When to stop counting calories and how to do it

In this episode, I delve into why calorie counting isn't meant to be a lifelong strategy and how we can shift towards a more intuitive approach to eating. I share my personal journey with transitioning away from obsessing over every calorie to understanding the basics of nutritional values which allows for greater flexibility and enjoyment in eating. We'll explore the importance of recognizing hunger and satiety cues, and I'll give you practical strategies for mindful eating. We'll also talk about why it's crucial to prioritize food quality over quantity, the benefits of integrating regular physical activity, and how managing stress and getting enough sleep play pivotal roles in our overall health. Whether you're looking to ease off from counting every calorie or trying to understand how to eat more intuitively, this episode will provide you with the insights and tips you need to make that shift effectively.

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Thank you for listening!

-Turo

Transcript

0:56

Recording in progress. Hey, and welcome to this fit me tour of fitness podcast today I'm talking about when to stop counting calories. So this is a topic I recently talked one of my clients bit, and she had been in a situation that she had been seeing very, very good progress by counting calories, but now she's at the point that does she really need to do it? Because it's starting to take little bit joyment away from her eating and and it was, it was not idea. She was actually thinking that she should be doing, but when we talked about it, she thought that this is exactly the right thing to do now, and I'm in this episode, I'm talking giving some signs when it's when it's time to consider about it, and ways how you can gradually get out of counting galleries. So there are going to be several strategies what I love to use, and it doesn't mean that you have to use all of them, but pick one or two those strategies I'm talking about and start implementing. Because counting galleries is not meant to be for the life it's I always say it's a powerful tool to use at some point of your life to educate yourself with the food, what you are eating on current basis, but it shouldn't be used all the time. So, but before jumping into Episode, just quick updates what is going on, and just a normal live chat as I'm, I'm when I'm recording this. It's a Sunday morning, 7am and I was already thinking that this week I'm not going to record a podcast. It's, it has been a crazy PC week, and challenge coming up, people are signing up, creating individual workouts for them, going with the women's ice hockey national team, preparing for upcoming season. We have a training camp for all next week, living tomorrow, having being a full time teacher on top of all other things I have been doing. So it's, it's, it has been busy time, but I something. What I said to myself that I promised to keep to record one podcast episode per week, and now here I am, 7am to record a podcast because I know that if I wouldn't do it today, it won't, it wouldn't happen. So this is kind of my way of thinking, that I'm I don't know if this is going to be perfect podcast, if this is going to be helpful, I hope it will. But the point is not being perfect. The point is about getting started and keeping promises you make to yourself, and this is just a promise I made for myself, and it's that important that I keep my word, and that's why sometimes it means that I gotta get up 630 Sunday morning to record a podcast episode for you. So this is my way of keeping words I'm promising for myself, and what I promise for you that there is going to be weekly episodes. So this is shortly about me and, but now let's get into that topic and and what is, what is about calorie counting? Like I said, it's, it's a powerful tool. I personally, I love to use it at sometimes, but majority of the time, I don't count my calories. I'm aware of calories, like what I'm what foods I'm eating, but I'm not obsessively tracking them, counting them, but I know that around like at how much this food, how much, how many calories my breakfast has, if I'm deciding to have a piece of cake, if I'm deciding to have a drink a beer, if I decide to eat salad, I know how much what I'm putting on top of my salad. If there is going to be olive oil. If there's going to be seeds, I have the basic knowledge how many calories there is. I'm not not even counting them in in my head, but I know that okay, if I have decision to make, what I'm going to eat, and there is kind of I'm alternating between two options, I'm not going to I probably going to decide, like, it's not always same, but depending on situation, sometimes I don't care. I rather choose that enjoyment. But there is always that if I don't, if I don't mind having something else, then why not to have that kind of, that lower calorie option, what is most likely keeping me fuller for longer, and because I'm, I'm person who loves eating food, and I, I struggle leaving something on plate. It's still, even knowing everything how it's working, but it's still, it's consistent struggle like yesterday. It's we had a, we were eating a, we were barbecuing, and we had a burgers and and I was, I was there, like, I had already two. They were so tasty. And then I was like that. I was eating obviously too fast again. And then I was like that, there was one left. I was like that, I'm going to go, I'm going to