Reputable trainers and coaches will tell you that you can have success NOT logging calories and that it’s just not necessary.  

Reputable trainers and coaches will also tell you that you SHOULD log calories for this and that reason.

I agree.  

I know plenty of people who manage their weight withOUT logging calories and I know plenty of people who HAVE to manage their weight by logging their calories.

The majority of my clients log their calories.  It’s easy for me to spot a client that will need to log their calories.  

This client will struggle with managing their training recovery.  They’ll wonder why small tweaks and twinges haunt them even though they’re doing all the right things such as strength, stretch, water and eating.

What they don’t realize is that they “think” they’re getting enough calories because they feel full or don’t feel hungry is the usual excuse.  But once I ask them to log for several days it’s easy to see it’s not enough calories and/or not enough at a certain time of day.

Many times they think that because they’re overweight they should eat a lot less. 

Truth is…the bigger you are, the more you’ll need to make sure you’re fueling your activity properly.

In the end, it comes down to your personality type, your habits and your knowledge of your own body and how it works.

Here is why I have the majority of my clients log.

Most of them have never known what really goes in their body.  They also have little to no knowledge of what a calorie is or where it comes from.  Next, they rarely know just how much their body needs these calories and why.

I also have many clients who deal with behavioral issues and eating.  Which means that logging calories allows them to manage the calories in a way that they don’t always have to give up certain foods, making weight management much easier.

Becoming knowledgeable about caloric needs for the human body is a must if a healthy and strong body is desired.

What about you?  Are you someone who can manage your weight “appropriately” without logging or do you log your calories?