Calories, Calories

Marci Anderson - Saturday, July 23, 2011
How often have you heard someone say “Oh, that’s only 250 calories, it’s not so bad.” I’ve heard it A LOT and it really gets on my nerves. What if a calorie total wasn’t good or bad? What if we could strip all the morality out of how many calories we consume? Unfortunately, calorie talk is NOT going away any time soon. It’s posted on menus, plastered on magazine covers, and someone you know is probably counting them. But it’s not a total bummer if you can start to practice looking at them more objectively and with less judgment. I’ll show you.

Example #1- Lean Cuisine Meal = 310 calories*
Old way of thinking: 310 calories for lunch isn’t so “bad.”
New way of thinking: Wow, I notice that when I eat a 310 calorie Lean Cuisine for lunch I’m not very satisfied, I feel hungry again an hour later, and I’m still thinking about food quite a bit. If I want to stay full for longer than an hour, I either need more food or I should choose something different.

Example #2- Turkey and Avocado Sandwich from Au Bon Pain =650 calories
Old way of thinking: Oh, I was really “bad” at lunch today. That sandwich had over 600 calories. According to Shape magazine, I should eat less than 400 calories at lunch. I’m so disgusting. I have no self-control. Why couldn’t I eat just half?
New way of thinking: The sandwich tasted delicious. The balance of carbohydrate, fats, and proteins left me feeling satisfied. I feel a lot fuller than after I eat a Lean Cuisine. Plus I noticed that I have more energy and didn’t think about eating again for a few hours. If I need something to tie me over for a few hours, this is a great choice.

See the difference? We have to get out of our heads and into our bodies. How do certain choices make you feel? Energized or sluggish. Satisfied or left wanting more. Happy tummy or upset tummy. If we can let go of the idea o food being good or bad and tune in to the physical experience of eating it, we’ll be headed in the right direction!

Have any personal experiences? Please share!

*Disclaimer: I totally made those calorie numbers up.
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Comments
kara commented on 23-Jul-2011 09:50 PM
Marci, After a girls' weekend away, full of food, body, and calorie talk, it is so refreshing to remember another perspective. I wish more women would adopt your mentality-- the world would be a calmer, more balanced place. And it made me laugh to read
that you made up the calories :) Thanks, kara
Carol Plotkin commented on 23-Jul-2011 10:36 PM
Too many people eat too little during the day and then are crazy hungry and unsatisified later, and they procede to eat the whole pantry! Great post Marci!!
Marci commented on 24-Jul-2011 08:21 AM
Kara: you bring up a good point. When gals get together they can spend much of their time obsessing about dieting, food, and negative body talk. I'm glad you found my post refreshing! We as women need to brainstorm ways to interact and talk with one another
in a healthy way (as well as learn to talk about things aside from calories and cellulite!). :) Carol: You are totally spot on. Often people are too busy or trying to be "good" during the day and then compensate by over-doing it at night. Advocating for balance
throughout the day is so important!
Jess commented on 26-Jul-2011 01:29 AM
I LOVE this post, Marci! I used to think that in order to avoid being triggered I would have to avoid calorie labels at all costs (which is impossible, as you mention), but now I am more able to know a caloric amount without passing judgment on my food
choices. It is empowering to know that I can listen to my body and eat mindfully instead of basing my meal choices on a number! I notice that people tend to assume that less caloric means healthier, but this isn't the case at all! 100 calorie packs are only
100 calories, but that doesn't make them a healthier snack than something more caloric that actually provides one's body with essential nutrients.
Marci commented on 26-Jul-2011 10:50 AM
Thanks Jess! You're right, a calorie count doesn't let us know much about the quality of the food or how it will make us feel physically. We need to use different information than just numbers when making choices.
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