So as I hit day 4 of DTS Ditch The Scale, I am questioning if I should be counting calories or just logging my food.  As with any addiction/obsession I fear that my choice to Ditch The Scale will turn into an obsession of Calorie Counting as a way to control my weight.
So I’ve been doing a Pro/Con list of my reasons for not buying into the counting of calories, carbs, fat or whatever and thought it would be a good item to share:

6 reasons to NOT count calories

1. Counting calories takes the joy out of eating.
This is the biggest reason for me. Food, especially sharing it with loved ones, is one of the great pleasures that should enrich our lives.

2. Counting calories encourages you to eat packaged processed food.
As we discussed I have had a tendency in the past to encourage my teenage daughter to focus on nutrition and keeping her eye on her calories. I am working hard to retrain my mindset and preach fresh foods vs calories. It became clear that as my daughter was focused on calories she was more likely to choose food out of a packet than something fresh because she could easily tell how many calories she’s getting from the pack.

3. Counting calories doesn’t guarantee you’re getting the nutrients you need.
As with most of life, getting the quantity right doesn’t mean the quality is also where it should be.

4. Counting calories teaches you to ignore your natural satiety cues.
We’re all equipped with a system for our bodies to tell us when we’re hungry and when we’ve had enough. The problem is it tends to be quite subtle. Especially the ‘I’m full’ signals.
Wouldn’t it be better to slow down and relearn to let your body guide you?

5. Calorie restriction doesn’t work for maintaining weight loss in the long term.
 In book after book studies show that limiting calorie intake doesn’t lead to lasting weight loss. But if you’ve tried calorie restriction for any amount of time, you probably already know that.

6.  Counting calories doesn’t address the root cause of your problem.
We don’t just eat because our bodies need fuel. Sometimes it’s boredom. Sometimes it’s emotional stuff or one of countless other reasons.

So what’s the alternative?

For me the easiest way to make real lasting changes to how you eat and how you feel is to put it on autopilot. What do I mean by that? I’m talking about adopting a new habit of eating mindfully. It’s about slowing down. It’s about focusing on eating so you not only enjoy your food more, you can tell when you are full.

I’ve recently read an excellent book called ‘The Calorie Myth’ by Jonathan Bailor. One of the biggest lessons I’ve taken away from the book is to focus on what you are eating, rather then just the quantity.