What is and isn't okay about counting calories
From former model to nutrition consultant, Michelle den Hollander flew around the world from shoot to show, but also experienced the struggles of having the ‘right’ measurements. This brought her to where she is now, and on Amayzine she shares tips.
Guilty: I too almost always check the label for how many calories a product contains. Sometimes it’s made so easy for you that the numbers are already prominently displayed on the front of the packaging. Personally, I find that quite misleading, because I usually don’t eat the recommended amount according to the packaging. My handful of nuts never amounts to 30 grams, and I really do eat a pack of soup for 3-4 people all by myself (if I even eat soup from a pack, of course). But what exactly are calories, where can you find them on the packaging, and what are the pros and cons of counting calories?
A calorie is a measure of the amount of energy in food, so how much energy the product gives you when you eat it. The amount of energy is calculated in kilocalories, for which the abbreviation ‘kcal’ is used. You will also find calories on the packaging under the heading ‘kcal’.
Good to know:
- 1 gram of carbohydrates contains 4 kcal
- 1 gram of protein contains 4 kcal
- 1 gram of fat contains 9 kcal
As a nutrition consultant and hormone expert, I obviously have an opinion about counting calories, but I’ll keep that to myself for now, so you can determine what works best for you and your body.
Advantages:
1. You gain clear insight into your eating pattern.
2. Counting is easy: you can precisely track how many kcal you consume and how many kcal you burn.
3. It can be an easy weight loss method. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. Calories in versus calories out.
4. You can eat and drink whatever you want.
Disadvantages:
1. When counting calories, you pay less attention to what you are actually eating, which can lead to an unhealthy diet.
2. A healthy product, like avocado, contains a lot of calories, which makes healthy products like this more likely to be avoided.
3. Low-calorie products can be dangerous because they may contain little fat but a lot of artificial sweeteners. ‘Light’ is often the culprit here.
4. Counting calories can lead to obsessive behavior.
If counting calories works for you, take a good look at the pitfalls so you don’t fall into them. If counting calories isn’t for you but you still want to stay balanced, look for a method that suits you.
A banana contains 105 kcal, a glass of wine 67 kcal. Just putting it out there.
Michelle den Hollander is a nutrition consultant and hormone expert. With Michelle's Good Food, she shows that a healthy lifestyle is not a punishment and can also be easy. This way, she helps you choose delicious and good food to feel better. Want to learn and read more? Visit her online.
Image: Instagram Michelle Den Hollander
