I’ve never really been a fan of counting calories for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s a bit tedious, and honestly, it’s hard to tell how much milk you just poured into your bowl of cereal, so the results are often inaccurate. Second, and most importantly, it oversimplifies the concepts behind eating well. For example, even if you’re only eating 1,200 calories a day (which is less than I’d recommend) of nothing but sugar, you’re not doing your health or your waistline any favors.

What is a calorie?

There are several ways to define a calorie, but when we talk about diet and exercise, think of calories as energy. Your body needs a certain amount of calories (energy) to keep your organs and bodily functions working properly, although this amount varies greatly based on age, size, muscle mass, activity level, and more. When you eat, you are consuming calories, which provide your body with energy; And when you exercise, you’re burning calories because your body is using its available energy.

A breakdown of calories

There are 3 basic sources from which our body obtains energy: fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

For every gram of fat you eat, you are consuming 9 calories.

For every gram of carbohydrate you eat, you are consuming 4 calories.

For every gram of protein you eat, you are consuming 4 calories.

The problem with just counting calories

Counting calories can be a good starting point, but the weight loss formula is much more complex than calories alone. To stay healthy, feel full, and energized, your body needs a combination of fats, carbohydrates, and protein. If you’re just counting calories, you may not get a good balance of these macronutrients and your body will essentially starve yourself. When your body doesn’t have the nutrients it needs, it will respond by letting your brain know it’s hungry, making it harder to stick to your diet even if you’re eating a safe amount of calories.

The solution

Unfortunately, there’s no simple way to explain what you should and shouldn’t eat, and you’ll need to do more research than just reading this section to manage your diet effectively. However, there are some simple principles to follow that I will briefly mention.

First, fat is not bad for you. Limit saturated fats where possible and always avoid anything that contains trans fats, but monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are very good for you and can help your weight loss routine gain momentum. These healthy fats are easily found in nuts and fish.

Second, you need to eat a large amount of carbohydrates (about 300 grams) daily to stay energized. When eating carbs, opt for whole grain options like whole wheat bread or crackers. Also, fruits and vegetables are considered complex carbohydrates, which means they break down slowly to give you sustained energy. These are always good options.

Third, high-quality protein is absolutely essential for weight loss. Unlike carbs or fat, your body can’t store protein for later, so you have to eat it every day. Try to consume at least 75 grams of protein a day, more if you exercise frequently.