The Truth About Calorie Counting

Calorie-counting is an ineffective and cumbersome strategy for losing weight and body fat. One of the weaknesses of calorie-counting is that most often it does not address the specific factor responsible for the excessive body weight. Another weakness of this dietary protocol is that it pays little or no attention to the other attributes of foods that influence body fat reduction such as the glycemic index and fiber content. Consequently, there are numerous reasons why you may not lose weight by balancing calories, including the presence of an underlying pathological condition such as hypothyroidism, abnormal insulin activity and consumption of fat-promoting foods.

Specific Causes of Overweight

The most effective approaches for losing body fat would first identify the specific reason for the excessive body weight. It is often assumed that the overweight is due to consumption of too much food and too little physical activity, but this assumption is often incorrect. However, the calorie-counting approach is solidly grounded in this assumption. The calorie-counting dietary strategy largely ignores the possibility that your body may not be burning calories effectively.

Pathological Cause

Calorie-counting can become marginally helpful in some pathological conditions that make it difficult for you to lose weight. For example, if the weight gain is due to hypothyroidism, a common problem associated with excessive body fat, treating the thyroid condition is a more effective approach for reducing the excessive weight. In some cases of hypothyroidism, dietary iodine supplementation can resolve the problem. Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland releases insufficient amounts of thyroid hormone. This leads to sluggish metabolism.

Insulin Sensitivity

A decrease in insulin sensitivity can make it difficult for you to lose weight. Calorie-counting would not be an effective strategy for body fat reduction if you have this condition. Insulin is the primary hormone for managing the body's energy. Specifically, insulin regulates plasma glucose, or your blood sugar level, body fat storage and body fat degradation. An increase in the plasma level of insulin facilitates body fat accumulation. A decrease in insulin sensitivity causes the pancreatic beta cells to release more insulin. The consequent elevation in plasma level of insulin supports body fat synthesis, making it difficult for you to lose weight.

Type of Foods Consumed

The type of food you consume is important for the outcome of your weight-loss program. Foods such as leafy vegetables that curb your appetite would help you control your caloric intake in a hunger-free manner. Foods and nutrients that increase insulin sensitivity such as cinnamon, olive oil, some nuts and leafy vegetables will boost your metabolism. Metabolism boosting is the same as improving insulin sensitivity. When you boost your metabolism, your body increases its fat-burning activity, making it easier for your energy output to exceed the energy input.