Is counting calories stupid?

[Anonymous]

[Leapfrog00]

No, it's not. I have diabetes and I have to count carbs for my insulin. Some people have to count calories for health reasons. I see what this guy is saying, and it makes sense, but this won't work for everyone, especially people who rely on counting calories or carbs to stay alive.

I think most people don't think about this because their life doesn't usually depend on it. I had a friend in foster care that had type 1 diabetes and if she didn't keep track of both her carbs and calories, she would end up hospitalized, and almost died on more than one occasion.

Everyone's bodies are different though, and for some people, they have no need to count them. There's a lot of factors that depend on how the body processes them. Exercises, eating regularly and not skipping meals is usually good enough and will keep a person healthy, and prevent them from becoming overweight, but some people gain weight period, no matter what they do.

So, this may work for some, but not all.

[D_Bone_Steak]

I think people overthink it. Just look at animals and what they eat. Want to be hardcore and look like a Lion... eat like them. Animals like the Gorillas are an exception because they have special enzymes and shit that turn all that plant matter into protein. I say look at a horse, a cow, and other plant-eating beasts... beer guts. Go to carb heaven if you want a beer gut.

That's just my take on it, and I'm just going to put my nuts on someone's face if they think they know better than me.

I'm fun at birthday parties.

[jennifer_bloom]

I think that depends on your body type and physical fitness. My doctor eats a very low calorie diet but he's been doing that for decades and he can handle a low calorie diet without feeling hungry. I know other people who don't need to care about calories cause their metabolism is very high, they will eat over 8000 calories in one day and still look like a 100 pound fashion model. It depends on age and body chemistry and overall health, there are people who expend so many calories thinking and doing brain work they look like they are starving if they don't boost their food intake. There are others who can gain 10 pounds in two months from eating an extra meal a day.

[Screenwriter]

I think the point is it's time consuming and a headache.

But KNOWING calorie counts of the foods you consume and their general percentages of nutrients, carbs and protein and vitamins, is essential. All you need is a reference book and a bit of study and common sense.

Everyone knows deep fried anything should be rare. Just as too much sugar should be. And preserved, fake foods should be avoided. Fresh and home cooked are best.

You use this information to have a viable, balanced diet and manage your weight. But you do need to learn about calorie and nutrition counts and refer to a tome when you don't know.

[Sonorous]

I don't think it is. But I take a smart approach to it. I count my calories everyday but I don't always restrict what I eat. And if I do, I compensate for it with something nutrient dense or satiating. It's good for me to count that way I can subtly adjust my eating if I start to lose weight. I gain weight very easily when I'm not very active with cardio.

These videos are great examples of my viewpoint on it:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/2bv9kB7yvjQ

Skip to 4:40 :

https://www.youtube.com/embed/roHQ3F7d9YQ

[Sonorous]

that way I can subtly adjust my eating if I start to gain* weight.

[Jonnyanalog]

Yes it’s important. If you don’t take in enough calories and are expecting to see gains you won’t. For me it helps me stay accountable to achieve my goals. Do I fail from time to time? Absolutely. Im in a stage of my life where I am finding it hard to eat enough during the day. Before this I had a good routine and packed on the muscle. This season I’m going through right now is rough and chaotic so it’s been hard to maintain let alone gain muscle. It sucks and I’m trying. The key is consistency if you want to make solid gains or loose weight.

[Fireguy17]

If you just count calories then yes.

You also need to cut down on bad carbs, more protein, eat healthier.

[RyanK9b]

I dont know bc atm it absolutely helps me.

[Asker]

From what I've researched it's just a short term effect. You starve your body from calories and you are losing lean muscle mass which helps your metabolism and after a few months you start regaining weight, back because the diet was not sustainable.

Restrictive diets are not sustainable and you have to switch to a Mediterranean lifestyle eating or something. That's just what I learned about it. You need to eat good calories it doesn't matter if you eat less calories if it's less of sugary cookie or snack you're body is still unhealthy and your metabolism will stay the same. all calories are not created equally.

It's better to switch to a better lifestyle than do restrictive diets long term because you'll just end up giving up and going back to old habits once the results slow down. I am not an expert or a doctor so I am not sure. But if it works for you I guess it's fine. Again not saying not to do.

[RyanK9b]

Oh i thought thats obvious. Good healthy food with less bad fat aka omega 6 and more omega 3. Also a cheat meal once a week.

[DomeVélez]

I don’t count my calories but I don’t find it stupid