For decades, not only have we have been focused on quick fixes with a lack of long-term strategies, but we’ve also been facing an oversimplification of the “eat less and move more” solution to our collective fixation on weight loss. In reality, there are many interrelated factors that regulate and influence energy balance. “Calories in vs. calories out” are the layman’s versions of the energy balance equation, which states that if energy intake equals energy expenditure, the person’s weight will remain unchanged.

A person can affect one or both sides of that equation in an effort to impact their weight; consuming more calories than one expends throughout the day results in weight gain, while weight loss is the result of expending more calories than are consumed. 

FIGURE 1. Key factors regulating and influencing energy balance

“The problem with the balance sheet approach to weight loss,” says Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, ACE’s president and chief science officer, “is that every person’s response is going to be different.” Two individuals of the same sex, weight and age can follow the same dietary pattern and physical-activity program and see very different results due to hormonal, metabolic and genetic differences. Couple all of that with daily stressors, sleep deficits and the other factors depicted in Figure 1, and it’s easy to see how much we’ve oversimplified things. 

The ultimate issue with the “calories in vs. calories out” narrative is that it places the blame for any failures squarely on the person trying to manage their weight. If the only two factors are eating less and moving more, then having overweight or obesity all comes down to a lack of self-discipline, right?

All health coaches and exercise professionals know that the answer to that question is a resounding “No!”

Reframing the Narrative
The key, explains Dr. Bryant, is to identify tweaks that will best set you up for success. Think about the things you may be doing that sabotage your attempts at weight loss or maintenance. Dr. Bryant explains: “Achieving balance is not about evening out the number of calories you’re consuming or burning. It comes from creating a lifestyle that works for you, that includes movement you enjoy and food that nourishes your body and enables you to do the things in life that are most important to you, as opposed to simply achieve a particular number on the scale.”

It’s important to note that many of the elements depicted in Figure 1 are actually within a client’s control, even if they may fall outside their understanding of weight management.

Accepting That Which We Cannot Change
As much as you may want to modify your lifestyle to pursue your goals, it’s vital that you also accept those elements of the equation you cannot change. While you may not be able to alter your genetics or childhood experiences with physical activity and nutrition, you can change how you respond to these things. This becomes particularly important as people age and their body no longer responds to diet and exercise as it once did.

Dr. Bryant suggests reframing objectives to target what he calls “realistic success.” This involves taking a sustainable approach that is mindful of what you are  experiencing at that particular moment in your life’s journey.

The Role of Calorie Counting
All of the above information is not meant to diminish the value of calorie counting when it is viewed in its proper context and with the proper perspective. Many people want to feel informed and in control of the weight-loss process and counting calories can be very encouraging. 

“When counting calories starts to feel like a chore,” says Woodmansee, “it may be time to change gears and try something else.” People should listen to their own intuitive wisdom and learn to become attuned to their needs, physically and mentally. Importantly, Woodmansee suggests that clients have another technique to fall back on if they make the decision to stop counting calories.  

As Dr. Bryant explains, “The notion that it’s just ‘calories in vs. calories out’ sets people on a journey where they become fixated on trying to become perfect and they lose sight of the fact that it is a process.” To counter this, think about progress as opposed to perfection. No one eats the perfect balance of nutrients, within their calorie limits, while also completing all of their cardio, strength and flexibility exercise each and every day, so it’s important to empower people to forgive themselves for slip-ups and focus on their long-term objectives. 

Finally, be sure to understand the fact that weight loss is a decidedly non-linear and long-term process. “The human body doesn’t respond to exercise and weight loss in textbook fashion,” explains Sabrena Jo, MS, director of science and research at ACE, “so the psychology behind not getting results as quickly as perhaps we’re promised or as quickly as we think they should come can really take a toll on motivation and the willingness to continue to stick with a program when the results are far in the future, perhaps months down the road.”

Redefining Exercise, Diet and “Ideal Weight”
According to Jo, being bombarded with the quick-fix approach year after year has done a number on people’s mindset. “’Burning calories through exercise for weight loss’ is the wrong message,” she explains. “We have to reframe the way people think about why they’re exercising. It really should be about feeling better and improving your health.” 

“Weight loss is always sold to us as a short-term project, and this sets us up for failure,” Jo says. “Instead, we should reframe it as a long-term habit of physical activity and exercise that can help stave off future weight gain and associated health problems.”

Dr. Bryant agrees. “Weight loss isn’t really difficult,” he says. “Most people can lose weight. What is challenging is figuring out how to lose weight and sustain a new body weight for the long haul. That’s why behavior change is so important. If weight loss isn’t the result of an approach that one can sustain and adhere to for a lifetime, it’s going to be temporary. That’s where the frustration comes from.”

When it comes to “ideal weight,” we should be defining that differently, as well. Dr. Bryant explains that a person’s ideal weight is the weight at which they can do what they want to do from a physical activity and movement standpoint (meaning that they’re not limited by their body composition), a weight at which they don’t have any health risks associated with their body composition, and a weight that they are able to maintain without doing things that are “unnatural” for them or that are too extreme.

Ask yourself these questions to determine if you are close to your true or ideal weight:

• Can I do what I want from a physical activity and movement standpoint?
• Am I at a weight and body composition that does not increase my health risk?
• Can I maintain my weight without doing things that feel “unnatural” or too extreme?

“If a person can check those three boxes, Dr. Bryant says, “then they are probably close to their true or ideal weight.”