It's not meant to be a set of handcuffs, and the wellness social space is crawling with offense to calorie tracking, as well as intuitive eating, when you are trying to achieve a goal with a health- related outcome. Which begs the question: is it healthy to track what you eat as a high performing creative?
Calorie tracking, macro counting, intermittent fasting, tallying up your "syns-" society's modern takes on using food for health- related goals are ever evolving...and so is the intuitive eating movement. If you are pursuing a weight loss goal, calorie counting is genuinely the most informed, researched method of manipulating food intake for physical change (Schübel et al, 2018). You may well see claims on the internet like the following:
You can not count calories, and still lose weight.
Losing weight is purely down to maintaining a calorie deficit.
The quality of your calories matters more than the quantity of calories you consume.
It can all feel overwhelming, and you'll probably follow the advice of whatever influencer/ trainer/ doctor you connect with the most. How do you know he/ she/ they is right? Are you trying to adapt a healthier approach to your diet, and scared you're doing the wrong thing? Is it healthy to track what you eat?
I'm a nutritional therapist and personal trainer for high performing creatives- entrepreneurs, entertainers, educators, directors, and business leaders. I'm here to help you stop worrying about the harm you think you're doing to yourself, and instead become more empowered to do the right thing for yourself.
No, it's not healthy to track what you eat.
If you are using food tracking as a method of self- control, self- discipline, or self- restriction, food tracking is absolutely not healthy. Food is a beautiful thing in our world; it is as much as source of fuel as it is community. Think about how many memories you have had in your life, gathered around a table with people who love you and care about you, ready to tuck in to whatever meal is prepared for consumption.
If you've ever tracked calories or macros before, especially for weight loss or positive aesthetic changes, you know that the initial drop off in the number on the scale or the number on your measuring tape can feel exciting. You think, "yes! What I'm doing is working!"
So when it comes to the numbers stalling, or weight/ measurement fluctuations happening, you can see that the progress toward your goal plateaus (and your frustration increases). You become harder on yourself, and become more fervent in dedicating more effort towards itemizing and accounting for any and all food that touches your mouth.
p.s.- if this sounds like you, you're not alone. Empowered Elite is where I help people like you STOP the hamster wheel of self- sabotage in order to achieve success. You can learn more about it here.
This pessimistic approach towards your own efforts can intensify the "vengeance" on self to control more, discipline more, and restrict more. You tighten your control, put more regulations around food in place, and ultimately increase your chances of negative repercussions in the long term (Shabkhizan et al, 2023). In this instance, the answer is: no, it is not healthy to track what you eat.
Yes, it is healthy to track what you eat.
When you are able to use food as fuel, incorporate it into your life as a sense of community, and don't hold back from choosing to eat foods that are delicious to you (regardless of their nutrient value)- yes, it is healthy to track what you eat.
I'd like to tell you about a client of mine, who recently completed the Empowered Elite six month programme with me. She wanted to lose weight, feel more energetic, and have a better quality of life while managing IBS as a ship-board theatre technician.
I mean- who wouldn't want to travel the world without crippling abdominal cramps, unpredictable emergency toilet trips, and feel sexy A.F. whilst doing so?
When she started working with me, she knew she needed to address the IBS first before tackling weight loss next. In both instances, we used a food diary. We were able to create a positive correlation between her symptom set and foods that she was frequently consuming. We then further enhanced her overall diet by rebalancing her macronutrient ratios so as to compliment her total daily energy expenditure (also known as TDEE) without leaving her feeling like a deflated, grumpy balloon.
The result? A more stable gut environment, which then paved the pathway for successful weight loss that she has been able to maintain for over a year.
My client used her relationship with food to experience new cultures through her travels, feel fueled to meet her work day's demands, and nurture a happier gut environment. She's not alone; in this instance, yes it is healthy to track what you eat. Using food as a means of healing, energy, and experimentation whilst honoring both the emotional and physiological value of food allowed her to become a more empowered individual and enhance her quality of life.
The way you use food is dependent on your current health, your goals, and your mental state.
As a nutritional therapist and personal trainer, I know there's not a one-size-fits-all approach to using food tracking as a means to achieve your best health. This is why I work with clients on learning the various metrics of measuring progress outside of food tracking and its direct correlation to your physical appearance.
Your diligence in tracking food isn't always a positive reflection on your overall health and well being. In fact, it can sometimes indicate the opposite. There are numerous factors that go into your ability to track food healthfully, and you can make a more informed decision around the personal benefits of food tracking by working with a dietician, nutritionist, or nutritional therapist.
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