To Count or Not to Count---THAT is the Question

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows...Hahahahaha, nah, I'm joking.

What I'm talking about is counting. Counting calories. A lot of us do it. Few of us love it.

Some of us count calories as one tool in our efforts to lose weight. It's one way to see what our intake actually is- well, when we're completely honest about each and every little morsel that crosses our lips.

Counting our calories can be enlightening when it shows us not only how much but exactly what we're ingesting. It can be an aid in helping us adjust our daily eating plans. Counting calories can also frustrate the hell out of us when we go over our limit for a day. Or more. Which can lead to another day of overeating from the frustration of seeing that we overate the day before and so on. It can become a vicious cycle if we're not careful. And if our willpower is lacking.  

And now, as with most things, counting calories is the subject of a debate.

To count or not to count.

Brandon over at The Healthy Advocate believes that counting calories is a waste of time. He says that if you develop some healthy lifestyle habits, your body will 'count' the calories you need for you. Brandon suggests that we:

• Get a restful night's sleep for at least 6 hours
• Cut the sugar and the grains
• Lower our stress levels
• Get some sunlight
• Exercise

Hallie at Daily Bites also makes the case for not counting calories. Her reasoning stems from her personal struggle to try to gain weight and she found that counting calories reminds her of the time in her life that each day was a struggle just to get through it. She discovered that finding a balance made all the difference and that assigning a number to food is not the best or healthiest idea.

I get what these guys are saying. And I've made pretty much all of the changes. But my scale continues to be stationary. Surely not counting calories wouldn't make that much difference in either direction...???

I do know that I can get so consumed with counting the calories that I lose sight of my goal- getting fit and healthy. 

According to WebMD , the concept of counting calories came about near the start of the 1900s. It seems that there was a scientist, Wilbur Atwater, who claimed that if you put food into a “bomb calorimeter” and burned it you could measure the ash and discover how much energy had been released. This could also be a measure of how much energy was in the food. Once this idea gained momentum, people started counting calories- which is figuring out how many calories are consumed with different types of food and then burned off while taking part in different activities.

So, are calories important? Sure. They’re just not the whole picture and we’re cheating ourselves if we think they are.

We all know that the type of calorie we choose will determine the effect on our bodies.  But, is it necessary to COUNT OUR CALORIES?

All I can figure is, IF it works for you- then YES, it’s necessary. IF it doesn’t work for you, then NO, it’s not necessary.  The main thing is not to get bogged down with the counting and realizing that counting the calories is simply one tool of helping some of us to lose the weight.

Like it or not, there is not one magic tip/idea/method/tool/pill that’s going to get us to our healthy goal weight. Nothing. We have to do the research, try a myriad of methods, sweatsweatsweat, etc. until we each find the thing(s) that work for us on an individual basis.

If you really HATE counting those calories but want to be accountable for your caloric intake, try these tips:

• Eat smaller portions- yes, I know. We’re all doing this already. But look at your plate during your next meal at home and see where you can cut down. How large is your plate? Could you use a smaller one? (No fair if you pile the food up high in the shape of a mountain). 
• What food is taking up the most space on your plate? If it’s protein or carbs, change it to veggies. Choose foods that use more calories to digest and metabolize.  If you eat foods that require a lot of work to digest, you can save yourself calories like foods high in fiber.
• Eat the right kinds of calories. In other words, steer clear of the candy, sodas, sweets, desserts and take in more fruits, veggies, nuts, etc. Not only will you save calories, you’ll increase your health dramatically. 

So, all that wordiness to say- I am now going to try an experiment. I will continue counting calories through the month of June. But, beginning July 1, I will not count calories. I will, instead, be extremely mindful of the TYPES of calories I consume. I will keep a daily written journal of the foods I eat just so I can share with y’all at the end of July. 

I will be following a watered down version of the Gerson Therapy plan and a RAW diet. For 31 days. Without counting calories. I know that counting calories and eating MOSTLY healthy is not working to get the scale moving. I’m beginning to think it’s not doing so much for my health and fitness either.

I know most people don’t usually hear of the Gerson Therapy until someone they know (or themselves) have cancer but it’s not just a good idea once one has gotten sick. It’s good for general health and prevention- the detox alone should prove quite beneficial. Though there's no way I'm going to juice 13 times every day. Nope.

What I really want to find out is:

• Is it important to count calories or just to make my calories count OR a combination of the two.
• Will following a watered down version of the Gerson plan and eating RAW make a difference in my health and/or weight.

Yeah, I know it’s not scientific. But it’s what I’m going to try--I don't even know if I can stick to it for an entire month (and it was really stupid to pick one with 31 days). I will still check in with the Summer Sizzle Challenge- I wouldn’t let Rochelle down for anything! She’s such an inspiration to all of us! As a matter of fact, I doubt I would have come up with this plan if it weren’t for the challenge. 

Oh, and I’m not planning on eating anything and everything while waiting on July 1 to get here. 

Though it is tempting.