have it like I don't want to leave something behind. And then my wife said that, are you sure that you want to, you want to have a dirt burger? And I was like that, actually, you are right. I don't, I don't need it. And then I decided that I don't need to eat it now. I can have it later if I'm still hungry. And was at the at the time, I felt I was, I was feeling that I'm I'm not completely full, but I didn't, and I didn't want to leave anything behind, but so then I, then I made a decision to delay it. I decided that I Okay, I wait for 15 minutes. And then obviously, what happened is that I started to feel fuller a bit longer, and I was already actually very, very full. So then I was like that, Oh, my God, this is, this is such a simple thing, what I have been forgetting to do for so many times, or I forget to do it so often, even I talk about it all the time, but I haven't been able to implement it myself. And then so then what happened by it later at night, and was happy about my decision to leave something behind and do not what I would do normally, like maybe, maybe I was actually very, very full, so I would be probably okay by eating, eating even, even a bit less. But the point is not about being perfect. It's about improving and making this small decisions. So so when you know what is the right thing to do, and then actually doing it is a totally different thing. But this is just an example of and of how eating something and and just delaying, waiting and learning to make little bit smarter decisions. It's all what matters. So that game that's about counting galleries and obviously by once in eating two months, it's all about like that. I often, and I really forget it, to using these kind of strategies also in future. But it's not about being perfect. It's about trying to improve. And because then, you know, next meal is your next chance to do it better. And this is called kind of intuitive eating, and this is what I'm usually doing. Sometimes it's going better. Sometimes I don't have so big success. But then, you know, you realize it, and then you try to remember for the next need. But this has, and it this has something to do with counting galleries. So you don't need to, if you have, if you would count galleries. Then you know, like bet told me that it was that that tool of counting calories, it's kind of like when she's looking like that, okay, she have tracked everything, and now she have hit her amount of calories, and then she thinks it needs automatically for her that now when I hit my calories, I can't be hungry anymore. And that is something like that. Okay, it gives you a little bit awareness. But it shouldn't be like if you if you are eating, you have your calorie you have reached your calorie limit that you are you can't have anything anymore, because you have to be full. And it doesn't. It's not always the case. Obviously, it's, it's a tool and that you can see it, you can watch it. It gives you a little bit awareness how much you have been eating, but it depends a lot. What you have been eating like, how feeling food like a protein, fiber? Did you have some vegetables? Because there is a huge difference, if you like. Let's say that number is 2000 calories, what you are eating on those 2000 calories, how full you are going to feel. So it doesn't always mean that you can't have or you can't feel hungry if you hit your total number of calories. So, and that was kind of one sign for me, or I highly recommended her to start at least trying. It's, I know that it's, it's, it's going to be very scary if you are someone who have been counting calories for longer, and it feels that it's the only way, as it has been for many, many people, that you are going to lose weight, make some progress, change your body composition, and now you are you kind of want to get rid of it, at least in some level of your mind, but you haven't been able to do it. But if you start to think that kind of things that you can't, there is something wrong with me if I don't feel if I don't, if I'm hungry, even I hit my galleries. And that is that is one time that you should consider taking a break from counting galleries. So when is then the time to stop counting galleries? So first of all, counting galleries is usually it's the best way to do when your goal is to change your body composition. So it's, it works kind of either both ways. So if, if you, if you are trying to lose body fat or weight, or if you are trying to build muscle, because this is something, something goes, Uh, that's what I'm doing. I my personal goal is to maintain my weight. I don't have a weight loss or fatal scores. I don't necessarily want to build too much muscle, so I'm trying to maintain and that's that's when this kind of, that intuitive eating, like eating when you are hungry, is working the best. But then if you kind of trying to go something what is not natural from your for your body. So you are trying to change your body composition, then counting calories. Because if your goal is to eat in a slight surplus and build muscle mass, it's going to be, especially if you are eating mostly healthy, it's going to be very challenging to eat kind of above your maintenance calories, what your body actually needs. And without tracking, it's going to be hard to know that you actually you still need something, because it's it's more and it's same thing with the when losing weight. So you probably there might be a days that you still feel hungry, but, but