Lifestyle School Podcast

Episode 55: Why Calorie Counting Fails

Listen Later

For decades, calorie counting has been positioned as the gold standard for weight loss. Eat less. Move more. Track harder. Try again.

But if calorie counting truly worked long-term, we wouldn’t be facing the metabolic health crisis we see today.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into how metabolism actually works, why calorie counting became the dominant weight-loss model, and why it so often backfires—especially for people dealing with insulin resistance, chronic stress, and metabolic dysfunction.

This conversation shifts the focus from willpower and math to biology, hormones, and metabolic safety.

In this episode, we cover:

  • What metabolism really is (and why it’s not just “fast” or “slow”)

  • The two primary metabolic states: energy storage vs. energy release

  • Why fat loss only happens in a low-insulin, fat-releasing state

  • Where the calorie came from—and why it was never designed for weight loss

  • How calorie counting became mainstream after WWII

  • Why calorie restriction often works at first, but fails long-term

  • Metabolic adaptation and why your body slows down in response to chronic dieting

  • The role of hunger hormones like leptin and ghrelin

  • How insulin resistance locks fat away and increases hunger

  • Why calorie counting often leads to muscle loss and a slower metabolism

  • The psychological toll of tracking, restriction, and food obsession

    • A deeper look at what actually works:

    • Why hormones—not calories—determine fat storage and fat burning

    • How counter-regulatory hormones protect metabolism and muscle

    • The role of glucagon, growth hormone, adrenaline, and cortisol during fasting

    • Why strategic fasting signals safety instead of scarcity

    • How reducing insulin exposure improves fat access, energy, and hunger regulation

    • Why sustainable fat loss comes from restoring metabolic flexibility, not eating less forever

      • Key takeaway:

      Calories are not meaningless—but they are downstream information, not the driver.

      Your body is not a calculator.
      It’s a hormonally regulated, adaptive survival system.

      When you work with your biology instead of against it, fat loss becomes more sustainable, less stressful, and far less frustrating.

      Want support applying this in real life?

      This is exactly what we focus on inside Lifestyle School for Weight-Loss and my personalized coaching programs—helping you restore metabolic health, improve insulin sensitivity, and lose fat in a way your body can actually maintain.

      If this episode resonated with you, please:

      • Share it with a friend

      • Leave a review

      • Or post it to your socials and tag @hopeplackcoaching

        • Your support helps this message reach the people who need it most.

        Check out the supplement store at www.hopeplackcoaching.com and use code: 104567 to create an account and order.

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store
        Lifestyle School PodcastBy Hope Plack