You don’t need to count calories to lose weight, and one woman is on a mission to prove it.
Shannon Collins, known to her 150,000 Instagram fans as The Gym Nurse, shared insights from her own fitness journey. She offered up practical tips like eating bigger meals to prevent constant snacking, staying hydrated and getting adequate sleep – all aimed at keeping hunger hormones in check.
The mum also recommends walking anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 steps daily to support digestion, and has excluded food and drink as means of dealing with stress, while minimising alcohol intake. She has reached a point where she refuses to let the scale rule her life, as she realises that weight naturally varies day-to-day.
Instead, her approach centres on a sensible diet and weight training, emphasizing overall health over specific figures.
Writing on Instagram, Shannon said: “This may take some time to figure out. You may not be at this point just yet. Many will benefit from tracking calories while trying to lose fat, but hopefully that’s not forever.
“For me it did take a period of time tracking and weighing food to learn about what was in my food. I’ve carried that knowledge with me for years. It may also take some time for your new habits to become a lifestyle that you don’t even think about anymore. Like brushing your teeth.
“I also had to learn how to manage my stress and have better coping mechanism. It all took time. We don’t need extreme calorie counting to maintain a health body (not an underweight one). Our bodies weren’t designed to be that fragile.”
Shannon has emphasized the significance of sticking to wholesome lifestyle habits beyond reaching weight loss targets underlining that, while it’s key to maintain good practices, this doesn’t entail perpetual calorie counting. It’s about holding on to the positive shifts without going to extremes.
Racking up more than 2,300 likes and lots of comments since Shannon shared her insights on social media, and many followers echoed her sentiments, confessing “that’s how it’s done”.
One supporter praised: “Great breakdown, especially the last point about it not being a free for all.” Another said: “These are such great tips, especially the alcohol or calories from drinks. That’s such a huge one.”
One participant in the discussion highlighted the benefits of a less restrictive approach, adding: “Stopping tracking and focusing on certain portions and eating enough was almost life changing for me. The freedom that comes along with it is incredible, and it’s still possible to maintain or even improve body composition.”
So, what’s the daily calorie intake recommendation?
The NHS suggests: “You need energy from calories for your body to work properly. Your body uses this energy to function properly. To stay at around the same weight, the calories your body uses should be the same as the amount of calories you eat and drink.”
For men, the figure is typically pegged at 2,500 calories per day, while women are estimated to require about 2,000. While acknowledging the usefulness of calorie counting for some individuals, the NHS proposes that embracing a balanced lifestyle might prove just as beneficial.
The NHS website further clarifies: “Knowing the calorie content of food and drink and how much we have makes it easier to keep track of our daily intake. However, counting calories is not the only way to change how you eat to lose weight.
“Simple things like adjusting portion sizes and making sure your meals are made up of the right types of food can also make a big difference.”