Calories aren't king

Weight loss is simple, but not easy: burn more calories than you consume.

That is an unbendable law of thermodynamics. But you must be careful not to be tricked into thinking that calories are King.

They aren't.

A calorie deficit requires action. And action is dictated by three things:

1. Your Biology.

2. Your Psychology.

3. Your Surroundings.

Most people ignore the setup and jump straight to the "action."

Then they wonder why they keep stopping and starting.

If your mind, your body, and your social influences are conflicting with your actions, you will lose. 

Every time.

The cycle looks like this:

You drastically restrict your calories. Your Biology reacts: energy drops, hunger spikes, and your stress tolerance vanishes.

The weekend arrives and the body catches up. You overeat.

Your Psychology kicks in: you beat yourself up. You feel like a "failure". Then, you look at your Surroundings: the crisps in the cupboard, the beer in the fridge, the social pressure to join in.

The result? A final action: You quit.

Calories are key, but they definitely aren't the King.

Psychology is the King. Biology is the Queen. And your Social Setup is the board on which everything, including calories, plays on.

If you don't manage the royalty, you'll struggle to win the "game of weight-loss".

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About The Author

Coach Alan is a qualified ITEC Level 3 Personal Trainer with over 9 years of coaching experience, and the founder of Mind Body Training, where he works as an online personal trainer in Ireland to help clients achieve sustainable fat loss and long-term behaviour change. He is also a psychotherapist-in-training, having completed his four-year training in 2025 with the Irish Institute of Counselling and Psychotherapy (IICP). His coaching approach is informed by evidence-based principles from psychology, nutrition, and exercise science, with a strong focus on mindful habit formation and realistic lifestyle change. You can learn more about Coach Alan here.

Mind Body Training provides coaching, education, and personal training services, not personal therapy or clinical counselling. Clients seeking therapeutic support are encouraged to work alongside a different qualified mental health professional where appropriate.