Should I be counting my calories/macronutrients?
Nutrition is incredibly complicated. At Pridefit, our goal is to make it as simple as possible by focusing on the three objectives that will get you 80% of your results.
Which is funny because scientifically, calories are the determining factor for all of our weight goals. If we want to lose weight, we have to eat less calories than we burn. If we want to maintain, we need to eat as many calories as we burn. And if we want to gain weight, we need to eat more calories than we burn.
It’s that simple.
Hormones, genetics, exercise, eating - they all fit into this equation of calories in vs. calories out. And yet, we try not to talk about it too much.
Because behaviorally, we believe that calories in vs. calories out isn’t that helpful.
As humans, even with the incredible tech we have today, calculating how many calories we eat in a day is incredibly tedious and frustratingly inaccurate. Research shows that we underestimate the calories we eat by 20-50%.
Even more challenging is calculating the calories out or calories burned each day. Sure, we have estimates for this number based on our age, weight, height, and activity level, but getting a real approximation of your calories out is almost impossible without specialist lab equipment. Research shows that we overestimate the calories we burn by 20-30%.
If tracking calories in is inaccurate, and tracking calories out is inaccurate, then it seems to us that talking about calories in vs. calories out all the time won’t actually help anyone with their goals.
Which is why we take a different approach.
Using behavioral tools allows you to control your calories in and improve your nutrition without heavy restriction. We’re going to make eating as simple as possible rather than starting with intensive calorie counting methods that wind up being inaccurate anyway.
We’re going to:
Eat more protein
Eat more veggies & fruits
Eat less processed food
That’s it. I know you’re craving some huge truth bomb that blows your mind and is going to get you massive results, but that’s not how nutrition works. These three factors will help you control calories in vs. calories out, and if you work on establishing habits with each of them, I guarantee you’ll be happy with the results.
We don't love fixating on calories.
Which is funny because scientifically, calories are the determining factor for all of our weight goals. If we want to lose weight, we have to eat less calories than we burn. If we want to maintain, we need to eat as many calories as we burn. And if we want to gain weight, we need to eat more calories than we burn.
It’s that simple.
Hormones, genetics, exercise, eating - they all fit into this equation of calories in vs. calories out. And yet, we try not to talk about it too much.
Because behaviorally, we believe that calories in vs. calories out isn’t that helpful.
As humans, even with the incredible tech we have today, calculating how many calories we eat in a day is incredibly tedious and frustratingly inaccurate. Research shows that we underestimate the calories we eat by 20-50%.
Even more challenging is calculating the calories out or calories burned each day. Sure, we have estimates for this number based on our age, weight, height, and activity level, but getting a real approximation of your calories out is almost impossible without specialist lab equipment. Research shows that we overestimate the calories we burn by 20-30%.
If tracking calories in is inaccurate, and tracking calories out is inaccurate, then it seems to us that talking about calories in vs. calories out all the time won’t actually help anyone with their goals.
Which is why we take a different approach.
Using behavioral tools allows you to control your calories in and improve your nutrition without heavy restriction. We’re going to make eating as simple as possible rather than starting with intensive calorie counting methods that wind up being inaccurate anyway.
We’re going to:
Eat more protein
Eat more veggies & fruits
Eat less processed food
That’s it. I know you’re craving some huge truth bomb that blows your mind and is going to get you massive results, but that’s not how nutrition works. These three factors will help you control calories in vs. calories out, and if you work on establishing habits with each of them, I guarantee you’ll be happy with the results.
Updated on: 17/10/2024
Thank you!