Calorie Counting

I do calorie counting as part of my services as a dietitian / nutrition coach. But, calorie counting is my least favorite part of my job and I really wish I can delegate this to someone else, like to my clients or with the use of apps or software.There are actually apps and websites that …

Grace Banal
Grace Banal

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Calorie Counting by Grace Banal, RND

I do calorie counting as part of my services as a dietitian / nutrition coach. But, calorie counting is my least favorite part of my job and I really wish I can delegate this to someone else, like to my clients or with the use of apps or software.

There are actually apps and websites that do calorie counting and I wish I can recommend these to everyone. The problem with calorie counting apps is that when you lack knowledge about serving portion measurements, estimation, conversion and food compositions, there’s a good chance that calorie counting using apps and websites will lead to erroneous results.

For example, you might plug in 1 cup rice when in fact what you ate is actually 1.5 cups. Or, you might mistake 1 tsp to what is actually 1 tablespoon. Therefore, you have to have an idea on how 1 cup, 1 lb, 100grams, 1 teaspoon etc actually look like.

Also, ingredients, recipes and cooking methods make a lot of difference in their total calories. 1 serving of Fried Chicken is different from 1 serving of Chicken Pastel because you have to consider additional ingredients and sources of fats. This is actually very daunting! Ugh my heart!

Aside from ensuring the accuracy, another reason I still do the calorie counting for my clients is because I want to protect them from being too obsessed with calories and numbers. I can’t imagine myself having to count calories of every food I eat everyday. No way! So, despite me not really enjoying the calorie counting thingie, I have no choice but do it for my clients’ well-being.

So, if you’re someone who do calorie counting, please note that

✅Calorie counting is a tried-and-tested strategy in weight management

⚠️However, please make sure that your numbers are accurate by being aware of portion sizes, weights and other measures, ingredients and methods of cooking.

⚠️Also, if you find yourself getting negative emotions (frustration, worrying, anxiety, perfectionism, etc) as a result of calorie counting, please step back, breathe and check the quality of your overall diet instead:

?variety

?colors

?freshness

?flavor

These cannot be quantified. So while numbers and calorie counting are important in weight management, please don’t forget the bigger picture:

?How you feel

?Your relationships

?Your overall well-being.

Alright?

Grace Banal

Grace Banal