How to Count Calories: The Dos and Don’ts

Counting calories can be an overwhelming process. Especially when you don’t know where to start and what your actual caloric intake should be.

If you are unhappy with your current weight and want to do something about it, today’s article is for you. It doesn’t matter if you want to gain or lose weight, you can do both by learning how to count calories.

In the Golden Era, many bodybuilders chose not to count calories. For some, it was really only important when in the cutting phase prior to competition.

Even then, many chose to just change the types of foods they ate, rather than count calories.

According to OSL Ambassador Ric Drasin, he and fellow bodybuilders typically ate high protein meals. They would eyeball portions and repeat meals most days. 

Reddit users agree that most Golden Era bodybuilders weren’t concerned with how to count calories. However, times have changed and bodybuilders today are more concerned with keeping their calories in check.

If you are someone who wants to count calories in food but aren’t sure how then keep reading. 

Today, you’ll learn:

• What calories are
• How to determine how many calories you should be eating
• Ways to count calories
• The Do’s and Don’ts of a successful calorie counting diet plan

What are Calories?

The basic definition of a calorie is a unit of energy. When it comes to food and nutrition, calories are used to maintain healthy brain and body function. 

If your body doesn’t get enough calories, a few things will start to happen:

• Energy and stamina will decline
• It will get harder to concentrate
• Lean body mass will start to break down
• Reduces your resting metabolic rate (RMR)
• Reduces the number of calories you burn

And eventually, organ function will start to suffer as well. 

There are a few ways we will reference calories throughout this article:

• Empty calories – food that contains no nutrients but still contains calories.
• Low-calorie food – any food that has low calories relative to its serving size.
• High-calorie food – any food that has high calories relative to its serving size.
• Kilocalorie – a unit of measurement, the same amount as a calorie.

Here are some examples of what types of foods fall into each category:

How Many Calories Should I Be Eating?

Determining the number of calories you need to eat is a process. There is a minimum amount that you should never go under for healthy body function.

From there, you can determine calorie amounts based on your goals.

Here’s what you need to do to figure out your minimum calories and goal calories.

1. Determine Your Resting Calorie Burn

First, you need to determine your basal metabolic rate. This is how many calories are used when you are not doing anything and are at rest. There are several free calculators online you can use to come up with this number.

You’ll need to enter these stats into the calculator to figure out your basal metabolic rate:

• Height
• Current weight
• Age
• Gender 
• Activity level

You can use one calculator or a couple of different ones, then average the base rate if they are different.

If you prefer to calculate the BMR manually, here are the equations to do it yourself:

Women: BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) – (4.7 x age in years)

Men: BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) – (6.8 x age in years)

2. Calculate your Calorie Needs

Once you have your basal metabolic rate, you can calculate how many calories are needed to maintain your weight. This is especially helpful when increasing or decreasing activity levels. 

To do this, you’ll take your BMR and multiply it by a specific number based on activity level:

• None (sedentary) = BMR x 1.2
• Light = BMR x 1.375
• Moderate = BMR x 1.55
• Heavy = BMR x 1.725
• Intense = BMR x 1.9

Now, you can use these numbers to determine how many calories you need on any given day. Work out days will require more calories than sedentary days. 

A quick calculation is all you need to start out your day correctly!

3. Calories Needed to Gain or Lose Weight

When you are trying to gain or lose weight, there are some things you need to know. 

To be successful and keep the weight off (or on), you want to do so gradually. The CDC recommends you lose no more than one or two pounds each week for sustainable results.

To lose one pound of body fat, you’ll need to reduce your caloric intake by roughly 3,500 calories each week. To lose two pounds, you’ll need to shave off 7,000 calories per week.

That means you should reduce your calories by 500 or 1,000 calories daily.

To stay healthy, there is a certain minimum daily caloric intake goal you should meet. Generally, people consider minimum calories to be 1,200 for women and 1,800 for men.

However, the National Institute of Health encourages higher minimum calories for men and women. This link includes a chart that breaks down calorie requirements per gender, age, and activity level.

Restricting too much for rapid weight gain can have dangerous consequences for your health:

• Dehydration
• Fatigue-related injuries
• Irritability
• Decreased performance and muscle strength
• Emotional distress
• Disordered eating 

Now that you’ve got a better understanding of how to calculate your calorie needs, let’s take a look at counting calories.

