Why counting calories doesn’t help you lose weight

NEW YORK - Trying to loose weight? Well, then counting how many calories you consume in a day might not help you get rid of those love handles.

According to the Daily Mail, just logging in the numbers doesn’t take into account that some high-calorie foods are worth eating.

For instance, both eggs and nuts may be high in calories, but they are filling and nutritious. Eliminating them from your diet could be detrimental.

A US survey has revealed that more than 60pct of people have no idea how many calories they should consume per day, and just 12pct have somewhat of an accurate idea.

Calorie requirements vary depending on a person’s weight and age, and can range from 1,200 for a small, sedentary woman to more than 4,000 for an athlete who’s training-and that’s just to maintain weight, not to lose it.

“For dieters, it’s crucial to look at overall lifestyle changes, eating fruit and vegetables and having a balanced diet,” the New York Daily News quoted Jayne Brocklehurst, a dietitian for the weight loss surgery clinic Gravitas, as saying.

“Otherwise, people tend to get bogged down in calorie-counting. That way, you might lose weight, but your diet can still be unhealthily high in fat,” added Brocklehurst.

One way to get control of calories-keep a food diary, recommends the British Dietetic Association’s Sian Porter.

Most people eat a lot more calories than they think.

“‘Portion size is crucial, and average serving sizes have crept up over time-in restaurants and at home. People think they can afford to have a slice of pie, say, but the slice is bigger than it used to be,” said Porter. (ANI)