QUIT Calorie Counting... Here's What REALLY Works
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted August 13, 2023
Ever tried counting calories to lose weight?
If so, I can practically GUARANTEE it hasn’t worked out for you. (Or it won’t in the long term.)
There are a couple of reasons why this method inevitably fails.
First of all, it’s more complex than it sounds. Calorie counting is labor-intensive and far from straightforward.
And second… well… it’s an ABSURD concept.
Confused? Don’t be. I’ll explain…
To understand why calorie counting is a ridiculous approach to weight management, you must know HOW scientists measure calories.
They take food like an apple, stick it in a machine, and burn it to a crisp. As it burns, they measure how much energy it takes to create that piece of apple charcoal.
If you’re thinking that your body doesn’t work that way, you’re ABSOLUTELY right.
There are MANY reasons why this “burn it to a crisp” measurement doesn’t make sense. But the most serious of these is that food acts as a messenger when you eat it.
One of the messages certain foods (like sugar) tell your body is to store fat. While others have different things to communicate.
In other words, even if another food (such as steak) has the exact same number of calories, it doesn’t send the same store-fat message.
If you want to lose weight and control your blood sugar, ditch the calorie counting and try intermittent fasting instead.
And recent research confirms that advice. A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that intermittent fasting can help folks lose weight and keep it off for at least a year.
And although the study stopped after a year, if you stick with it, I’m willing to bet that loss will be permanent.
When you fast, you refrain from eating for a specified period. But don’t worry, it’s not as harsh as it sounds. In fact, we ALREADY do this naturally every night as we sleep.
So with intermittent fasting, that period of not eating is just extended a bit further.
Typically, folks feel free to eat anytime during their waking hours. And that’s usually between 14 to 16 hours a day. Cut that window down to 10, and now you’re intermittent fasting and on your way to losing weight.
Most folks choose to simply wait to break their overnight fast for a few more hours and then stop eating a bit earlier in the evening.
Amazing things happen when you eat this way.
Confining your eating to a 10-hour or less window slashes the risk of metabolic syndrome and all its associated diseases, including…
- cancer,
- heart disease,
- and Alzheimer’s.
Plus, most folks who practice intermittent fasting lose weight (and keep it off). And they see improvements in their blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
But wait, I haven’t even told you the BEST part yet!
You get all those intermittent fasting benefits even when you don’t change a thing about what you eat. You can eat whatever you want and lose weight. All you have to do is stick to your window, and you’re set.
Regardless, I DO recommend you skip the ultra-processed foods and cut out the inflammatory added sugars and vegetable oils.
P.S. Your gut health has a huge impact on your overall well-being. And it turns out you can use this same “timing trick” to modify and restore your gut microbiome. CLICK HERE for the details.
Source:
“Time-Restricted Eating Without Calorie Counting for Weight Loss in a Racially Diverse Population: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” Annals of Internal Medicine, 27 June 2023, doi. org/10.7326/M23-0052
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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