“Calories Don’t Matter!” and Other Tall Tales from TikTok

Let’s play a game: scroll through your social media feed for five minutes and count how many times you see something along the lines of:

“Weight gain has nothing to do with calories!”
“You can eat whatever you want—just heal your hormones!”
“Calorie counting is toxic and outdated!”

Welcome to the nutritional Wild West, where science takes a backseat to trending hashtags, and facts get filtered out faster than a holiday selfie.

Now, before we go any further—let’s get something straight. The body positivity and fat liberation movements have rightfully challenged long-held assumptions about body image, size stigma, and disordered eating culture. These conversations are important. They’ve forced the fitness and medical industries to reckon with the harm done in the name of “health.”

But…we need to separate valid social critique from anti-scientific nonsense. Because when people start saying calories don’t matter, or weight is entirely about mindset, hormones, and magic, that’s not empowerment—that’s misinformation.

The Unsexy Truth: Calories Still Matter

Your body is a biological system. It runs on energy—measured in calories. Whether those calories come from kale smoothies or Krispy Kremes, your body still needs to account for the energy it takes in versus what it expends. This principle is called energy balance, and it’s not a diet industry scam—it’s physics.

Think of it like your bank account:

• Take in more than you spend? Surplus gets stored (in your case, as body fat).

• Spend more than you take in? You draw from reserves (fat stores decrease).

• Break even? Your weight stays stable.

Hormones, metabolism, sleep, and stress absolutely influence how your body manages this balance—but they don’t eliminate it. Insulin isn’t magic. Cortisol isn’t calories. And “just listening to your body” doesn’t change thermodynamics.

Too Much, Too Little – Both Matter

Let’s talk balance. When it comes to energy intake, both overconsumption and underconsumption have real physiological consequences—this isn’t about body size or willpower, but how your system functions when pushed out of balance.

Eating too many calories, over time, can lead to:

• Increased fat storage, particularly visceral fat, which raises the risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes

• Insulin resistance, which impairs your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar

• Chronic inflammation, a contributor to many diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer’s

• Increased blood pressure and cholesterol, putting strain on the cardiovascular system

• Joint stress and mobility issues, especially when paired with low activity

• Disrupted sleep and fatigue, as metabolic health declines

• Lower mood and cognitive function, due to poor energy regulation and inflammation

Eating too few calories, particularly in pursuit of rapid weight loss, can cause:

• Hormonal disruption, affecting thyroid function, menstruation, and stress response

• Muscle loss, especially if protein intake or resistance training is inadequate

• Persistent fatigue, brain fog, and poor focus

• Slowed metabolism, making it harder to sustain fat loss in the long term

• Weakened immunity, leaving you more vulnerable to illness

• Increased anxiety and irritability, as the nervous system becomes stressed

• Nutrient deficiencies, which can lead to brittle nails, hair thinning, poor bone health, and more

Your body isn't trying to punish you—it's trying to protect you. Whether you're over-fueling or under-fueling, you're sending it into survival mode. The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle: enough to support health, energy, and activity—without chronic excess.

So yes, calories matter. Balance matters. This isn’t about aesthetics—it’s about giving your body the fuel it needs to function, repair, and thrive.

TikTok Is Not a Nutritional Degree

Here’s the hard truth: most viral health influencers are not trained in nutrition, physiology, or clinical care. They’re activists, entrepreneurs, or lifestyle bloggers. Many mean well. Some are selling things. A few are just angry at the world. But none of that qualifies as evidence.

Telling people “you can eat whatever you want and it doesn’t affect your health” may feel warm and fuzzy—but it’s also a lie. And lies, no matter how comforting, don’t make us healthier.

“Here’s the hard truth: most viral health influencers are not trained in nutrition, physiology, or clinical care. They’re activists, entrepreneurs, or lifestyle bloggers. Many mean well. Some are selling things. A few are just angry at the world. But none of that qualifies as evidence.”

We Don’t Need to Lie to Be Kind

Let’s be clear: you don’t have to shrink yourself to be worthy. Your body deserves respect, movement, nourishment, and compassion—no matter its shape. But making informed choices about your health requires honesty.

So here’s our take at Life Is Movement:
✅ Be kind to yourself.
✅ Be critical of your sources.
✅ Be honest about how your body works.

Don’t get your health advice from an algorithm. Get it from professionals who understand science and care about you as a whole human being—not a follower count.

Want to talk about what balance looks like for you? That’s what we’re here for.

Let’s leave the fairytales on the For You Page.