Counting Calories, aka Hangry

Since January 1 I have been counting calories using the My Fitness Pal ap.  I wanted to see how much I could eat for 1700 calories, my daily allotment.  I generally get an extra 200-300 calories for 50 minutes of yoga and my 10 minute mile.  So, I get 2000 calories on the days I work out.

And I'm hangry.  You know, hungry + angry = hangry.

It isn't just about sugar.  I really don't miss all the cookies and crap I was eating.  If I get a sugar craving, I can generally curb it with some tea or a smoothie made with coconut water or some paleo fudge.  What irritates me about counting calories with My Fitness Pal is that it gets fussy with me when I eat an egg.  It gets fussy when I eat too much fat.  It doesn't consider that I mostly eat plant-based fat.  It doesn't distinguish good calories and bad calories.  It doesn't say, "Hey, why'd you eat a Hot Pocket?" (Well, maybe it does.  I didn't eat one.)  It does say, "Eggs have a lot of cholesterol."

So?

Any ap that scolds me for eating real, whole food???  Well, in the wise words of the Dude: this aggression will not stand, man.

I think I will be saying adios to My Fitness Pal, although I have really enjoyed the feeling I get from staying under my calorie goal.  My feelings of joy fade quickly when I realize My Fitness Pal is silently judging me for eating too many avocados. I'm not sure, but I think My Fitness Pal bases it's recommendations on the current USDA My Plate guidelines.  The problem is that the USDA guidelines are politically motivated; the food industry lobby is reflected in the guidelines.  For example, eating/drinking dairy isn't necessary, but the dairy industry gets subsidies from the government anyway.  Cheese and milk are tasty but aren't necessarily a part of a healthy diet.

For years we were told (to great detriment) that eating fat makes us fat.  We stopped eating fat, and we all got fatter.  Could it be that the true problem isn't fat but sugar??

It's an interesting question: does counting calories really matter?  Well, yes.  The conundrum is that it is possible that not all calories are equal.  When I eat an avocado I'm not eating empty calories. Avocados are filled with fiber which means your body takes longer to digest them than say a can of soda.  Watch the movie Fed Up; it goes into great detail about the exploration of the value of calories.

Amidst all the murky waters of food science, one thing is clear: processed foods are not good.  Not all calories are the same.  Remember when I started this challenge I said that I would be approaching the challenge from the perspective of my mind, body, and spirit.   Well, my mind and spirit have not been happy with My Fitness Pal.  It makes me hangry.

So, bye bye for now, Pal.

I will continue to watch portion size and watch the amount of sugar I eat.  I will continue to add cardio exercise and more water.  I will also continue to eat lots of avocados and coconut oil and nuts and eggs.  Sorry, Pal.