My point is, do NOT focus on tracking calories. Instead, learn to balance the correct food you should be eating and have weight loss become a byproduct. At Coffee Shop Health, we teach clients how to divide their plate into food groups, our clients learn how to make a healthy plate.
In my career I have never once had a weight loss client who came to me overeating calories. Every single weight loss client I have had the opportunity to work with were both overweight and under eating calories. Every single client also had the preconceived idea that they were eating too many calories.

I will explain how your body uses food and will conclude with how you should change your diet, making weight loss the byproduct.

Calories In/Calories Out Is A Flawed Model

Weight loss is NOT as simple as one might think. A popular model of “calories in/calories out” does not take into account complex hormonal and biochemical pathways involved in energy and weight loss. Our bodies need energy to maintain body functions and carry out the activities of daily life. We create energy from the food we eat.

Now let’s take a look at the flaws of the calorie deficit model by imagining the human as a car: The engine is our cells, the gas tank is our fat stores and the fuel in the tank is the food we eat. As we drive our car we burn fuel (fat) to keep the car moving. By consuming food we “refill” the tank preventing it from running dry. In this analogy, if we want to deplete our fuel tank (fat stores) we can simply put less fuel in the tank (eat fewer calories) or drive the car more (exercise more).

Well that makes sense, but is it accurate? Is a car with just three components a reasonable way to represent the complexity of the human body? Is a car with three components even a reasonable way to represent the complexity of a real car? The answer is no, and here’s why: A real engine does not just require fuel to run - it requires a precise blend of fuel and oxygen, along with a perfectly timed spark, controlled temperature and humidity, lubrication and more. Not to mention every engine model might be constructed slightly different. Mess up the balance on any of these mitigating factors and the fuel efficiency of the engine will change dramatically, if it manages to run at all.

The analogy of the car and human body now seems a lot more complex. What happens if we are driving this more realistic car except this time debris have clogged the air filter, preventing oxygen from entering and making conditions impossible for the fuel to burn efficiently? What if the engine oil is depleted and there is excessive friction and wear on the engine parts? This is a more accurate representations of the human body and the hormonal mechanisms of energy and weight loss.

Different types of food eaten even different combinations can lead to completely unique hormonal responses in the body. And it is these hormones that determine what happens to our food once broken down by our digestive system.

Nutrients: Macronutrients & Micronutrients

Nutrients are substances needed for growth, energy and other body functions. Macronutrients are those nutrients required in large amounts that provide the energy needed to maintain body functions and carry out the activities of daily life. There are 3 macronutrients – proteins, carbohydrates and fats. We need ALL of these nutrients in balance to get our car running correctly. If we only focused on calories we could eat exclusively one Macronutrient and have a very poorly running body. Why would you expect to lose weight with a broken car (body).

Although each of these macronutrients supplies the energy needed to run body functions, the amount of energy that each provides and specific roles vary.

Why do we need proteins?
The proteins we consume as part of our diet are broken down during digestion into amino acids. The body can then use these amino acids in 3 main ways:

• As ‘building blocks’ for the growth and repair of tissues, making essential hormones and enzymes and supporting immune function. In other words build muscle and keep us from being sick

• As an energy source. Carbs are our bodies first choice when it comes to energy but yes protein can be used for energy.

• As starting materials in the production of other compounds needed by the body.

All the proteins in our body are made up of arrangements of up to 20 different amino acids. Eight of these amino acids are described as ‘essential’, which means that the food we eat must contain proteins capable of supplying them. The other amino acids can be synthesized by the liver if not provided by the diet.

Protein in the diet that comes from animal sources contains all of the eight essential amino acids needed, where as plant sources of protein do not. However, by eating a variety of plant sources, the essential amino acids can be supplied.

This means we need protein to effectively build muscle, if we are eating for weight loss and strength training at the same time we are able to raise our bodies metabolic rate. Basically we have a better metabolism and burn more calories at rest. This just makes it easier to have less body fat. That is why we prioritize protein on our plates and give it a 1/3 section of our healthy plate.

Why do we need carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates, when eaten and broken down, provide the major source of energy to fuel our daily activities. This does not include fibrous carbohydrates like carbs from veggies.

