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Counting calories can help if you want to lose weight. You can begin by planning your weekly meals and counting calories per serving. However, it’s important to make sure you’re still fulfilling your daily energy needs.

To lose weight, you typically need to eat fewer calories than you burn.

Keep in mind that counting calories is just one way to lose weight. It may not work for everyone, and it’s not the only way to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Always consider your food quality, portions, and fullness signals as well when trying to lose weight. You can speak with a healthcare professional, such as a dietitian, to help identify your individual food needs and goals.

If you’re preoccupied with food or your weight, feel guilt about food choices, or engage in restrictive diets, consider reaching out for support.

These behaviors may indicate a disordered relationship with food or an eating disorder.

Disordered eating and eating disorders can affect anyone, regardless of gender, race, age, socioeconomic status, or other identities.

They can be caused by any combination of biological, social, cultural, and environmental factors — not just by exposure to diet culture.

Consider speaking with a healthcare professional or contacting the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, which offers a daytime helpline staffed by licensed therapists and an online search tool for treatment options.

For general mental health support at any time, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24 hours per day at 800-662-4357 (TTY: 800-487-4889).

Calories are a measure of energy, typically used to measure the energy content of foods and beverages.

Your body uses the calories you eat and drink for essential functions, such as breathing and thinking, as well as day-to-day activities, such as:

Any excess calories you eat are stored as fat, so consistently eating more than you burn may lead to weight gain over time.

How many calories you need depends on several factors, including:

  • gender
  • age
  • weight
  • activity level

If you’re trying to lose weight, you will typically need to create a calorie deficit by eating less than your body burns off.

You can use this calculator to determine how many calories you should eat per day.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommendations for a healthy diet, which includes:

  • eating five portions of fruits and vegetables per day
  • not getting more than 5% of calories from added sugar
  • getting around 30% of your total energy intake from fats, such as fish and oils
  • eating 5 grams of iodized salt (equivalent to about 1 teaspoon) per day

When it comes to your weight, calories do count. This fact has been proven time and time again in scientific experiments called overfeeding studies.

These studies ask people to deliberately overeat and subsequently measure the effect on their weight and health. All overfeeding studies have found that when people eat more calories than they burn off, they gain weight.

A 2022 study split participants into two groups: those who tracked their calories and those who self-monitored high calorie foods. Both groups lost significant amounts of weight at the 6-month mark (5.7% and 4% on average, respectively).

Thus, if it’s not possible to count all of your calories, you may be able to focus on high calorie foods and still lose weight.

However, calorie counting isn’t the only effective method for weight loss. It’s also important to:

Portion sizes have increased over time. In some restaurants, a single meal can provide double or triple the average person’s daily needs.

“Portion distortion” is the term for when you view large servings of foods as the norm. It can cause weight gain and hinder weight loss.

It can be tricky to estimate how much you eat each day. Calorie counting can help you manage overeating by giving you a better understanding of how much you are consuming.

For it to work, you need to record food portions correctly. Here are a few common ways to measure portion sizes:

  • Scales: Weighing your food is the most accurate way to determine how much you’re eating.
  • Measuring cups: Standard volume measures may be slightly quicker and easier to use than a scale.
  • Comparisons: Comparing common items is quick and easy, especially if you’re away from home. However, this can be much less accurate.

Common examples

Here are some common serving sizes compared with household items that may help you estimate your portion sizes:

  • 1 serving of leafy green vegetables (1 cup): a baseball
  • 1 serving of rice or pasta (1/2 cup): a computer mouse or rounded handful
  • 1 serving of vegetables (1/2 cup): a computer mouse
  • 1 serving of fresh fruit (1/2 cup): a tennis ball
  • 1 serving of meat (3 ounces): a deck of cards
  • 1 serving of fish (3 ounces): a checkbook
  • 1 serving of cheese (1.5 ounces): a lipstick tube or the size of your thumb
  • 1 serving of peanut butter (2 tablespoons): a ping-pong ball
  • 1 serving of olive oil (1 teaspoon): 1 fingertip

Calorie counting isn’t an exact science, even when you weigh and measure portions.

However, it’s not necessary to be entirely spot-on with your measurements. Just make sure to record your intake as accurately as you can.

Try to be most careful about recording items that are high in fat or sugar, such as pizza, ice cream, and oils. Under-recording these foods can cause a big difference between your recorded and actual intake.

To improve your estimations, you can try using a food scale in the beginning to give you a better idea of what a portion looks like for various foods. This can help you be more accurate, even after you stop using the scale.

Apps to help you count calories

Lots of apps are available to simplify the process by providing quick and easy ways to log the food you eat. Learn more about the best weight loss apps out there.

Here are a few more tips to help with counting calories:

  • Be prepared: Before you start, consider getting a calorie-counting app or online tool, decide how you will measure or estimate portions, and make a meal plan.
  • Read food labels: Food labels contain lots of useful information for calorie counting. Make sure you check the portion size recommended on the package.
  • Aim for slow, steady weight loss: A 2020 study found that greater weight variability at 9 and 12 weeks into a weight loss intervention predicted increased weight at 12 and 18 months from the start.
  • Fuel your exercise: The most successful weight loss programs include both diet and exercise. Make sure to eat enough to still have the energy to exercise.

Counting calories can be helpful if you want to lose weight.

But it may not work for everyone and is not the only way to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

You also need to consider food quality, portions, and fullness signals. It’s important to ensure you’re still fulfilling your daily energy needs, even if you decide to count calories.