Ask a PhD: What’s the Problem with Calorie Counting?

"Discover why calorie counting isn't foolproof with Helen Kollias, PhD, from Precision Nutrition. Learn about nutrition label inaccuracies, how food preparation impacts calorie absorption, and why results can vary. Embrace hand-portion tracking for easier management.

[muiawat]

Love the work around of hand portions ❤️

[danielhansell]

If people aren’t good and eye balling things when it comes to calories what makes it different for hand portions? Is it not the same problem for both?

[fatty]

Hand sized portion are going to be even worse than calorie counting so I don't see how this is a good alternative.
So if I eat 16 oz of chicken breasts, 6oz of lentils, 5oz of kale, weighed on my scale, I can easily and somewhat precisely reduce my intake by 10% if needed. The exact calories might be unknown but the reduction of 10% is going to be pretty spot on.
If I go by hand portions how do I adjust intake, find someone with slightly smaller hands?

ETA: I understand some don't have the discipline to weigh out all of their food so hand portions are better than nothing but I don't think counting calories vs. hand portions shouldn't be compared in the same video.
I have been counting calories for 23 years. I went from a fatty to lean and muscular in a short time and have maintained it all these years. In my 50s now, it is much more difficult to stay lean these last few years, I have had to make small adjustments down to maintain. It's difficult and kind of a pain counting at first but you find methods to make it easier.
Simplifying your diet is a big thing, variety is NOT what you want, that makes recording cals much more of a pain, don't eat calories dense food where a small error in measuring makes a big difference in calories. If you are 50% off in your measurement of broccoli it's no big deal, if you are 50% off with your bacon that is a huge deal. Stuff like beans/vegetables are very filling and you can eat a ton of them for few calories, they make awesome fillers to your other food. Fillers are very important to gluttons like myself, I want to stuff my face until I pass out. That is possible with high volume low calorie fillers.

[muiawat]

Before the video : Me thinking I knew

During the video :🤯

Thank u for the valuable information

[john-griffin]

ive lost a lot of weight by counting calories.

[NicolesNaturals]

If I'm actually absorbing 30% LESS than I'm eating, I should be underweight and I'm NOT!