if you want to reach your body goals, then it's it's really about finding foods that keeps you fuller, gives you enough energy that you can maintain it for longer. And ultimately, you have to remember that calorie deficit, losing fat, even you have some fat you are not in your whole weight. It might be that you have to take a break in the middle, because so many people think that, you know, I do it until I hit my goal. But that's that's not how it works. Because if you think that how you are going to then maintain it, if you have never practiced it before, and you know, most of the people, they are trying to go they are starting a diet, and they are dieting until, and they think that they have to diet until they hit their goal, and then they are in their goal, and life is good again. But that's not how it's working. If you have never practiced how to maintain, actually your lost weight, how the hell are you going to do it then later, when you reach, actually that goal. So that's why, understanding that it's the hardest decision to make that decision, but taking those diet breaks and control breaks and probably trying, maybe even trying, trying to not track calories, see how it goes, stay there for month 234, and then start again, so seeing how it goes and because it's it's very hard for especially for mental health, if you are kind of on that dieting phase all the time, and that's why often seasons, like a holiday season, or if you have a busy season at the work and you know that it's going to be challenged to maintain in a fabulous phase. It's probably smarter to try to take a break and learn to be and practice to be in a maintenance and maintain your lost weight, and then when your mental energy is better, when situation is better, then trying to use those kind of fabulous phases for short period of time, and then getting back to maintenance. So, so this is the first sign that if you are getting close to your weight loss goals, or or or muscle building goals, then using those as a phases, it's not a it's not a lifestyle. You shouldn't be years. You shouldn't be decades, trying to lose weight, because that's that's very hard, especially for your mental health. So so those are two signs, what are like if you are getting closer to your weight goals, like gaining weight, losing weight, or if you think that there is some kind of like a mental health issues that you are seeing, you are increasing anxiety, or you start to see like kind of disordered relationship with food, or then, if you're if your body signals like what your body is trying to tell you. Because this is, this is, this is very, very difficult to understand. But one sign when you should stop counting calories is that when you don't trust your hunger and full excuse like in a in a pet's case, it was, it was she was solely relying on her number values so she might too she was hungry, but when her calories were full, she was telling herself that I can't eat anymore because I have hit my calories already that I can't be hungry. And if you are not learning to listen your body's natural hunger cues or fullness cues, or if you are also like because they are longer, you are dieting those body cues, they are changing so you don't necessarily like. I often hear from people who have been dieting very long, that I'm just not hungry, but then they are eating like a very, very little calories. And this is not a good thing. This is not a good thing. Many people are thinking that this is actually a good thing, that I don't feel hungry, but it's it's, then it's in your hormone balance, and that's why it's happening. And then when you don't understand it, then it how you are going to feel it, then your energy levels are slow, are very low. You your sleep is usually suffering. And you might have some other signs, like you start to lose hair, you don't have a sex drive. And these are all signs that now there is your body is trying to tell you there is something wrong, or or women, they are losing their periods. And these are, these are not good signs. These are signs that you have been doing it probably too long and, and that's why you shouldn't always trust your body, body signals and and because it's a normal thing that at some point you are getting hungry, at some point you are feeling full. So this is kind of time, what tells me always that now it's time to stop counting calories, at least for a short period of time. So then step to step, step guide how to actually stop counting galleries. So there are few different options. So, so this is, this is one way is to to simply trying to listen your body and those natural hunger cues. So if you are someone who have drug calories, you probably already, you are pretty good at estimating how many calories there is. So that's that's a first thing, which is a good thing, like myself, that you are pretty good estimating the portion sizes, how many calories different foods have, and and if you are, especially if you are someone who is eating more, more or less same kind of foods every single day, it's relatively easy to get kind of the trains, what amount of calories you are eating. And so then next week is kind of what I recommend is this, that you don't count calories every single day. You could be doing it alternating, like one day. You do count one day not and what I don't recommend is that you count calories. What often people are doing? They count maybe galleries from Monday to Thursday are spot on. And then three