The Sacrifice of Counting Calories

Counting calories seems to get a bad wrap from the majority.  “It takes way too much time, I just want to eat my food, or I don’t want to have to worry about tracking it.”  I hear it all the time.  People always ask me what should they be eating in order to get in shape.  My answer always consists of just one word, “FOOD.”

After a long blank stare from my response they seem to be a little confused.  They expect for me to start naming a bunch of healthy “super foods” thinking that if they eat the secret thing they haven’t found out about yet they’ll get the results they’ve been searching for.  So they ask again, “No really, what have you eaten today?”  After the second question I’ll give a little more insight, “Well, today I had protein waffles for breakfast, sometimes it’s cereal or eggs, if I’m planning on a big dinner I’ll just skip breakfast and wait for lunch.  It usually depends on the day and what I have planned that decides my food choices.  Most days are usually quite different depending on the circumstances I’m dealt.”

Everyone wants an easier route to a healthier lifestyle, including myself.  That’s why I choose flexible dieting.  Is there still work and sacrifice involved?  Yes, of course.  Anything worth having is going to take a little adjusting on your part, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have your cake and eat it too.  All it takes is holding yourself accountable on a daily basis.  Not necessarily by your food choices, but by keeping a healthy balance with food and staying relatively active.

Most likely you aren’t going to be able to eat pizza and ice cream on a daily basis.  But every now and again you aren’t going to hurt your progress by indulging a little. In fact, it’ll probably help your mind and your body to keep pushing you through your diet.  That’s the beauty of counting calories.  It gives you flexibility within your food choices, but not your numbers.  Which is what’s going to get you closer to reaching your goals.  It’s not as much about what you are eating, as it is about HOW MUCH of what you’re eating.