Counting for Health

July 31st, 2006 12:00 pm

I’m going to go out on a limb here. I am going to suggest you stop counting calories, fat grams, servings, and points in whatever system you are using.

I know, this sounds radical. Bear with me and see if you understand my perspective.

I don’t count any of these things. I happen to estimate my caloric intake for an average day, but that’s about the extent of it. Why don’t I follow this more closely? Because I understand a higher truth: these counting systems are guidelines, not absolutes. The point of counting is to address our western cultural need for specifics, for rules, for details.

The reality, however, is there are no absolutes when it comes to the human body: every person is different. If I eat the same diet as my mother, either she will balloon and explode Monty Python style, or I will whither and die. I am twice her physical size, am far more active (especially in strenuous activities), have different needs because I’m male, am at a different point in the aging process than she is… the list goes on. We are two very different people. The minimum calories I need to survive are more than her body could handle.

This concept continues through all the typical counting mechanisms. The body needs fat to replenish consumption by the brain and nervous system, but the amount of fat I need varies from others based on many, many factors. Carbohydrates, protein, fiber, sugars: all the same. Rigorously using any numbering system fails to recognize this basic premise.

What do I recommend instead? Understand the relationships between your body and the foods you take in. Know that you need large quantities of fruits and vegetables in proportion to sugars and fats. Know that you shouldn’t eat if you’re not hungry or past the point of starting to feel full. Know the kinds of snacks that are good for you and eat more of those than the ones that are unhealthy.

Most of all, understand that guidelines are just that: guidelines. They are a starting point, not a perfect answer. Eat well, and you won’t need to count any of these things. Have a cookie or piece of cake, and realize and accept the implications; just don’t do that too often.

The answer lies not in focusing on every detail but rather on having a basic strategy that guides your decisions and that you can follow readily wherever you happen to be.

This comes from my experience. If it works for you or empowers you, great! Use it! If not, do what works. The best system you can have is one you will follow.