days weekend you don't count them, but alternating, like for example, every second day, including weekends when you are counting, it's a one way to get out of it. And it doesn't mean that in those days when you don't count, that it doesn't matter. It's not cheap days. That term I personally hate, because you are not seeing anything. They count anyways, regardless if you count or not. But just trying to find them kind of balance, getting rid of that habit, how to do it. And then one way, what I what I actually recommended for bed, too, was to not track calories, but track trying to track only HER protein intake, and that usually a hit. So planning your protein source is a hit. And this is, this is one of the most powerful ways to feel fuller, make sure that you get enough protein. And Piper. Piper could be the second one, but it's, it depends, like, or if you, if you look your rules like, what, what you are doing at the moment, like, for example, I use now my own example, like, what you should be getting. Like, for example, protein goal, it should be what studies are telling 1.5 to 2.2 grams per kilo body weight. So for example, I'm I weighed 90 kilos. So my protein goal is somewhere like between 150 and or 135 would be the 1.5 and 2.2 we are close to 200 so it's pretty big grains. And what I try to do with myself is that I get that 150 grams every single day. And how I'm doing it, I'm not even I'm not I said I'm not counting galleries, but I have my daily habits. What I do basically every single day. I make sure that my breakfast I have 50 grams of protein. So my breakfast is basically every day, similar one I had a my protein sources. I know they are always 250 grams of Greek, euchart, 25 grams of protein, scoop of natural, unflavored protein powder, another 25 so I have my 50 grams of protein every single day. Then I mix it with some fruits, like a banana, apple, avocado, whatever seasonal fruits there are. But my protein sources are same every single day. Then I have a snack before my lunch. And there is there I use, usually it's a codicis. Sometimes it's another protein shake with the cascade protein. So different kind of protein powder and and this is, these are, sometimes it's something else. But just an example that with my habits, what I have, I get already 75 grams of protein before my lunch. And then, even if I'm I don't have always, I can't decide what I'm eating or what options I have for lunch or dinner. So but in the worst case, I have 75 grams. And then if I eat, if I eat something in afternoon, I try to think about protein. So this way, it's relatively easy to get that around at least 150 grams of protein per day. So I make sure that I have my protein both and that makes me again feeling fuller, to prevent that overeating. It still happens, but if I recognize it, especially on this, if I don't have enough protein, I'm snacking kind of all the time. I'm feeling hungrier. Other thing, what is, what is very, very useful, or what is helpful, is fiber. So fiber, your goal should be to eating 14 grams of fiber per 1000 calories you are eating. So my, for me, that number is I, my maintenance calories are around 2500 some days, depending on activity levels, I might need up to 3000 but, but 14 times. So it's if, on a days when I have 3000 it would be 42 grams of protein. And if you eat kind of whole grains, fruits are great source vegetables. Those are great sources of fiber. So I have my two pieces of fruit, two, three pieces of fruit every single morning with my breakfast. So I make sure to have those kind of most important things already earlier today. And plus, the other rule, what I have for myself is to have one big salad per day. So usually that's lunchtime. So within this my rules, I make sure that I have those most important things already earlier and this is the one way, just for like for bed, that if you plan your protein sources, hit for the next day. So let's say that tomorrow, what is going to be your protein source for your breakfast? How much you are going to eat it and then repeat it same thing, snacks, lunch, dinner. And when you know your protein sources, so you know that whatever your protein bowl is, if it's 100 grams protein, you're you are going to have 30 grams for your breakfast, 40 grams for your lunch and dinner. So this way you have already then everything else doesn't matter. You make sure that you have enough you have. You hit your protein goal. So this is it's such a helpful way thinking, like how to do it without counting every single calorie but making sure that you have enough. Dos those foods, what you know that you need to be eating feeling fuller and reaching your body goals. So this is, this is, this is just a simple ways, and so then other ways how to actually do it, step by step, is to thinking, thinking nutrient, nutrient dense foods. So thinking like focusing more on quality than, than how many calories there are so of what is the best way is like, like, less processed foods, like the like, how many of kind of one ingredient foods you are eating? So what is one ingredient food? It's just the basically not processed food. So may insert that. What is a examples? There is a banana, there is a potato, there is a rice, there is chicken. So there is only one ingredient. And it's not like, if you look, you buy some food, there is a, usually a big list of foods, but if you more you have those kind of, like, one ingredient foods, more nutrient dense foods, those