When we talk about weight loss, the first thing that comes to our mind is “feeling hungry,” and to do this we often weigh our food to keep track of calories. In the same way, most people who go to a dietitian expect to receive guidance on how much food they should eat. They expect to be told how many calories to eat in a day. However, it is possible to lose weight without counting calories. Let’s take a look at it!

What are calories?

A calorie is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree. But when we talk about food, we can say that calories are a unit of measure for the energy that these foods provide us with.

The importance of calorie counting in the weight loss process is based on the belief that a diet that contains fewer calories than you normally burn leads to weight loss. But the truth is, losing weight isn’t just about cutting calories. In fact, you can lose weight without having to count the calories in everything you eat. There are many factors to consider.

Burn more or less calories.

In addition to the amount of calories we consume, there are other factors that alter the absorption of these calories that must be taken into account. First, it should be noted that the amount of calories in food depends on the size and variety of food. There are even differences between sources where the calories for these foods are listed because the method of measurement is inaccurate. However, we also have to take other circumstances into account.

1. How is it cooked? The technique we use to cook food can change the total calories. A good example is fried and breaded foods where the energy from oil and breadcrumbs is added. On the other hand, the calorie content of some foods may also be slightly reduced. This is the case with potatoes, for example. After cooking, if we let it cool, its resistance to starch increases, which slightly reduces its calorie content.
2. What does your gut flora look like? The germs in our gut affect the way we absorb energy. It is a group of microorganisms and bacteria that live with us in the walls of our intestines. The composition of microorganisms is unique to each human being. So it depends on diet, type of food consumed, rest and stress. But what does germs have to do with eating food without counting calories? Well, we don’t take into account that these germs are responsible for how we absorb energy. A balanced microbiota enhances the absorption of nutrients from food, unlike people with an unbalanced microbiota. Therefore, it is in our best interest to have a healthy and balanced microbiota. How do I achieve this? Among other things, through healthy eating, avoiding stress, and medications – such as antibiotics.
   So is it possible to eat without counting calories, and can I improve body composition? Yes, you can both. Please see the tips below.

Listen to yourself.

Sometimes we just eat to eat, because there is time, because we need rest – this is an excuse. In fact, we don’t often feel hungry. Eating unnecessarily means introducing into the body the amount of calories that the body does not need, which will eventually become an energy reserve: fat.
It is better to “eat intuitively”, that is, to let yourself be guided by your true feelings. To achieve this, you have to be very careful about what happens in your body: if it is time to eat, are you really hungry or are you going to eat to accompany your friend? Are you really hungry or if you wait 10 minutes it will pass? Are you really hungry or is this the best excuse to take a break from your computer? If you’re not really hungry, why binge? We must eat consciously and in a healthy way.

Reduce your carbohydrate intake and increase your protein intake.

Proteins make more expense to digest than other nutrients. On the other hand, carbohydrates in bread, pasta, rice, and breakfast cereals are nutrients that we overuse in our daily lives without even realizing it. Moreover, they generate almost no costs in our digestive process. So, without counting: Cut back on foods high in carbohydrates and slightly increase foods that provide protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, and legumes.

Avoid processed foods.

Yes, real food is healthier as we know. Moreover, its nutritional composition consists of various substances that tend to slow down the digestion of their nutrients, and this promotes better digestion and better utilization of the energy provided by this food.

Reduce the portions of what you eat.

If we only talk about eating when we are really hungry, then this means that the portions we eat should be in the right size. In most cases, when someone gains weight, the most frequent sentence is: “If I eat the same thing, I don’t understand why I’m gaining weight now.”

Well, we are not always the same: we do not always do the same amount of physical activity, we do not always have the same energy expenditure, because our metabolism changes, and our endocrine system is not always constant. But despite this, we constantly maintain the volume of what we put on our plate. We have to adapt! We exercise less, so it makes sense that we need to eat less than before. If we don’t, it creates a surplus of calories that will eventually accumulate.

Help yourself with herbal tea to avoid counting more calories.

Keeping your body hydrated prevents confusion between hunger and thirst. One way to keep yourself hydrated in an instant is to drink herbal tea.

In addition to these specific tips, you should of course follow a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, avoid alcohol, sweets and processed foods, and be physically active! Thanks to this, you can free yourself from counting calories and comfortably achieve your goal!