[Newsletter] The Smartest Coach in the Room

The truth about calories Every Saturday, The Smartest Coach in the Room delivers helpful takeaways on the hottest nutrition and health topics and the world’s most effective coaching techniques. (Did some amazing friend forward this to you? [Subscribe here]( Why Are We Still Arguing About Calories? When it comes to calories, people just can’t seem to agree. (Same as every topic these days!) It goes something like this: Person #1: “Weight loss is simple and easy: You just have to eat fewer calories than you burn. End of story.” Person #2: “Calories in versus calories out? That’s a joke! It doesn’t account for hormones or the kinds of foods you eat.” Inevitably, the discussion quickly devolves. Person #1 and #2: “You’re completely wrong! Now let’s move to personal insults!" Here’s the reality... Neither person is completely wrong—or right. Take Person #1. Sure, losing weight might seem like a simple math equation, but there are a lot of factors involved, including hormones. And it’s most definitely not easy. Case in point: Just have a look at this illustration. As for Person #2: Hormones and the kinds of foods people eat can indeed affect how many calories they consume and burn. (You can see some of the ways in the chart above.) But that doesn’t mean calories in vs. calories out isn’t accurate. Both ideas can absolutely be true at the same time. (So hey, there’s no need to get personal.) For a deeper dive on why, check out Dr. John Berardi’s article, [Calories In vs. Calories Out? Or Hormones? The Debate Is Over](. 10-Second Takeaways - Calories in, calories out (CICO) goes beyond food and exercise: As this image shows, it accounts for all energy that comes in and out of your body. - People don’t gain weight “because hormones.” They might, however, gain weight because their hormones are impacting CICO. - Many people underestimate their calorie intake (they think they’re eating a lot less than they really are). - Changes in mood, hunger, and stress can cause subtle but impactful increases in food intake without a person noticing it. - Physiological changes like fluctuating hormones, poor sleep quality, and more can result in fewer calories burned during exercise and at rest. - Beyond food choices, the preparation method, overall balance of macronutrients, and individual microbiome can impact how many calories a person absorbs. Want to learn more about nutrition science and how to use it to help people make healthy eating and lifestyle changes? Check out our [Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification](. It combines the science of nutrition with the art of coaching so you can help anyone make evidenced-informed decisions and achieve their most important health and fitness goals. [Become a Certified Nutrition Coach - Join the presale list for the #1 rated PN Level 1 Nutrition Certification]( Until next time, Alex --------------------------------------------------------------- Alex Picot-Annand, PN2, Holistic Nutritionist Senior Writer Precision Nutrition Home of the world’s top nutrition coaches --------------------------------------------------------------- What did you think of this email? Precision Nutrition Business Insider's #1 Choice for Nutrition Certifications in 2022 --- To view this email as a web page, click [here.]( Precision Nutrition Inc. 1 Yonge Street, Suite 1801 Toronto, ON, M5E 1W7, Canada Finally, nutrition makes sense. Visit us at [www.precisionnutrition.com]( today. Follow us on [Unsubscribe or Manage Preferences](