Carbohydrate we consume get digested then turn into glucose in our bloodstream. We can use this glucose as energy, our body also converts some glucose into a type of starch known as glycogen, which is stored in the liver and muscles for later use as an energy source. You can think of our glycogen storages as cups and once those cups are full glucose spills over and is then instead converted to triglycerides which is stored in our fat cells.

Not all of the carbohydrates found in foods are digestible. For example, cellulose is a non-digestible carbohydrate present in fruits and vegetables. Although unable to be used as an energy source, this type of carbohydrate plays a very important role in maintaining healthy digestion and assisting with the removal of body waste. It is often referred to as fiber.

This means carbs are our main energy source. The energy created from carbs are used for normal daily activities and brain function. This enables us to have energy to workout and build the muscles that protein help our bodies create. This is why 1/3 of our plate is prioritized for energy this energy section is shared between carbs and fat. So a combination of carbs and fat take up a 1/3 section of our healthy plate.

Veggies are our main fiber source. Fiber will aid in proper digestion which will help regulate our bodies insulin levels that rise with blood glucose levels (carbs). When insulin levels are raised our bodies are in a build state and we can’t burn body fat for energy. Veggies will help control our carbs and assist with removal of body waste. For these reasons Veggies make up the last 1/3 of our healthy plate.

Why do we need fats?
In addition to supplying energy, fats are needed to:

• Supply fatty acids that the body needs but cannot make (such as omega-3)

• Assist with absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and carotenoids

Essential fatty acids--the scientific term for fats the body can't make on its own--store energy, insulate us and protect our vital organs. They act as messengers, helping proteins do their jobs. They also start chemical reactions involved in growth, immune function, reproduction and other aspects of basic metabolism.

Dietary fats are of 3 main types:

• Saturated fat – found in foods like meat, butter and cream (animal sources).

• Unsaturated fat – found in foods like olive oil, avocados, nuts and canola oil (plant sources)

• Trans fats – found in commercially produced baked goods, snack foods, fast foods and some margarines.

Fats are our secondary energy source that have additional benefits like supplying necessary fatty acids and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. As stated above fats fall into the energy category on our healthy plate. Shared with carbs fats take up a 1/3 section of our plate.

Why do we need micronutrients?
Micronutrients are one of the major groups of nutrients your body needs. They include vitamins and minerals. Vitamins are necessary for energy production, immune function, blood clotting and other functions. Meanwhile, minerals play an important role in growth, bone health, fluid balance and several other processes.

Since these vitamins are not stored in your body, it’s important to get enough of them from food. This is why it’s important to eat a variety of food to get all your micronutrient needs. Think of making your healthy plate as colorful as possible.

The Importance Of Understanding The Process

At CSH, we believe that a key to success is balancing your healthy plate to have the correct precise fuel for your car (body). Fortunately, when our body’s take in the correct fuel our hormones help us self regulate the amount of food we should take in. If we focus on 3-4 healthy plates a day easy stress free weight loss becomes the byproduct. Understanding there are specific instances where an individual may need a more individualized approach, our coaches are prepared to get clients through any roadblocks along the way of their progress. 

Why 85% Of Diets Fail

Why do conventional attempts at weight loss fail? Three things: metabolism, hormones, and the brain.  The reality is that our bodies have evolved to help us survive and hold on to energy in the face of starvation through a variety of complex mechanisms. 

Simply eating less (ie, calorie deprivation) is a common approach to weight loss, but prevents our efforts by reducing our resting metabolic rate. When the body senses an environment of food scarcity, it uses energy more efficiently and also reduces its use of stored energy. This translates to fewer calories expended per day. 

The brain is also affected by dieting in ways that promote weight regain. When we are calorie deprived, we see increased activity in areas of the brain that lead to increased attention, reward, and motivation related to food. In other words, calorie deprivation leads us to become hyper-focused on obtaining food.

Closing Thoughts: What does this all mean? 

Our bodies are complex and we need all of our bodily functions working correctly to entice weight loss. To ensure we have the proper balance of nutrients in our diet we divide our plate into 3 sections.

1/3 Protein

1/3 Veggies

1/3 Energy (Carbs + Fat)

Disclaimer: The information on this site is intended to provide general educational information only, and does not constitute, nor is it a substitute for, medical advice.