By: Paige Valentik, MPS, RD, LDN

Should I track my calories? The answer is…maybe. Just like any aspect of nutrition, the answer to this question depends on the individual. Let’s delve into the reasons for and against calorie tracking to help you decide what’s best for you.

Reasons for “Yes, you should try tracking your calories”:

1. Awareness of intake: Do you know how much you’re eating? Calorie tracking provides a clear picture of your daily intake, helping you understand portion sizes and calorie content of the foods you consume.
2. Goal management: Whether your goal is to gain weight, lose weight or maintain your weight, tracking calories offers tangible data to gauge your progress. How can you truly know if you’re doing what you need to if you’ve never assessed what you’re eating before and after you’ve established a goal?
3. Self-awareness: Calorie tracking can encourage mindfulness around eating habits. It helps you to reflect on your choices and how they align with your health objectives.
4. Accountability: Keeping a record of your food intake holds you accountable for your dietary choices. It can serve as a powerful motivator to stay on track with your nutrition goals.

Reasons for “No, tracking calories is probably not the right decision for you”:

1. Negative relationship with food/body image: For some individuals, calorie tracking can exacerbate unhealthy attitudes towards food and body image. It may trigger feelings of guilt or anxiety around eating, leading to detrimental effects on your mental well-being. Tracking your calories is not worth it.
2. Let’s be real, it’s tedious: Logging every meal and snack can be time-consuming and tedious. Is this the best usage of your time? Will you be able to commit the time and energy required for this habit to pay off?
3. Honesty concerns: If you’re not completely honest with your tracking, it defeats the purpose. Inaccurate logging can skew results and hinder the effectiveness of calorie tracking as a tool for success.
4. Potential for obsession: Calorie tracking has the potential to spiral into an obsession with numbers, leading to negative thoughts and behaviors related to food and body weight.
5. Ignoring hunger cues: Relying solely on calorie counting could cause individuals to disregard their body’s natural hunger cues. In my opinion, listening to hunger cues is the simplest, most effective way to manage body weight and nutrition habits.

As you can see, calorie tracking can be a valuable tool for some individuals in achieving their health and fitness goals, but it’s not suitable for everyone. It’s essential to weigh the potential benefits against the drawbacks and consider your own relationship with food and body image before deciding whether to incorporate calorie tracking into your plan. 

Also, keep in mind that you can eb and flow with this strategy. What I mean by that is not everyone has to have a 100+ day streak on the “Lose It” app like my husband does. I personally take the approach of using calorie tracking as a check-in accountability strategy. So, I use it for a few days or a few weeks (depending on what’s going on in life at that time) when I can feel my nutrition habits slipping and I need to check in with myself. Another time I would use this strategy is when I have established a new goal and need to assess where I am and what changes I need to make. I would personally recommend the “Lose It” app. I’ve tried a few different ones and this app seems to be the most accurate and user-friendly. Let me know if you have any other calorie tracking apps you love!