usually are like, I'm not talking now about how they are made, if it's a organic or be or whatever, but as the principle that you know that what is processed what is not processed. And I'm not going to go deeper for that, but that's just an idea. And also then balanced meals, what is? What needs really balanced, like that, you make sure like that. I'm sure you have seen that kind of plate model where is like half of the foods are vegetables. Then there is a one water is a carbs, Mark, water is is protein and little bit of healthy fats. So these kind of things dinging that plate model in your mind, when you are looking your plate, what you are eating, it's a it's a great tool to make sure that you have actually all kind of nutrients, what you what you are eating to naturally control your hunger and satiety. And then thirdly is like, what I talk over a little bit is intuitive eating. So using that hunger scale, like thinking that in my actually hungry. So these are all kind of rules, what you could be using yourself and and ultimately, if you are, if you are, the best way is to know how hungry you are. If you are, most often it's we work on kind of than that, on autopilot so that we do things what we don't even know or we are not aware that we are doing. We are kind of on autopilot. And usually they are, there is some kind of cues. So for example, you are coming from work, you are laying down on your couch watching TV, and then suddenly you are starting to feel that, now I'm actually hungry, and then you start to snag something while watching TV, and it's, it's autopilot. You are probably not hungry. And this here is, like, the best rules are just the waiting, waiting or making sure. Like, if you are telling like, if I'm still feeling like those hunger queues, they come and go. But if you are, if you are telling yourself that I can have it, but there is some kind of rule, usually it's waiting, maybe it's eating something else before. So those are my favorite ways to do it, like sitting, for example, just four or five minutes. Ideally it would be maybe 15 minutes, and timer, put it in your phone. And then if, when that time is passed, whatever call you you can start with five minutes, ideally it would be maybe 15. And if after that time have passed, you still want it, go for it. Or other good rule, what you could be combining with this rule is to eat something else before. So if you crave some potato chips. But you don't, you don't give yourself allowance, allowance to eat them right away, but say that I can have them, but I need to do something else before. And it would be, for example, eating one piece of fruit. Would be an apple, could be orange, watermelon, whatever you enjoy eating. It doesn't matter, and then waiting at the same time. And then if you still want it, then go for it, or eating some source of protein before. So making sure that you have those kind of important that it's not if it's if it's if you are actually hungry, that you are having those more, more important macarons before, and then you can go what you originally craved. So these are just the just an important pool. Sometimes, what often people are misunderstanding is if they are actually thirsty or if they are hungry. So could be drinking glass of water before going for a food and waiting. So these kind of rules, what you would be combining with the with the waiting, that you know you can have something, but you have to do something else before. So these are, these are ways to do it, and then obviously listening your body and those hunger units, and that's my own example from yesterday's barbecue, was, is the best example that those portion sizes usually, we tend to, we don't feel it. You feel that fullness 15 minutes after and and learning to say that when you start to feel a 90% full like, like, for me, I was on that level. I thought that I'm maybe 50% even I was 80 90% full, and then when I waited, I didn't feel actually hungry. I was so happy. Did that make that decision? But it's very hard to say that now I hit that 80% and now I just don't eat anymore. So these kind of rules are going to be a game changer. Then kind of that, if there is, if there is, if you are dealing with the emotional eating. So first step always is, I have couple of episodes of those, how to stop emotional eating so, but quickly here recap is, the first step is always to identify those triggers. So, so to I'm trying to find alternating coping mechanisms. So first step is always to write it down when you are having like is it? Are you feeling stressed? Are you feeling bored? Are you feeling happy? Are you feeling sad? When that happens that you are eating for to suppress your emotions, write it down and because that is already first step. It's identifying why it's happening. And then when you are aware that, okay, I'm having feeling, that some emotion, and it's okay, then you put it down. It's away from your brain. And then you know, food is food shouldn't be the way to suppress your unwanted feelings. So that's the first step. And then then snacking. If you are someone who loves to snack all the time, then then you about, like, if you are someone who have counted calories, you can, you can, I'm one of those. And at this time now, it's a summer time, so I love some kind of healthier snacks. And now watermelon is just one of my favorites. So, so it's, I know that it's not going to be holier watermelon, but at the moment, it's, it's a watermelon. So it gives