Why Counting Calories Doesn’t Work for Me

Calorie counting works for a lot of people, and the theory behind it is perfect - it makes sense to track what you’re eating if you want to manage your health or lose weight. But here’s the thing: it’s not always the best solution for everyone. I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent half an hour on my phone, feeling like a complete twat, when all I want to do is make spaghetti bolognese. I wasn’t exactly enjoying myself. In fact, I was making eating feel like an absolute pain in the ass. Here are some reasons why 99% of the time, it just isn’t for me and what I find works instead.

Loss of Enjoyment
One of the biggest issues? Focusing on numbers took all the enjoyment out of food. Mealtimes became a chore, and meal prep became a stressful task instead of a time to nourish my body. Constantly logging everything I ate felt overwhelming. It turned something that should be simple - eating - into a huge mental task. Instead of enjoying food, I was thinking about the numbers, which drained the fun out of it.

Giving Up After Going Over
If I went even slightly over my calorie limit, I’d feel like I’d messed up. And then I’d abandon my efforts for the rest of the day (or longer), thinking I’d already blown it. It’s a pattern I kept repeating, but it never led to anything sustainable.

Restriction and Guesswork When Eating Out
Eating out? Forget about it. I’d either avoid foods or feel stressed trying to guess the amount of chips in a meal. It took the fun out of socialising and left me second-guessing every decision.

Inaccuracy of Calorie Counting
Even if you’re a slave to MyFitnessPal and pour hours over adding every sprinkle of salt, calorie counting is never fully accurate. Food labels can be off by as much as 10%, and it can be so tricky to be spot on with measurements. That lack of precision made it hard to trust the whole process.

Time-Consuming
Constantly inputting meals into apps or keeping track by hand was time-consuming and exhausting. Instead of enjoying my food or spending time with family, I was consumed by the numbers.

Focus on Numbers Instead of Health
The more I learn, this is probably the biggest one for me now. Calorie counting shifts the focus from overall health and nourishment to just hitting a number. Eating becomes more like a math problem than something to fuel your body, and it’s just not sustainable. Here’s the thing, calorie counting made me feel like I was "allowed" to eat low-quality foods, as long as they fit within the calorie count and/or macros. The problem? They never left me feeling full or satisfied. They were quick fixes that didn't actually help my body feel good or my energy high.

So, What’s the Solution?

Instead of aiming for perfection, I shifted my focus to gradual improvement. Calorie counting often pushes us to aim for the unattainable, but small, consistent improvements are way more achievable - and they actually lead to lasting changes.

If you're tired of being stuck in the cycle of tracking, measuring, and stressing over every meal, it might be time to try something different. Focus on how food makes you feel, and start making small, intentional changes.

Have you ever struggled with calorie counting?
If so, I’d love to hear about your experience. Maybe it’s time we start focusing on progress, not perfection, and embrace a healthier, more intuitive approach to eating.