How to Count Calories

When it comes to counting calories, it’s not as simple as looking at the nutrition label on the box. Sure, you’ll need to rely on that information in order to determine your caloric intake. 

But there are different methods you can use to actually count calories. The method you choose is up to you.

Paper and Pen

This method is still used today, though it can take more time. Most people using this method will carry a notebook with them daily to track their calories

You’ll write down everything you eat and drink that day, plus all the macronutrients, not just calories. Yes, even drinks, because most also include calories you need to factor in.

Tally up the calories you are eating at each meal so you know what you have available for the remainder of the day. Don’t forget to factor in calories burned!

For some, counting calories using a spreadsheet or chart might work out better. You can also use a desktop computer or smartphone and let an app do the calculations for you.

People who keep a food diary, regardless of the form, have greater success than those who don’t.

Use an App

The quicker and more popular option would be to use an app to do the work for you. Similar to writing everything down, you have to input everything you consume that day.

The app does the work by calculating the calories and macros that you consume. Some apps also have a desktop version that syncs, so you can do this at a computer or on your phone.

There are also apps that can help you with nutritional content. This is especially helpful for things like fruits and vegetables which typically come without a label.

When learning how to count calories, factor in calories burned as well, which can also be tracked with the app. 

There are several different apps you can try for free, including:

• Myfitnesspal
• Lose It!
• SparkPeople
• MyPlate

Using an app doesn’t only make it easier to track food and exercise, it can also help change behavior. A recent study indicates that people who use apps find:

• They are able to self-monitor their behavior easier
• It encourages practice and repetition
• They see better overall results

More studies are being done as apps gain popularity. One thing noted by users of nutrition apps is lack of engagement can cause them to stop using it.

MyPlate, mentioned above, got some of the highest-scoring for engagement out of other nutrition apps.

Counting Calories Do’s and Don’ts

When it comes to counting calories, there are things that will help and things that won’t. Here are some of the best do’s and don’ts for you to succeed when counting calories.

Do Weigh and Measure Food

You won’t be able to accurately count calories without using a kitchen scale to weigh food. You’ll also want to measure ingredients using measuring cups and spoons for accuracy.

Weighing food can be tedious, but you don’t have to do it forever. After a while, you should get better at eyeballing and estimating portion size.

People who are trying to lose weight tend to have better success when using self-monitoring devices. This includes the internet, scales, and tracking apps as well as paper and pen.

Holding yourself accountable using various methods will lead to long-term success.

Do Know Portion Sizes

Many Americans underestimate portion size, which is why measuring and weighing are important in the beginning. Portion distortion happens a lot in young adults and can actually lead to weight gain and hinder weight loss.

Another thing to consider is intended consumption.

This study set out to determine if making an intent on portion size would change the amount consumed. Participants discussed their intended portions prior to eating, and then consumed a meal.

When comparing males to females, the males were more able to control portion size when their intent was made prior to eating.

Not sure what portion size you should be aiming for? Here are some measurements you can use:

• Baseball = 1 cup
  • Raw and cooked vegetables, fruits, and fruit juices
• Tennis ball = ½ cup
  • Grains 
• Deck of cards = 3 oz
  • Meat and seafood
• Average thumb-size = 1 tablespoon
  • Nut butters and spreads
• Postage stamp = 1 teaspoon
  • Oils and fats

Don’t Rely on Your Memory

Not only can eyeballing food portions derail your weight goals but so can relying on your memory. 

In this fast-paced world we live in, some people can’t remember what they did the day before. How can you possibly remember and be accountable for your diet and fitness on memory alone?

Get in the habit of inputting your food after each meal so you don’t have to remember how much you ate. This will keep your food diary accurate and also help ensure you are eating the right portion size.

Do Read Nutrition Labels Carefully

It can easily get overwhelming when trying to read nutrition labels, but it’s important to do so. You need to monitor calories and macronutrients, while also paying attention to serving size. 

By knowing the right serving size in an item, you can portion food so your tracking is accurate and realistic. 

Pay attention to the number of milligrams (mg) and grams (g) for each macronutrient, not the percentage. The Daily Value % is based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so if that isn’t your target, you could derail your goals.

