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Want to Gain Weight? Keep Counting Calories To Get Fatter

The concept of food as “fuel” like gasoline and the body as an internal combustion engine dates to the 19th century

Amy Sterling Casil
6 min readAug 16, 2023

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I completed the Zoe Nutrition program in May. Toward the end, I stopped meticulously logging what I ate. Since then, I’ve continued to eat mostly plants and modest amounts of protein. Every week I grow leaner and lighter.

I now weigh less and am much fitter than when I met Bruce at LAX January 2, 2014.

For several years, I’ve eschewed bread and baked goods in favor of vegetables and protein.

This morning I might eat some pancakes — or I might not.

After the past five years of daily wellness/fitness work following a lifetime of disordered eating, calorie counting, and “dieting,” I’m convinced that calorie counting for weight loss has probably added at least 10 pounds, more likely 20, to my frame — and also to every other overweight person who has done it.

Our human metabolisms are designed to keep us alive and well. We are built to be able to eat and digest a huge range of foods. We can even, on the occasion, eat and metabolize a Snickers or a stale Dunkin Donut Munchkin.

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Amy Sterling Casil
Amy Sterling Casil

Written by Amy Sterling Casil

Over 500 million views and 5 million published words, top writer in health and social media. Author of 50 books, former exec, Nebula nominee.

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