The Ultimate Guide to Tracking Calories for Weight Loss
Is it Worth it?
You're probably wondering - "Is the pain of tracking your calories worth it long term?"
My honest opinion? If you've never done it before - then absolutely.
I already know what you're thinking… "but tracking calories is so long, Leo!"
No, it's not. It may feel long at first because you've never correctly done it before - and just like any other habit, it'll require a bit more 'brain power' at first. But stick to it consistently for a while, and eventually, it'll start feeling like second nature.
Plus, why wouldn't you want to take 5 minutes out of your day to optimise something so crucial for your weight loss goal?
Here are two things to bear in mind about calorie tracking;
If you've never tracked before, try it for 30 days - and I mean consistently, not just when you feel like it. The learning experience you'll gain will be life-changing, and I have no doubt there'll be plenty of 'wtf' eye-opening moments.
If your finances weren't looking healthy, and you wanted to improve them, you'd start monitoring it more closely e.g
You'd look closer into specific numbers
How much is coming in
How much is going out
Where is your money coming in from
What it's mostly being spent on
How often it's coming in
How much can you spend on X, Y and Z
When you'll next get paid
So why is it any different when improving your quality of life?
Suppose your health isn't in the best place. In that case, look into your daily/weekly calorie intake to help you make guaranteed progress, e.g. is X food worth spending Y amount of calories on? Considering you still have 8 hours left in the day?
Is the protein amount in X food worth the exchange for how many calories you'd “spend”?
Do you have enough calories (money) to buy two drinks instead of one so you stay within your calorie goal (budget)?
Think of your calories as your daily/weekly budget, and it'll all start to click that bit more.
"But Leo, calorie counting is bad for you and doesn't help."
Ah, another insane statement I sometimes hear.
You might as well say that keeping track of your finances worsens your financial situation, which it obviously doesn’t.
That's not to say that counting calories is for everyone (it isn't) or that it's a 'must' do (people have been losing weight before MyFitnessPal was a thing). Still, I'll forever beat the drum of trying it out for at least a month being a great learning curve.
Don't like it after the month is up? Then you'll never have to do it again. Give it a try. Because you have nothing to lose and a substantial potential increase in quality of life to gain.
Downloading a Calorie-Tracking App
Now you've boarded the calorie-counting train - the next step is downloading an app to help you.
The most popular one is MyFitnessPal, but there are also loads of others, e.g. Mike's Macros, MacroFactor, FitBit, Nutritionix and Rise - to name a few.
Which one should you pick? I've only used two, so why not try a few and see which ones you get on with? Although thankfully, it doesn't matter too much.
As long as it has a decent food database, allows you to input your macro values if necessary and does all the maths. You're good - pick the one that'll let you be most consistent.
Estimating Your Calorie Goal
A crucial part of this article, because overall - this is 'The ultimate guide to tracking calories for weight loss'. I want you to pay close attention to this section as the answer may surprise you.
There isn't an absolute figure of your calorie goal for weight loss.
Of course, you know you need a calorie deficit.
You also know that you can look up thousands of calorie calculators online to help you.
But chances are, you'll probably see a different figure for about 50% of them.
Why? Because a calorie calculator has limitations when it comes to the complex human body, e.g. genetics, gender, lifestyle, stress levels, muscle mass, and hormones are a few factors that play a role.
Irritating? Only if you let it be, it's still a handy tool when used correctly.
So, here's what you need to do once you've finished reading this article;
Use my calorie calculator by clicking here to figure out what your calorie goal should be.
Apply the calorie goal from the calculator on the calorie tracking app you'll use and be consistent with it for a month.
If that sounds long, you need to remember how long it took you to gain all the weight you have done up until now. Many months? A few years?
Which is okay.
Because the fact you're reading this tells me that you're going down the right path regarding making the correct changes. But it also means that being consistent with a new calorie goal for just four weeks to see if it could help change your life is nothing in the grand scheme.
After four weeks of consistency (around 90% minimum for month one), see how your body reacts.
Lost weight and/or measurements went down? Great, continue as you are.
Gained weight, and you're sure you're tracking accurately? Look into walking more if your physical activity is too low, and knock off another 200 calories daily.
Maintained weight? Then knock off another 200 calories per day.
Note:
The calculator on the website estimates your calorie goal because no calorie calculator online is 100% accurate. This is one reason you should try and test any calorie goal for 3 to 4 weeks.I also know it'll likely look wildly different to the calorie goal your tracking app may have given you - which is a good thing.
