Fitness buffs rally against calorie counting with expert help

We’re often told to watch what we eat, but Maddi Cerasuolo disagrees with taking this advice literally. In a TikTok video, she explains why she “hates” calorie counting, a popular method used to lose weight.

The 24-year-old, who shares health and fitness-related content under the username @madswellness, tracked her diet for seven years before noticing the negative effects.

“It gave me a sense of control at first, but over time it became overwhelming and led to unhealthy habits,” she said. Newsweek. “I focused too much on the numbers rather than listening to my body, which ultimately made my relationship with food more complicated and stressful.”

People often count calories as a way to lose weight, which involves calculating their energy needs based on factors such as height, weight, and activity level, and determining a daily calorie intake to fit their needs.

During the video, Cerasuolo, who lives in Toronto, says it’s unimaginable to have her food weighed and tracked and vehemently explains why she despises it. One of the main reasons was that she felt “guilty” when she consumed more calories than planned.

she said Newsweek: “Counting calories can be a tool for some, but I believe it’s important for people to focus on a sustainable, balanced approach to health.”

She added: “I think it’s a short-term fix and a method that can only be effective for a period of time before it affects you negatively or you start hitting a plateau. I think there’s a lifestyle, a diet, that you can maintain effortlessly. It’s a long-term goal that more people should strive for, without obsessing over it and having a poor relationship with it.”

Today, she eats sensibly, which means eating only when she’s hungry and stopping when she’s full. No food is restricted, she rejects negative feelings after a treat.

Although calorie counting has been shown to help with weight loss, there is a dark side. In 2021, a group of researchers from the School of Psychology at Deakin University in Australia conducted a study exploring the increased use of calorie-tracking apps and their possible association with eating disorder symptoms.

Data from 1,357 adults showed that 71 percent had used a calorie tracking app and 39 percent were current users. Compared to those who used apps for health or disease prevention, participants who used apps for weight management or body shape reasons were more likely to report symptoms such as binge eating, anxiety, and purging.

What did the expert say?

Newsweek Cerasuolo’s video, which has received over 37,000 views, interviewed Francesca Lyon, lead nutritionist at Future Woman, a company that creates personalized health plans based on hormone testing.

Leon, who lives in Amsterdam, said: “It may help with short-term weight loss. It’s not effective for long-term results or overall hormonal and mental health. Why? Weight loss isn’t just about calories in versus calories out. It’s about your metabolism, hormone levels. , more complex involving inflammation, thyroid function and nutrient balance.”

She said women who rely on the method often regain the weight they lost — sometimes even more.

“This leads to a classic yo-yo diet with low metabolic rate and muscle mass and calorie restriction,” Lyon said. Newsweek. “Women especially tend to enter a low-energy state when restricting calories. Their bodies adapt to lower food intake by slowing metabolism and reducing their ability to conserve energy, making long-term weight loss more difficult.”

Instead, she recommends counting nutrients rather than calories. “A diet rich in essential nutrients supports energy, sleep, metabolism, weight and hormone health, helping you achieve your optimal weight naturally.”

Lyon shared the following pros and cons of food tracking.

Benefits of counting calories

• Helps you become more aware of portion sizes.
• It can be effective for short-term weight loss, especially if quick results are needed for health reasons.

Cons of calorie counting

• Nutritional value is not prioritized, leading to nutrient deficiencies and hormonal imbalances.
• This often results in undereating, which can lead to health problems such as menopause, low hormone levels and fertility.
• It can lead to an unhealthy obsession with food that affects mental health.

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