By: Julia Dugas, Dietetic InternThe calorie. One of the most common buzzwords that is always lingering in the world of nutrition. Calories are typically associated with being “bad” as we all know that if we eat more calories than our bodies burn, we will gain weight. But what is a calorie? Should we count calories, or are there other ways of maintaining weight that are more effective? What is a calorie? A calorie is a unit of measurement for energy. Calories are energy – for your body. Your body is fueled by calories and you need them to survive. It is true that an excess of calories can lead to weight gain, but not eating enough calories has a downside. Some negative effects of not eating enough include fatigue, low blood sugar, nutrient deficiencies and unhealthy weight loss, to name a few. Are some calories better than others? Yes. Fruits and vegetables, among other foods, contain vitamins, minerals and fiber that help the body complete several functions needed to sustain itself. The calories that come from these foods are “nutrient dense”. Foods such as cake or candy* do not have a lot of nutritional value, so the calories from these foods are not dense with nutrients. *Cake and candy can fit into any balanced diet, but practice moderation. So... Do I Need to Count Calories?
No, but... Being aware of approximately how many calories are in certain kinds of foods is beneficial when making balanced choices. For example, it is helpful to know that brownies, cake and candy contain more calories (and hardly any nutrition) when compared to carrots or blueberries. It is not important to know the exact number of calories in any food or product. It is also not important to count how many calories you consume in one day because this can cause you to overthink your eating habits, which is not good for your overall health. If I stop counting calories, how can I make sure I won’t gain weight? Lucky for us, our bodies give us cues when we are hungry. Fad diets and calorie counting have overpowered these natural cues and we often eat based on the time of day or habit, not when we feel hunger. A big problem with calorie counting is that if you use up your allotted calories, you might not eat even if you are feeling hungry. To the contrary, if you do not use up all of your calories for a day, you may decide to eat when you are not hungry because you have calories left over. Training yourself to only eat when you are hungry can be challenging, but it is an effective way to maintain your weight and can make socializing or holiday gatherings less stressful. Listen to your body, eat when you are hungry, don’t eat when you are not hungry and practice balance and moderation when choosing foods.
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