Why? Because calorie tracking apps are notorious for giving unnecessarily aggressive goals *ahem, MyFitnessPal*. Meaning it's difficult for you to sustain and results in you giving up. For as long as you're in a calorie deficit, higher is better - because a calorie deficit is weight loss.
You probably would've heard me mention something similar if you're a Kairos Online member.
What your Macro % Should be
This a popular question, and to be honest - an overrated one too.
You're here because your goal is weight loss. After all, this is the 'The ultimate guide to tracking calories for weight loss'. Let me tell you, worrying about the % of carbs to fats to protein you're eating/drinking is unnecessary.
Why? Because for fat loss, you need to be in a calorie deficit. It's the only non-negotiable.
After you've worked out your calorie deficit number, you'll also want a protein goal (more on this later).
It's bringing in the precise carb and fat goals that add extra stress for no additional benefit when it comes to weight loss.
So, once you've established a calorie and protein target - only track those. Let carbs and fats fill up whatever remains once the protein has been accounted for.
How to Read A Nutrition Label
When it comes to nutrition labels, you'll want to make sure you know what to pay attention to, as most tend to have irrelevant information for weight loss.
Because as long as you get plenty of whole foods, fibrous vegetables, fruits and lean sources of protein on top of the deficit - you'll be great.
It's also important to mention that you'll notice a % value next to each macronutrient. This is how much % of the food's macros will take up within your daily intake based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Yes, it's a generic figure.
Here's the nutrition label of one of my favourite U.K.-based snacks. If you know, you know.
Serving Size
Serving sizes are something you want to pay special attention to.
Why? Because it's a way some brands catch people out.
How so? Because many food labels may have the number of calories for a 100g serving shown more clearly, whereas a typical serving may be a lot more, e.g. 180g, suppose you only saw the number of calories for the smaller 100g serving. In that case, it could give an illusion of being a low-calorie food.
So, be aware of this. It's also why you should use a scale to weigh your food when tracking calories, especially in your early days. Because, like most people, you're worse at eye-balling portion sizes than you think.
Calories
Calories (kcal) are what you want to pay the most attention to on a food label because, ultimately, whether you lose weight will be down to how many calories you take in. It's also hard to miss on the food label, considering it's usually the first thing on the list.
I've input kcal in brackets because you may have noticed that you'll also see kilojoules (KJ), another energy measurement unit beside it. However, I wouldn't worry about KJ's as it'll only overcomplicate things.
Protein
Today's marketing has started putting a lot of emphasis on protein - rightly so because it's essential. However, this has caused many products to be labelled as 'protein source' or 'high protein' when it's far from the truth.
For example, the marketing for peanut butter may advertise it as a protein source, but this isn't the case. Your typical peanut butter may only have about 7g of protein for every two tablespoons.
Is that a decent amount? Maybe.
But when you realise that 7g of protein also comes with 200 calories, you acknowledge that it's a terrible trade-off regarding how many calories you're getting.
If you keep using high-calorie foods to hit your protein target, you will have difficulty staying within a calorie deficit. This is why you need to look beyond the marketing tricking you into thinking everything is a decent protein source and start paying more attention to the labels.
So, how do you know how much protein you should aim for? You'll need to eat a certain amount to ensure optimal progression. A target of 0.7-1g per lb of body weight (BW) is excellent. However, if you're more overweight, you could aim for less, e.g. 0.4/0.6g per lb of BW. Otherwise, your protein goal may be unrealistically high.
Although there's no science to back the 0.4/0.6g figure up, but I can tell you from experience working with people who haven't put much thought behind protein intake before – starting at the 0.7-1g per lb of BW may be a tough start.
For example, for someone 100kg in body weight, or 220.5lbs;
Situation A:
0.7-1g x 220.5 = a daily protein goal of anywhere between 154g to 221g
Situation B:
0.4-0.6 x 220.5 = a daily protein goal of anywhere between 88g and 132g
Situation B is a lot easier to achieve within your earlier days = a lot more motivating. Plus, it's important to note that if your protein goal is 132g, then it should be a 'minimum 132g', meaning if you go over, that's fine too!
Fibre
One of the most underrated and overlooked things regarding nutrition is fibre.
Fibre is another crucial factor after calories and protein because it helps with digestion, fullness and health. Prioritising foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables will go a long way toward helping you hit your goal.
Be sure not to go too overboard with fibre, as this could otherwise cause unwanted gas, bloating, or cramping.
Weighing Your Food
The only way to accurately weigh your food is by using a measuring scale, the same way you'd have to use a measuring jug or shaker cup to measure the liquids you drink. This doesn't include pre-packaged foods, but you get the gist. It doesn't matter if the food is raw or cooked - pick one and keep it consistent.
