Everything We Need to Know About Calories

Think about your first exposure to the word “calories".

I'm going to guess it was most likely in a negative light. We hear our moms and aunts and babysitters and mentors say, "how many calories does that have?" and "this only has 100 calories!" and "I'm going to need to burn so many calories after the cake I ate today." It's no wonder we perceive them to be harmful.

The truth is, calories are energy. They're not inherently fat-creators, they're not enemies to be burned off, they're part of what contributes to our body's function. And if we're not getting enough of them, guess what? Our body is not going to function. So while yes, there can be an issue of too many calories, a lot of us are facing the problem of not enough consistent & nourishing calories.

Let's think about good ol' food tracking apps, for starters. They can be a great tool, but think about the calorie calculators and recommendations you've seen over the years. I can tell you right now if I plugged my own info into a calculator it would likely tell me to eat about 1500-1600 calories a day, but the truth is, the very basic needs for most women between ages 18-30 is no less than 1800 calories, and that's not even including calories to account for exercise, stress, sweat, or keeping up with kids. The takeaway here? Don't always trust online calorie calculators.

(This frustration with online calculators is exactly what led me to create my own version that you can use here!)

What is BMR and why can't I trust it?

You may have heard of or seen the term BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) before, and the calorie needs and recommendations associated with it are typically in the range of 1400-1500, give or take. So you're likely thinking, "Well why can't I just eat that amount…that's what I need in a day, right?" The problem is that BMR only accounts for you acting like a potato all day long - it accounts for your organ function, your breathing, your heart-beating, your ability to sit there and do nothing but exist. It doesn't account for anything else. Not walking, not standing up, not unloading groceries or cardio or picking up children. Nothing. So you can imagine how your body would start to sacrifice things like libido, energy, hair staying strong and in place, regulated emotions, warmth, good sleep, a strong immune system, hormone balances, and ALL of the other activities that are secondary to simply staying alive (ah, ah, ah, ah staying alive 🎤).
 

So what's wrong with just cutting calories to lose weight?

A calorie deficit (burning more than you take in) can certainly lead to a lower scale number. But let's not forget that weight loss doesn't equate to health, and the longer you go with too few calories, the more your body is going to sacrifice other secondary functions like fertility and safety and all of those other "extras" I mentioned above. Eventually, you can't get out of the spiral and I'm sure so many of you have been there.

You:

+cut calories, your body loses weight and adapts to that lower calorie need, and then you have a binge, a date-night, a holiday, a week with a bit more food, or you simply get fed up with restriction, and the weight comes right back.

OR, you

+cut calories, lose weight, and then continue the cycle of cutting more and exercising more to maintain the weight loss, while watching your health tank in the process.

It's a seemingly never-ending tunnel. But there IS a way out.

We have to begin honoring our metabolism and providing our body with the caloric energy it needs. Calories, yes, but nutrient-dense, nourishing calories.

That's exactly why I created my caloric specific meal plans. Not only can you easily find the calorie range best suited to your needs, but there's guidance on how to slowly increase calories to where you need to be, delicious food to keep you satisfied, and as much helpful info as I could possibly cram into 36 pages.

So remember, calories are not to be feared, friend. And we always want our calories to be as jam-packed with nourishment as possible.

For more info on the metabolism, be sure to check out the Freely Rooted podcast !

Want help eating delicious and nourishing food consistently? Check out all of my recipes!