Am I wasting my time counting calories? After gaining 40 pounds last year, I became more careful about my caloric intake. For example, now I’ll snack on a 100-calorie pack of cookies instead of a bowl of ice cream. But so far all this calorie counting hasn’t helped me lose weight. What am I doing wrong?
You’re smart to be mindful of calorie count, but it’s not the only predictor of weight-loss success. That’s because the body processes calories from different foods in different ways. While the cookies may contain only 100 calories, they are mostly refined carbohydrates. Once consumed, those calories raise levels of fat-promoting insulin. On the other hand, 100 calories from an unprocessed food source (like fruit) would be quickly used by the body for nutrition needs, thus accelerating weight loss. Although fresh foods aren’t sold in 100-calorie snack packs, a few portion-control tricks can keep calorie count low: Try eating meals on a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. And use baby utensils or the Diet Fork, which holds less food than standard utensils. Studies show that scaled-down dishware and utensils make small servings seem more generous, which causes the brain to register fullness sooner.
