Counting Calories, Macros, Points or Carbs. Which food math adds up to a healthy lifestyle for you?
You should always check with your healthcare professional before you make changes to your diet. With that said here are a few of the most popular ways to regulate your eating. Every body is different so you might win at calorie counting but your best friend might score with Weight Watchers. Keep trying until you find something that feels right for you.
Calorie Counting
There are many pros and cons of calorie counting. Tracking what you eat and how much you eat creates a feeling of accountability and can help you plan meals according to your goals.
Calories are probably one of the most misunderstood pieces of nutritional information. We often see clients focus on a number, without realizing there’s much more to be aware of when calorie counting. Some believe eating too few calories will help them lose weight faster, which is dangerous and why they stop losing weight on low calorie diets. Whether your goal is losing weight, weight management, improving health, or reaching fitness goals.
Pros
It provides structure and accountability
Helps you understand how much food you're eating
Teaches portion control
Leads to better food choices
Cons
It can lead to obsessive behavior
It can be time consuming
Takes the emphasis off food quality
Macros
Macros is short for macronutrients—fat, carbs, and protein. Everything you eat and drink (with the exception of water and alcohol) is made up of some combination of the three. The idea behind counting macros is that you aim to get a set amount of each macronutrient each day.
The very hashtag worthy tag line for Macro dieters "If It Fits Your Macros" (IIFYM) diet worth all the hype it gets?
Pros
Provides a measurement tool
Education, you learn a lot about what you eat
Shows you what an actual serving size is
It can be good for those who struggle with the feeling of being “deprived” of foods they like on other nutrition plans
Cons
Doesn’t take into account food quality
Takes some time and effort
It can be complicated
Weight Watchers Points
Weight Watchers is one of the most successful and popular weight-loss programs on the market. But that doesn't mean it works for everybody. Weight Watchers has been around for decades, so most people have heard about the group meetings, the weigh-ins, and the Weight Watchers online support services.The eating plan allows you to eat almost any food that you prefer as long as you consume it in moderation and you balance your activity points with your food points.
Pros
No foods are forbidden
Nutritional tips, cooking advice, and lifestyle education are offered
Exercise is promoted
Encourages portion control
Cons
The expensive cost
Group meetings don't work for everyone
Weekly weigh-ins are necessary and slow progress can be discouraging
Points counting can be tedious
Keto
The keto diet was initially developed as a therapeutic way to treat seizures in patients with epilepsy. It is now viewed as a natural way of eating that can be beneficial to everyone, not just those who have seizures. The keto diet is made up of 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrates. This combination enables your body to enter a state of ketosis, where the body switches from burning carbs for fuel, to burning fat for fuel.
Pros
It reduces insulin levels (and inflammation)
It's a great way to detox from sugar
Reduces the risk of heart disease and type II diabetes
Increases your good cholesterol
Cons
Triggers fatigue and brain fog
Bans or puts restrictive limits on certain food groups
Only recommended for short term dieting
Can lead to "Keto flu" where fatigue, achiness, nausea and dizziness can occur as your body adapts to not having carbs for energy.
