t successfully counting calories, it’s having too few and then too many calories. Intaking the right amount of calories for the weight you want to be and sticking to it FOREVER is how you count calories.

@OneofPansPeople yes that’s a good point! They do tend to have diarrhoea and are probably not digesting the calories

It’s interesting that most people on this thread still think calories in/calories out is key. I used to think this way too, but feel it’s a simplistic way of looking at weight loss/gain now.

Travelling to other countries which don’t have easy access to Western foods and seeing people eating portions of healthy food, they just don’t have the obesity problem we have. That seems key to me. Not whether we consume fat. But whether we consume processed foods and sugar, rather than calories

[quote Ifyoubelieveyouwill]@OneofPansPeople yes that’s a good point! They do tend to have diarrhoea and are probably not digesting the calories

It’s interesting that most people on this thread still think calories in/calories out is key. I used to think this way too, but feel it’s a simplistic way of looking at weight loss/gain now.

Travelling to other countries which don’t have easy access to Western foods and seeing people eating portions of healthy food, they just don’t have the obesity problem we have. That seems key to me. Not whether we consume fat. But whether we consume processed foods and sugar, rather than calories[/quote]
Those people will be eating less calorific portions.

[quote Ifyoubelieveyouwill]**@Macromum* and @OneofPansPeople* I’m in awe if you can sustain that long term and wonder what your secret is! I know it’s not due to a lack of willpower for me, just eating the wrong foods.

The science shows that people who diet by counting calories end up putting on more weight long term.

Interested to hear from lots of you who experience otherwise, as I’ve been baffled as to why people are still counting calories knowing what we do now about nutritional science.

I don’t think I know anyone who diets who has kept the weight off long term.[/quote]
The science doesn't show that really. The studies are flawed and inconsistent.

@titchy yep that’s my point exactly!

@Ifyoubelieveyouwill

If calories = weight gain, then chronic alcoholics would be morbidly obese. But they tend not to be.

So not all calories are equal. That’s an oversimplification

Chronic alcoholics tend to eat less food

I'm not sure i'm following your logic.

Eating better foods will naturally lead to fewer calories being consumed. Processed food often have higher calories per gram.

I've massively reduced portion sizes lately. I eat all the same meals I used to, but I eat around half of what I would have before, and instead fill the space on the plate with an appetising salad or vegetables. Not only will I be getting better nutrition, but my calories are down a lot while still eating the way I did before, which was mostly cooked from scratch but over generous portions.

I agree @Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep I think there is a lot more to discover and we need more funding for studies

How else would you lose weight without reducing calories and counting them?

I’ve lost 3 stone this year by calorie counting and upping my exercise. I have tried slimming world and WW but both lead to me binge eating and gaining horrendous amounts of weight back on. Calorie counting seems to work best for my life.

[quote Ifyoubelieveyouwill]@OneofPansPeople yes that’s a good point! They do tend to have diarrhoea and are probably not digesting the calories

It’s interesting that most people on this thread still think calories in/calories out is key. I used to think this way too, but feel it’s a simplistic way of looking at weight loss/gain now.

Travelling to other countries which don’t have easy access to Western foods and seeing people eating portions of healthy food, they just don’t have the obesity problem we have. That seems key to me. Not whether we consume fat. But whether we consume processed foods and sugar, rather than calories[/quote]
Processed, high sugar, high fat food is full of calories
I really think you're confused about the point you're making

@MrsTophamHat yep that’s exactly my logic. Changing the foods you eat will keep you full, not lead to over eating and will contain less calories. It’s about what you eat, not the calories (I could eat all my calories in carbs and still be hungry)

[quote Ifyoubelieveyouwill]@titchy yep that’s my point exactly![/quote]
So your point is that it's easier to eat high calorie food than lower calorie therefore calorie counting doesn't work??
You're not making sense

Yes if you don’t have access to processed foods you are more likely to be a healthy weight. This is because processed foods have been designed to make us eat more and more. It’s easy to consume too many calories. The unhealthy western dietary environment makes it very very easy for people to become over weight by presenting them with cheap foods that are designed to be eaten to excess. That means too many calories.

@Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep nope, not confused at all. Processed food cause weight gain. Avoid it and you will probably lose weight

@Angelica789 yep that’s exactly what I mean

Your alcoholic analogy is flawed.

Alcoholics tend to drink their calories instead of eating them. They also experience malabsorption and are more likely to smoke which suppresses the appetite.