NeoWeight

Notepad at one’s side, high tech computer software running, TI-84 calculator ready to go… maybe its just me, but this all just sounds way too complicated. This morning I opened up the LA times health section and began reading Jeannine Stein’s article, speaking of how weight loss was as simple as a Calorie Counting Math problem.

Perhaps I’m  just not very good at math, but Frankly, the “simple” calorie counting solution just doesn’t sound that simple to me. With all due respect to those who champion calorie counting and have been successful with the technique, I’d rather be living my life, enjoying it, not playing number games all day long. Of course, when you take a holistic look at weight loss, its just a math problem, looking something like:  weight gained = calories eaten - calories burned  . So, when I look at this whole calorie counting thing, I mean, I understand it all, but I just don’t see how counting up these calories is going to help me really lose weight and keep it off.

I’ll always know how many calories I’m allowed to eat, but when I see that slice of chocolate cake staring me down, knowing the calories I’m supposed to eat isn’t going to help me not eat it. I don’t need math to tell me there’s way too much fat in that slice of decadent chocolate goodness. I’m still going to eat the cake, or if I stay strong and don’t eat it (suffering to the pangs of hunger), I’ll lose weight for a while… but eventually fall back into old habits and eat the whole cake, not just a slice. Calorie counting is simply unsustainable, and it really doesn’t make weight loss any easier on you. All the counting may help you in the field of mathematics, but it most likely won’t help you lose weight and keep it off.

If your fat, you’re eating too much and not excercizing enough, you don’t need a calculator to tell you that.

Learning easy ways to incorporate more excercize into one’s life, learning how to fix a poorly functioning metabolism, discovering new and nutritious food options, changing the times when one eats, and even eating a bit slower; these things, these simple lifestyle changes will help you lose weight.

I concede I may have been a bit harsh on calorie counting, I suppose I just have strong personal beliefs, so the bottom line is; do what helps you. Everyone’s different, and different things make sense to different people, weight loss is an entirely personal thing, I’m just here to offer possible hints and ideas, to make the learning process a little simpler.