How to Count Calories: A Simple Guide for Beginners

Does counting calories work?

Yes, mostly because it makes you notice what you eat. A review of 22 studies found that people who track their food lose more weight than people who don't.

It also fixes a common blind spot. In one well-known study, people who said they "couldn't lose weight on any diet" were actually eating about 47% more than they reported. They just weren't aware of how much they were really eating.

Step 1: Find your daily number

Your body burns a certain amount of energy every day. That's your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). It depends on your sex, age, height, weight and how active you are.

• To keep your weight, eat your TDEE.
• To lose weight, eat less than your TDEE. The NHS considers 0.5–1 kg (1–2 lb) a week a safe pace.
• To gain muscle, eat a bit more than your TDEE and train.

The quickest way is the calorie calculator. It gives you your TDEE, a target for your goal, and protein, carbs and fat in grams.

Step 2: Pick a way to log

The best method is the one you'll still use in a month. Logging takes time: in a 6-month study, people spent about 23 minutes a day in the first month and under 15 by month six. Those who lost the most weight logged more often.

That's why I built Broqo to make logging quick. Take a photo, say what you ate, or type it, like "2 eggs and toast". Broqo estimates the food and portion, and you can correct it in one tap if you know the real weight.

Step 3: Log everything

The calories you don't log are the ones that stop your progress. The usual ones:

• Cooking oil and butter. One tablespoon of oil is about 120 kcal.
• Drinks. Juice, soda, coffee with milk and sugar, alcohol.
• Bites and tastes. A handful of nuts, the kids' leftovers, a piece of chocolate.
• Sauces. Mayonnaise, dressing, ketchup.
• Weekends. Two untracked days can cancel out five careful ones.

Log right after you eat. At the end of the day you won't remember the details.

Step 4: Check your weight and adjust

Weigh yourself a few times a week, in the morning, and look at the weekly average. Your weight can go up or down 1–2 kg from one day to the next. That's water and the food still in your body. After a salty meal, for example, your body holds on to more water for a day or two.

After 2–3 weeks, compare. If the average hasn't moved and you've logged everything, lower your target by 100–200 kcal. As you lose weight you burn a bit less, so progress naturally slows. That's normal. Recalculate your number every 4–5 kg.

Don't forget protein

When you eat less, protein helps you keep muscle and stay full. A simple rule is about 1.6–2 g per kg of body weight. The calculator shows your number, and here's how to track protein from a photo.

FAQ

How many calories should I eat a day?

It depends on your sex, age, height, weight and activity. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans estimate about 1,600–2,400 kcal a day for adult women and 2,000–3,000 for men. To lose weight, eat less than you burn, but not below 1,200 kcal for women or 1,500 for men. The calculator gives you your own number.

Do I need a food scale to count calories?

No. A scale is the most precise, but logging from a photo or from typical portion sizes is close enough if you do it every day and check your weight trend.

How long should I count calories?

Count closely for the first few weeks until you know what your usual meals contain. After that many people only log new foods or check in for a week now and then.

Why am I not losing weight while counting calories?

Usually because some food isn't logged: cooking oil, drinks, snacks, weekends. Or the target is too high. Log everything for two weeks, then lower your target by 100–200 kcal if your weight hasn't moved.