It seems that, like most things in the world today, counting calories has become incredibly polarizing: either you love it, or you hate it.
I talk about caloric deficits for weight loss all the time. Whenever I do, I get hit with some pretty unnecessarily intense backlash about how unhealthy counting calories is, and how it’s not sustainable forever.
Can counting calories be an unhealthy or obsessive thing to do? Of course. There are some people that obsess over their calories and let it rule their lives. But that’s true for so many things in life. Some people obsess over exercise and do way too much cardio, but it doesn’t make exercise an unhealthy thing to do.
Counting calories is a tool. An effective tool. In my own experience, counting calories has been the easiest way for me to achieve my goals, and I am really grateful for the overall knowledge of nutrition it has helped me to build. You can achieve your goals, even weight loss, without counting your calories, but it may be more difficult for you.
Many people seem to think that counting calories is too restrictive… but just because you’re counting calories, it doesn’t mean you’re trying to eat as little as humanly possible. You can have a very healthy relationship with food, eat tons of voluminous foods, and still count your calories in an effort to be in a caloric deficit.
It’s not unhealthy- it’s a responsible thing to do.
Let’s be clear: like any tool, it might not be the best solution to every single situation.
But it may very well be the right tool for YOU.
