I would like to start by saying I understand some people are triggered by calories. There was a time in my life where I struggled with anorexic tendencies and calorie-counting consumed me. So if you are currently in a situation that is made worse by calorie discussion, don't read this and continue working with your doctor, therapist, or any healthcare professional. This is not meant to shame those people.
This is for the other end of the spectrum. The people that are searching online and trying to kickstart a health journey, trying to lose weight, trying to gain weight, trying to create a new workout routine, etc. And as you look for more information, you probably see a lot of this:
There's an online figure that you look up to. It could be a trainer, an athlete, a celebrity, an influencer. You see that he/she is asked the question, "how many calories do you eat in a day?" Sometimes the answer starts with a disclaimer such as "my calories will look very different from yours because our bodies are different, so keep that in mind!" and that's amazing. But then you see the other common answer:
"I don't track calories or macros. I eat intuitively. I listen to my body."
Sounds great! Wouldn't that be a dreamy situation to be in?
In my own story, this happened to me. I reached my "weight loss goal" and decided to try maintaining my weight while increasing the intensity of my workouts. I figured I'd try "eating intuitively" and just eat when I was hungry and stop when I was full.
I thought it was going well; for a few weeks I felt comfortable with my food intake and didn't feel overly full or hungry. I thought I was listening to my body's cues.
But about three-four weeks in, I checked in with my weight...and proceeded to freak out. I had lost more weight and couldn't really afford to lose that. At that point, my roommates were also tentatively inquiring if I was okay.
I reevaluated everything I was doing. I finally discovered how to calculate my BMR (the minimum estimated calories that my body needs to survive, let alone work out and do anything else). From there, I did more research on weight training; I knew beforehand how much I was roughly burning in my sessions, but failed to understand that weight training burns more calories OVERALL; throughout the day after weight lifting, your muscles are repairing and burning a higher amount throughout the day. I then factored in my new high-demand job.
Long story short, I was severely undereating...accidentally. Even beyond that, I was not having enough protein.
This is an example of why intuitively eating might not work for some people: because we need to make sure we're eating ENOUGH to meet the demand of our training and day-to-day life. I genuinely thought I was listening to my body up until that point.
But of course there's the other side: weight loss. In a perfect world, we would set out to lose weight and have a balance of generally eating well while allowing treats in moderation. That is the goal and it IS achievable. But depending on where you're starting and what your background is, this might not be possible right away.
I'll use binge-eating disorders here. There might be an individual that is recovering from binge eating and working on portion control. Maybe, in the early stages of that person's journey, he/she can't just "have one treat" without triggering a dangerous episode. Other people can maybe have a cookie, but telling the individual to "just have the cookie, it won't kill you" is not helpful. There might be deeper work he/she is doing personally to heal the relationship with food from a mental place.
This is also relative to those that never struggled with an eating disorder, but are simply wanting to manage weight and health. What if we go by the mantra of "listening to our body" but our cravings are convincing us to eat sweets until feeling sick? Or what if our mindset gets in the way and convinces us that we don't need to eat all day?
Maybe all of this seems obvious to you, but I'm getting frustrated with the trend of "listen to your body." I used to preach that mentality because I want to be there! There was a time where eating intuitively maybe worked, but different seasons in life require different plans of action. Even now, I am working towards building muscle, which requires a different intake of calories/macros. So I am back to tracking. With that, I even had a friend ask "why are you trying to lose weight?" when I am working on GAINING. I'm also working on increasing my protein intake; for my body, I need to be eating 65-108g protein per day. I know for a fact that I've let that slip through the cracks.
And for people losing weight, it's important to not drop into an extreme caloric deficit because we don't want that person to hurt their body's natural functions as they adjust.
At the end of the day, a calorie is a unit of measure; specifically, it is a unit of energy. We need calories to survive, and we need a proper balance of macros. Calories are NOT the main key, but they are a piece of the puzzle.
I understand that tracking will not work for everyone. But I'm really sick of this "all or nothing" outlook: either eat intuitively or you are in an unhealthy place. I think that is so damaging. While everyone is in an entirely different situation, counting calories/macros should not be automatically categorized as restrictive. Some people cannot simply listen to body cues when starting out, and THAT IS OKAY. Maybe you need to track for a while until you have a better understanding of what you need. Maybe you did track at one point and feel that you want to re-evaluate your goals. Maybe you have been tracking for years and you're ready to stop. I just want you to know that the best plan is the one that uplifts you, doesn't leave you feeling restricted, doesn't cause stress, and EMPOWERS you.
Be careful with comparison online. Your journey is YOURS and nobody else's. Your health is between you and your doctor/therapist/healthcare professional. There's nothing wrong with finding inspiration from other sources, but remember to fact-check and separate your path from other's.
BMR calculator (basil metabolic rate):
Protein calculator:
My health/fitness/food instagram: @cassiegoeshealthy
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