The Food Medic - S10 Ask Dr Hazel: Is calorie counting the only way to lose weight?

Episode Date: October 26, 2023

This weeks listener question is:“Is calorie counting the only way to lose weight?”if you would like to submit a question to the podcast, please send your voice recorded question to [e-mail]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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exclusions and terms apply. Instacart, groceries that over deliver. Hello and welcome back to Ask Dr. Hazel, our mini episodes where I answer your burning questions. So let's hear from this week's listener. Hi, Dr. Hazel. I have a question. My husband says that in order to lose weight, you must count calories. When I told him that there are many doctors out there and nutritionists and dietitians who say that you don't have to count calories in order to lose weight, he laughed and said that you will find anyone who will suit the narrative that you want to hear. Can you please clarify as to what routes are available to you

when you want the goal of weight loss? And is calorie counting the only way to lose weight? Thank you. Thank you for your question. And I hope my answer isn't going to cause any marital disputes because I have to disagree with your husband. And here's why. In order to lose weight, you must be in a calorie deficit.

That is just basic science. So you must consume less calories than you expend. This is true. However, how someone chooses to do that doesn't really matter. So calorie counting is one method, as your husband quite rightly said, and it's probably the easiest way to track, but there are many other ways to be in a calorie deficit. This can include various other types of dieting like fasting reducing portion sizes reducing different types of energy dense foods etc although all of these methods do not guarantee that you will be in a calorie deficit nor do they guarantee that you will lose weight nor does calorie counting

in itself because it's not always accurate now I really don't want to go into the ins and outs of creating a calorie deficit because it's not completely risk-free and it can be challenging to do this in a healthy way. Excessive calorie restriction can also backfire and contribute to stronger hunger cravings, reduce your metabolism and also lead to nutrient deficiencies. If this is something that you're really, if you feel really strongly about and need support with please speak to a registered dietitian or nutritionist who can help you figure out a holistic way to do this in a safe way that's effective and best for you and your body

I hope this helps and perhaps send this episode to your husband so you can prove him wrong that's all from me see you again next time