me, you know, I get my water there is almost like a zero calories and and that's, that's just the healthier, making me feeling fuller. And then I'm all the time when I'm snacking, I'm I'm okay to snack watermelon. So so it's, it's, it gives ways to build little bit healthier snacking rules. So then other way is kind of thinking your lifestyle and in parts to think like that physical activity and what you actually enjoy and what can help you to maintain your healthy weight without focusing on calories, so making sure that you hit your step amount. If you go for 15 two times 15 minute walk or even 10 minute walk. It doesn't matter, but what you what you naturally enjoy, and that that making it serve, that this way, you know, you keep moving, you keep taking action. You are doing your resistance training. Maybe that's something what you don't enjoy, like I don't enjoy, but I know that I need to be doing it or two, three times per week, to maintain my weight, to feel pain free, to be pain free, and feel the best version of myself. So I know it's at the moment. It's always the pain of starting it, doing it, but when I do it, I'm so happy about myself that I did it, and that's something what in the long term, have made me feel the best I have ever felt, and I'm only two now. So and then one step is also your sleep and stress management. So how was they are they are those shootings? They are simplest ways and the reasons why you are hungry all the time. So if you are missing, lacking sleep, if you don't sleep, I think there is a study is like 98,095 at least, people who are not sleeping at least seven hours with good quality, you are going to eat more. And studies are showing that the people who are eating or who are sleeping less than seven hours are eating, on average, 300 calories more per day without noticing. And this is just the Think, think that why, if you are feeling you are all the time hungry, how it's affecting and this is often it's a cycle, like you don't get a quality sleep the next day, you are automatically eating a bit more, and you are moving a bit less than you think you are. Even you might be all the time going but then it's not only about step amounts, but it's also like facial impressions, what you are doing you are you sitting? Are you laying on couch? How energized you are, and if you are sleeping, it makes such a big difference on your calorie burn if you are fully rested or if you are lacking of sleep. So sleep and obviously that is impacting the same thing with the stress. So finding a ways you naturally enjoy that's that are helping to reduce your stress. So for me, personally, I love going, walking outside. Outside, it's the simplest way to get a little bit sunlight. Go outside, doing some walk and getting tired at night and going to bed same time, around 10pm every single day, seven days a week, like 90,000 of the days when I have just a chance, when I'm at home, then it's not I love watching Netflix, but I have a rule for myself that it's latest, 10 to 10, I close everything, brush my teeth, go to bed, and then then 15, I have to be in a bed. I try to read then 15 minutes at the most every single day, and then I'm I'm done. So these are, these are says the simple ways and that walking, it's reducing stress. It gives mental clarity, and also helps to sleep better. So just a few ideas, what I'm doing and what maybe you could be trying to implement into your life, if you can. So these were, these are my kind of best, best tips, how to stop counting it, how to stop counting calories. And like I said, it's the thing like, if you are still very, very scared of doing it, think the worst possible case scenario, you can try it, and you have always chance to go back. So there is, what is the worst thing would happen like that you don't like you try to do it for, let's say, 234, weeks, and you start to see that now you are going back to your old habits. You can go back on it so you don't make or you don't lose a significant amount of progress you have made within a couple of weeks or month, like you it works on the upper side, so you don't change your life or body in a two weeks or in a month, but you don't also, you don't lose your progress. So you might see trend that you don't like to see, but you have always back. You have chance to go back. So you can go back. You can start counting galleries if you don't like doing it. You can go start to count every other day, or or you can just track your protein so you there is not much you can if you can live with the worst possible outcome. Give it a shot. Try it, because it's coming gallerism, and it's a helpful tool. It's not meant to be for life. And at some point, like I said earlier, you have to learn to be without at least, and you have to learn to maintain your calories. So if you want to become get that kind of food freedom, you have to, at some point, you have to learn and get rid of that habit. So that was episode for today. It's 8am I gotta, I gotta go to make breakfast for my wife, and I hope you are having a good day. So thank you for listening, and thank you for those, especially those who have lived at five star rating. They are so helpful and helping me to reach out, reach more people giving this content. So if you feel this was helpful, please let five star rating. And obviously, if you have any questions. DME. Do my insti into my Instagram. And, or shoot me an email to athlete medora.com Thank you for listening, and talk to you soon.