“How many calories do you eat per day?”
As a trainer and health Coach, I get asked this question all the time. I figured maybe you were wondering the same thing, and thus this blog post was born. So I’m going to give you not only my answer to this question, but my explanation as well. Here goes:
I HAVE NO IDEA.
I have no idea how many calories I consume, nor do I have any idea how many calories I burn.
Yep, I’ll clarify for you: I am a Certified Personal Trainer, a Certified P90X/Insanity/PiYo instructor, a successful Beachbody Coach, and I’m in the fittest shape of my life. And I absolutely, positively could care less about how many calories I consume or how many I burn in a workout. In fact, I find it obsessive that many people keep a watchful eye on their calorie burn. As the instructor, I’ll be paying close attention to someone’s dumbbell curls in a workout only to find them twisting their wrist halfway through the curl to check their burn. My favorite, as of recent, is the person who thinks their FitBit is going to give them an accurate read on “steps walked” for the day during an Insanity workout.
NEWSFLASH: IT DOESN’T MATTER.
So why exactly do I feel this way, and how exactly do I go about my eating and daily activity? Like so:
1) As long as the food I am eating was put on this Earth by God, I eat as much of it as I want. Did you ever know anyone to consume 6 apples a day? Likely not. Why? Because after just 1, their body was most likely satiated with the nutrients provided in the apple. To clarify what foods are and aren’t created by this Earth, I’ve created a list for you:
Examples of Foods God Created
Fruits
Vegetables
Whole Grains
Legumes/Nuts
Meats (though I choose only lean meats, such as chicken, turkey, and fish)
Examples of Foods God Did Not Create
McDonald’s French Fries
Boxed macaroni & cheese
Cheese (Note: God made cows, but man makes cheese).
Frozen dinners
Sarcasm is my middle name. OK, let’s move on.
2) I move my body each and every day, in a different way than I did the day before. Call me a P90X girl, but I like variety. I find that my body never plateaus unless it finds the “Plateau of Ultimate Fitness”, which is a great plateau to discover. My workout schedule might look like this:
Monday — Resistance/Strength Training (Upper Body, Chest & Back)
Tuesday — Cardio/Plyometrics
Wednesday — Resistance/Strength Training (Arms & Core)
Thursday — Yoga. NEVER SKIP THE YOGA.
Friday — Resistance/Strength Training (Lower Body, Legs)
Saturday — Cardio
Sunday — REST DAY. (Sidenote: Yes, your body needs rest. Don’t beat yourself into the ground.)
I’ve found that this is a method that works for me. I’ve been educated on the ins and outs of macros, caloric intake, and RMR. I absolutely understand ratios and portion control. But in my honest, humble opinion? If you’re consuming the right foods, and moving your body each day in a way that is challenging (as in, stop it already with the treadmill and elliptical), you’re moving in the right direction.
I absolutely hate it when I’m standing in the grocery store reading a food label and someone asks me, “Are you looking at calories?” They’re usually surprised to hear my answer, which is, “No, actually. I could care less about the calories. I do, however, care a great amount about the ingredients and what’s actually IN this food.” Interesting concept, but it’s one that we should be focused on, especially as Americans. Instead of concerning ourselves with the numbers assigned to our foods, we should instead care about the quality of our foods.
I once was out to lunch with a group of girlfriends, all of which were doing Weight Watchers… again. We were in line at a local restaurant waiting to order, and my friends were deep in conversation about what to have. This is how the conversation went:
Sandy: Well, I can either do the salad OR I can do a cup of soup and still have a couple points left to indulge in a cookie.
Marie: Oooooh, good idea. I think I’ll go that route, too.
Sandy: What about you, Jenny? What are you having?
Me: Field green salad with grilled chicken, toasted nuts, and balsamic dressing on the side. I don’t know how many points it is, nor do I care.
Marie: That sounds good, but I’m not sure what the points are. It’s not listed because it’s not an official menu item.
And so, I went on to consume a delicious salad, leave lunch feeling satiated, and on to my next endeavor. My friends stuck with their point guidelines, ate their cookies, and most likely ended up starving an hour later. But hey! So long as they lost 2 lbs. that week, right? Needless to say, both of these friends have since ditched the point system and have crossed over to the other side, currently drinking Shakeology and participating in my online Challenge groups. They feel amazing, they’ve lost weight, and they’re never going back to the land of numbers and psychotic obsession.
(Said with love, Sandy and Marie. XOXO.)
I encourage you to look at the way you view food and exercise, and if it’s complicated, try simplifying. Realize that despite whatever the current New York Times Bestseller is selling insofar as the most recent fad diet, one thing is certain: Unless you have reached that Plateau of Ultimate Fitness, you likely don’t yet realize how good your body is designed to feel. And there’s no better time to pursue that quest than now.
Call me whatever you want, but one thing is for sure:
I’m not the crazy lady obsessing over a number on my watch, a number on my scale, or a pant size number I’ve fixated on in my head. I’m focused on one thing and one thing only: improving myself daily and feeling the best I’ve ever felt, both physically and mentally. Someday, you’ll be browsing through Barnes & Noble, looking for a new weight loss book, and you’ll find one with my name on it. The title?
“The Real Food Movement: Aim to Feel Amazing.”
Until then, thanks for reading, friends. Go enjoy a Honeycrisp… I give you permission.