Calorie Counting: The Worst Way To Lose Weight; Here's Why

Is nutrition more essential than calories for weight loss? People are trying to shed weight without effort, and one of the simplest methods they practise is 'calorie counting'.

Written By: Tavishi Dogra | Updated : May 8, 2024 4:42 PM IST

Many people believe that calorie counting is the easiest way to lose weight, but it turns out that this method is less effective than it seems. According to Kashika Bhatia, a Clinical Nutritionist and Founder of Nutri Guide Clinic, calorie counting can cause people to focus too much on the number of calories they consume and forget about the nutritional value of the food they eat. This can lead to deficiencies in the body, hormonal imbalances, and a decrease in metabolism. Instead of calorie counting, the energy it needs to function correctly is better. Our body has more than a few calories. It is more than a metric system. It is a very complex system, working day and night non-stop without any breaks.

Here Are A Few Reasons:

People are trying to shed weight without effort, and calorie counting is one of the simplest methods.

When calorie counting, people tend to forget the nutritional value provided by the food: If let's suppose the focus is to take 500 calories in a meal, and somebody is craving a brownie, more often than not, they will indulge in a brownie instead of a healthy salad bowl holding equal calories. Little do they realize that the brownie will create havoc in their bodies and waste all their efforts to lose weight. A salad bowl will nourish their body and keep them energetic and satiated for longer.
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Calorie counting focuses on macronutrients and ignores micronutrients: Micronutrients keep you going. When you start losing focus on micronutrients, issues like bloating, constipation, dehydration, and water retention occur. If ignored, they will lead to compromised muscle and brain activity, leading to chronic fatigue, nausea, and migraine attacks.
Calorie counting leads to deficiencies in the body: When calorie counting, people want to lose weight faster than ever, in no time. So, they start portion control and extended cardio workouts for faster fat loss. This leads to mineral loss via sweat and urine and deficiencies, which disrupt day-to-day functioning and later lead to metabolic disorders. This further lowers the quality of your skin and hair as enough nourishment is not provided.
Calorie counting leads to hormonal imbalance: Hormones nourish the body and determine our mood, appetite, metabolism, and more. When we limit our food consumption, it elevates insulin, too. A chronic increase in these hormones leads to diabetes and thyroid problems.
Calorie counting lowers your metabolism: When we restrict food for longer, the body adapts to fewer calories and compromises other basal functions, leading to further fat storage. This further decreases the BMR (Basal metabolism Rate) and thus lowers your metabolism.