Is Calorie Counting the Best Way to Lose Weight?

The only way to lose weight is by reducing your calorie intake, as you have to build up a calorie deficit in order to notice a difference when you step on the scales. Consequently, it would seem to make sense that calorie counting is the best way to approach weight loss. However, many people seem to think of counting calories as a bit of a hassle, which is why they usually end up going on a diet that promises the world and yet fails to deliver. Ultimately, fad diets only work whilst you follow them and do not help you to control your weight.

Thus, you may not have to count calories when you're on the cabbage soup diet, but that's only because the soup is so low in calories that you're bound to lose weight as long as you stick to it. You don't have to consciously think about counting calories when you're on such a restrictive diet, but what about when you come off the diet? If you simply go from being on a diet to eating whatever you feel like, then you're only going to put on all the weight you lost. You've basically starved your body of calories and then you end up re-feeding it.

At the end of the day, you're going to have to get used to counting calories if you want to be able to control your weight in the long run. You might be able to lose weight quickly by following a fad diet, but you won't adopt the habits needed to maintain a healthy weight. The only way you can do that is by learning to control your calories. This means that you have to know what your calorie requirements are, so that you can adjust your diet to include more or less calories, depending on your activity levels. The more active you are, the more calories you are able to consume without worrying about weight gain.

Reducing your calorie intake is the only way to lose weight and so, clearly, counting calories can help with this. By calorie counting, you should be able to eat a wide variety of different foods, because you can adjust your portion sizes, depending on the calorie content. When you go on a diet, you usually have to stick to a very limited range of foods, which means that you miss out on vital nutrients. It also makes it harder for you to stick to the diet, because there are certain foods you're not allowed to eat, and this can make it a challenge for you to socialise with friends and to prepare family meals.

Calorie counting often involves trial and error because it isn't always easy to get the balance right, but at least you don't have to starve yourself to lose weight. There are plenty of online calculators which can help you ascertain your calorie requirements, so that you can formulate your own meal plans. The best thing about calorie counting is that no food or drink is off limits – it is all about practising moderation and learning to stay within sensible boundaries. Even if you do go overboard now and again, at least you can quickly get back on track. That is why calorie counting is the best way to lose weight – because it is also the best way to keep the weight off.