Get Healthy...Forget about "calories in vs calories out."
Greg Nagaye • June 29, 2021
Someone tells you it's "calories in vs calories out"...don't trust them!
Many “trainers” and body-transformation professionals will discuss calories in vs calories out with their clients, specifically as they develop nutrition programs and discuss lifestyle changes. As the vast majority of these clients are looking to “lose weight,” they are pretty much being set up to fail.
“Eat less and move more” is what they will be told. Three months down the line they will wonder why nothing is working, and more so, why are they so miserable in general.
Let’s discuss (very quickly) why, even though it can be part of the overall lifestyle change equation, we should still take that phrase and throw it into the garbage can, never to be seen again.
First off, let’s take the typical client I will see. A Silicon Valley techie, 35 years old, three kids, otherwise sedentary. Not necessarily “fat” in terms of visibles, meaning you wouldn't call him fat if you saw him on the street...but, his body fat percentage is almost 30%. He’s in a start-up tech company that just got their series-A funding and everything that comes along with that, so his work stress levels are high. Wife works, kids are all in school, but it’s Summer. All of the kids play sports...all different sports. So home life is busy and a little stressful. He eats whatever, when he remembers to eat. Has never exercised regularly in his whole life, never participated in organized sports ever.
First evaluation. Stress at work and stress at home, we need to be VERY careful adding exercise right away. Even though it’s a “good” stress, the body will still categorize it as stress and it will be stacked on top of the bad stresses. His body is already reacting hormonally to the other stresses, exercise can just exacerbate that issue. Excessive glucocorticoids will be released and the body will have an increase in free circulating fatty acids. This will induce lipid accumulation in the skeletal muscle and liver (1). This is all associated with insulin resistance and prediabetes. Both of those result in a slew of health issues, those of which make “losing some weight” the least of your issues (2).
So, if we were to go along with gym bro, weekend ACE certification science, we start him exercising 3-4 times a week and lower his calorie intake. PURE calories in vs calories out logic...recipe for disaster. There are so many factors that the phrase “calories in vs calories out” just does not address, and likely doesn’t comprehend. Bottom line, LIFE is not bodybuilding.
Instead, a quality coach will address your lifestyle stresses, then work with you to alleviate and deal with them appropriately. And yes, one of those stresses is food and eating. Not eating regularly is a lifestyle stress easily fixed. As is the quality of the foods you consume. Daily movement doesn’t have to be the myopic chest day on a Monday...going out for a walk in the sun with your family can be the kick-off. Properly training you through basic movement patterns with your body can be programmed.
The basic goal should not be “weight loss,” as it is with “calories in vs calories out.” It should be overall health and well-being. If your coach helps guide you to create that, create balance, you can bank on the body fat lowering. Your energy levels will improve. You will feel better about yourself!
PS THROW AWAY THE SCALES!!!
Greg Nagaye is a Team Flex Wheeler specialist who holds a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology and is a continuing education provider for numerous certifying bodies. He is a retired professional kickboxer and boxer, and earned his IFBB pro card in 2019 in Classic Physique.
(1) Glucocorticoid in Obesity and Following Weightloss Rutter et al. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7045057/
(2) Insulin Resistance and Prediabetes
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance
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