Yes, but also no.
Calories have been the focus of weight loss for decades, but there is a growing body of evidence that suggests they are not as important to metabolic health as people think. In fact, some experts believe that focusing on calories can actually be counterproductive.
What is a calorie?
A calorie is just the unit of energy measured by burning food. (Yep, burning food.) While energy balance is important, in so far as if we consume more energy than we need we will store it away for later as fat, food cannot just be reduced to it's caloric density.
The food we eat is also information that tells our body what to do. It is building materials for every single cell, hormone, enzyme and protein in our bodies. Calories matter, but 100 calories of donut provides a lot less in the way of nutrients than 100 calories of beef.
One reason why calories may not be as important as we think is that our bodies are very good at regulating our calorie intake. When we eat more calories than we need, our bodies store the excess as fat. But our bodies are very good at adapting to changes in our diet. Eventually, as we starting eating fewer calories, or bodies adapt and reduce or metabolic rate, reducing the amount of calories we burn.
More than just counting calories
So, if we are trying to lose weight, it's not enough to just focus on eating fewer calories. We also need to make sure that we are eating the right kinds of calories. Calories from processed foods and sugary drinks are more likely to be stored as fat than calories from whole, unprocessed foods.
Protein is more thermogenic than carbohydrates, meaning it takes more energy to process. Building muscle through diet and exercise means you are burning more energy (calories) than you were before. Micronutrients in food maintain muscle contraction and are necessary for transporting oxygen. Not gonna get that from just eating McDonalds.
Whole, nutrient dense foods reduce inflammation, build hormones and enzymes, and become tissue like muscle, tendon, skin and hair. When we eat ultra processed garbage all the time, our body has to prioritize for survival.
Your metabolic fire
Think of your metabolism like a campfire. It needs to be fed to stay hot. Feed it more, it grows. Feed it less, and the heat slowly diminishes. The fire will burn what fuel it has, but if you want to make the flames bigger, you need to give it more fuel.
Another reason why calories may not be as important as we think is that our metabolism is not static. It changes over time, depending on our age, activity level, and other factors. So, the number of calories we need to maintain a healthy weight may change as we age or become more active.
Boosting your metabolism
So, if you're looking to improve your metabolic health, it's more important to focus on the quality of your food than the number of calories you eat. Eat plenty of whole, unprocessed nutrient-dense foods and focus on getting regular exercise. These are the things that will help you lose weight and keep it off, and improve your overall health.
Calories are not as important to metabolic health as we used to think. There are other factors, such as the nutrient density of food and the amount of regular exercise, that are more important.
In my 1-on-1 men's nutrition program, we go beyond calories and dig into the nutrient density of your food. We work on prioritizing protein and highly nutrient dense foods that not only fuel your fire, but provide the building blocks for the enzymes, hormones and proteins that keep you feeling energized.
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