Don’t Be Tempted

The best way to derail your weight loss or weight gain plans is to give in to temptation. Minimize the risk by getting rid of junk food and other unhealthy items in your kitchen.

Keep healthy snacks and desserts in the house so you always have something to reach for. Here are a few examples:

• Fruit
• Raw vegetables
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Granola
• Homemade ice cream (made with fruit)

Don’t Think of it as a Diet

Losing weight shouldn’t be considering dieting. It’s really a new way of eating and making smart lifestyle changes.

Failing to make a permanent change in your life means you can gain all the weight back – and then some. It starts with making better and healthier food choices, followed by increasing exercise.

Opt for fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and reduce the intake of processed foods, empty calories, and red meats.

If you aren’t sure which way of eating is best for you, check out our nutrition library. We review some of the most common healthy ways of eating so you can make the decision that’s right for you.

Do Track Your Weight and Measurements

While losing weight is a goal for many, getting healthy should really be the ultimate goal. A number on the scale doesn’t really mean much for health.

When you first start out, you’ll want to get your starting weight as well as measurements. Depending on your body composition, you might not see the scale move much. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t losing body fat.

This is where taking measurements is important. You can use a fabric measuring tape to get your body measurements. Use the tape to measure your:

• Biceps
• Waist
• Hips
• Thighs
• Chest

When you measure your biceps and thighs, make sure you measure both sides. This way, you can see any discrepancies from one side to the other. You can then use this information in the gym to create balance on both sides of your body.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

Meal skipping is a common practice among many, with a lack of time being the most often used reason. 

In this review of 35 different studies, anywhere from 14-88% of participants skipped breakfast. This was much higher than lunch (8-57%) and dinner meals (4-57%).

What does it matter if people skip breakfast? Well, it can have some negative effects on your energy and metabolism, including:

• Fluctuating glucose levels
• Increase in inflammation
• Increase in weight gain

Skipping breakfast can also reduce overall physical performance and energy expenditure as well.

Do Regulate Meal Times

Another important factor to consider is consistent meal times. Some go beyond three standard meals a day and include snacks as well. Consider reducing the snacking and trying to stick to a predictable meal pattern, if you can.

Studies have shown that eating two to three meals per day, especially earlier in the day, can have positive effects:

• Increased sustained energy
• Improved gut health
• Higher stress resistance
• Improved circadian rhythm

Also consider that snacking, especially late at night, can increase the chances of blowing your calorie allotment. Plan your meals so you don’t run out of calories before the end of the day, especially around dinner time.

The effects mentioned above have also been studied in regards to intermittent fasting. By eating during specified windows of time and fasting during the remaining hours, some have seen positive health benefits.

One study even suggests that intermittent fasting combined with a Mediterranean diet work together to reduce:

• Overall body fat
• Insulin resistance

If you do decide to try intermittent fasting, be sure that you are getting enough calories during your eating window. There are multiple ways to be successful with this way of eating, so find what works for you.

Do Be Kind to Yourself

When it comes to counting calories, it’s not just as simple as keeping track of what you’re eating. As you’ve seen today, it’s a process and includes lifestyle changes to truly be successful.

Inevitably, you’ll do something to mess up. Whether it’s eating something you shouldn’t or skipping a workout (or two), don’t beat yourself up. Remind yourself this is a journey, recommit to your goals, and keep moving.

If doing this alone doesn’t work, consider getting an accountability partner. Find a trusted friend or family member who has similar goals, and commit to checking in with each other.

Having someone as a sounding board can help make the hard days easier, and the great days worth celebrating. Plus, they can help remind you why you’re doing this on the days you want to give up.

Final Thoughts

Choosing to count calories is a personal decision and so is the method you use to do it. Get started with the proper calculations and keep track of our progress. Know going in that your numbers will fluctuate with your activity levels.

Don’t restrict yourself and make sure you are eating properly to sustain your energy levels. Check-in with yourself often and be honest about what is working and what isn’t.

Counting calories isn’t for everyone and is mostly used to reach bodyweight goals. Anyone who wants to make changes to their diet should consult their doctor to get the all-clear first.

If you are currently counting calories to reach a goal, what are your most successful tips? Any words of caution for those just starting out? Let us know in the comments section below.