After delivering my last health and wellbeing seminar for a company I received a question from one of their members of staff.
Actually, it was more of a concern about the concept of tracking calories (something I touched on in the seminar).
First of all the reason, I advocate that you track calories is to educate yourself.
The person who was concerned said that counting calories can cause eating disorders, create bad habits and be bad for mental health.
People that state this are counting calories for the wrong reasons. You should count calories to educate yourself on what you are eating and how much you are eating.
It is not a permanent thing rather a means to an end.
It is even more important that you track your calories when you start your health and fitness journey. Because a lot of people don’t actually realize how much and what they eat.
How are you supposed to realize where you are going wrong if you don’t collect data?
We collect data to improve, learn, understand and execute a plan of action.
This is why you count calories!
After a period of time, you’ll have an awareness of calories. And you’ll be able to eyeball a meal and know how many calories are in it. You’ll be able to pick up a snack and know how many grams of protein are in it.
And that’s why you count calories.
Counting calories doesn’t create an eating disorder, rather it reveals the disorder.
It’s just data, don’t allow feelings to distract you from what you can achieve.