Counting Calories While Dieting Is Not the Right Approach

Most people focus on the calorie content of foods rather than their nutritional value when dieting. By constantly counting calories, nutrition can do more harm than good, and weight loss may not be fully achieved. Calorie counting is a risky method, according to Dyt. Gözde Ateş from the Nutrition and Dietetics Department at Memorial Hizmet Hastanesi, who shared important information about how to lose weight through proper nutrition planning.

Pay Attention to Excess Energy

The body has important functions. To perform these functions and remain healthy, it needs energy sources from beneficial foods. However, consuming too much of this energy leads to excess weight, while consuming too little causes unhealthy weight loss. For this reason, the body's energy balance must be maintained. Many people ignore this important detail and focus only on the calories of the foods they consume during the day. Nutrition plans based on calorie counts do more harm than good to people. To maintain existing weight or lose weight, what should actually be done is to focus not on the calorie amounts of foods but on their contents and benefits. Therefore, food choices must be made correctly. The points to consider regarding this matter can be listed as follows:

• Do not skip the three main meals.
• Ensure your nutrition, exercise and sleep schedules are coordinated.
• Prefer home-cooked meals.
• If you are outside or at work, choose healthy foods instead of fast food.
• If there is more than 4 hours between lunch and dinner, have a snack.
• Consume healthy foods such as fruits, nuts and dairy products for snacks.
• Fill skipped main meals with protein-rich snacks such as yogurt, milk, ayran and kefir.
• During periods when you cannot control your appetite, suppress hunger with kefir and nuts.
• Consume your daily 2-3 servings of fruit by dinner time.
• Completely stop carbohydrate intake after dinner.
• Return to tradition and carry your meals with you in modern lunch boxes.
• Do not buy unhealthy packaged products for your home.
• Always buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

Give Yourself 2 Days as a Gift Most people mix eating with social activities. For this reason, they often prefer high-calorie and incorrect foods. Those monitoring weight, those wanting to lose weight and those preferring a healthy lifestyle should set a limit on their "social eating" approach. This can be done by giving oneself 2 days. In other words, people can designate 2 days of the week as social eating days. Apply the "Debt Payment Formula" in Weight Control The solution to excess calorie consumption begins with accepting the "Debt Payment Principle". Every excess calorie consumed is recorded in the debt account. To pay this debt, portions should be reduced and walking should be done on the same day or the next day. Thus, the excess calorie consumed is eliminated. If this balancing is not done, weight gain and body fat percentage increase. In later periods, doors open to many diseases.