If you do track it cooked, make sure you specify that on your app. I prefer weighing food raw, as I find weighing cooked food more complicated.
It's also important to remember things that are easier to overlook, e.g. cooking oil (which I'd recommend swapping for a fry light), the sugar or milk in your coffee, sauces, spreads and liquid calories (alcohol).
Most people who struggle with weight loss and swear they're counting everything correctly tend to go astray with one or more of the above.
Tracking When Eating Out
I understand; sometimes, you're super consistent with your calorie counting and make solid progress. Then the inevitable happens - your mate's birthday, and they want to eat at their favourite restaurant. Your anxiety spikes up because you have no idea how to approach this.
From here, you have two options, which are ones I usually share with all the Kairos Online members;
Browse for the restaurant's nutritional value online. Most chains have an online menu where you can check the calories and protein for each meal/dish. Checking and preparing for this in advance will make your life super easy.
As an example, here's one I found for a popular U.K. food chain, Nando's; https://help.nandos.co.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/360016226177-Where-Can-I-Find-Your-Nutritional-Information-
If you're going to a place that doesn't have the nutritional information, e.g. somewhere local and family-owned, that's okay too.
A suggestion could be to leave 1,000 calories free for the day so you can make space for the meal and enjoy it guilt-free. Even if you feel your meal was less than 1,000 calories, you're much better off overestimating.
Why? Because most restaurants drench the food in oil and butter (which is why they taste so good). When the goal is weight loss, overestimating calorie intake is also recommended when figuring out how much you've eaten.
Saying this, there's also the off chance something more spontaneous happens that you didn't have time to prepare for, meaning you likely went way over your calorie goal for the day. But that's also okay.
What do I mean by this? That you can't screw up your weight loss journey.
I know what you're thinking - "Is Leo crazy? I can think of hundreds of ways to screw up my diet. Just give me 20 minutes."
Hear me out.
Let's say you go out with your mates on a Friday night, eat a bunch of pizza (pepperoni topping is a great classic), drink loads of beer, and maybe enjoy some dessert (red velvet cake is beautiful).
After the night's finished, you go home, and just as you're about to go to sleep, you realise that you went WAY over your calorie goal, and just the thought of this is super discouraging.
From here, you have two mindset options;
Option A:
"You messed up big time. You exceeded your calories and ruined all your hard work this month. You might as well eat a whole bag of Maryland cookies, too, because you've already f*cked it up, so there's no point."
Option B:
"Who gives a damn? You had fun with your mates. You made great memories. You went over your calories one night, and it was worth it. You were super consistent for a solid while now. You’ve seen great progress overall so far. You'll get straight back on plan tomorrow. Nothing changes from here. No biggie."
Which mindset sounds like they're guaranteed long-term progress? I thought so. Remember this next time.
Bonus Section; Food Swap Suggestions.
This section lists a few food swap suggestions you could make to make your calorie-counting weight loss journey easier.
Swap your 20% fat minced beef for 5% fat minced beef
Try using Fry Light instead of standard oil
You can use low-sugar ketchup instead of ketchup
Swap regular mayo for light mayo
Try some 0% fat or semi-skimmed milk instead of whole-fat milk
Choose diet soft drinks instead of full sugar
Try low-fat cheddar cheese instead of whole fat
Choose chicken breast instead of thighs
Try having 0% fat Greek yoghurt instead of regular Greek yoghurt
Swap a regular bagel for a thin bagel
Try having your coffee black or with low-fat milk
Boil instead of fry
Have 0/1 sugar in your coffee instead of 2/4 sugars
Choose lean meats like turkey and chicken instead of meats with high-fat content
If you're having a takeaway choose smaller portions rather than larger portions
Of course, you don’t have to apply all of them, but picking a few will undoubtedly help.
These swaps may sound small and insignificant, but they repeatedly add up. In the same way, frequently taking the stairs instead of escalators or elevators will help skyrocket your steps.
Otherwise, there you have it.
A solid guide full of tips n tricks for you to remember for your weight loss goal when tracking calories.
Remember, it doesn't have to be forever - but it can help. So, save this article for future reference if you ever need it.
Also, if you enjoyed reading this, check out my YouTube channel by clicking here.
It's full of other advice, thoughts and tips so you can continue making solid weight loss progress.
Speak soon,
Leo
P.S. If you enjoyed reading this article or feel like you know someone who could do with seeing it, then please share with your friends and family :)
