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When I first started learning about losing weight, things like calories, macros, and maintenance felt overwhelming and confusing. I didn’t grow up knowing about any of that, and for a lot of people, that’s enough to stop them from even trying. It just seems like too much.
But here’s the truth: if you want to lose weight sustainably, tracking your food is one of the most important habits you can build. It’s not about being obsessive, it’s about being aware. Everything that gets tracked gets managed. Every unnoticed snack, every “just a little bit” adds up. And those unnoticed extras might be the reason the scale isn’t moving.
No amount of exercise can undo consistent overeating. That’s why it’s so important to actually include food in your weight loss journey, not restrict it blindly.
The First Step: Get a Food Scale
When it comes to tracking your meals, you’ll need a food scale. I use a similar one to this cheap but effective digital food scale. It’s simple and gets the job done. But if you’re looking for something more tech-forward, this smart food scale connects to a calorie tracking apps and makes logging even easier.
No matter which scale you go for, the goal is the same: measure what you’re actually eating, not what you think you’re eating.
Tracking Your Meals Doesn’t Have to Be Tedious
When I first started, I thought I had to manually input every detail into my phone, and that sounded exhausting. But most calorie tracking apps make the process easier than you’d expect:
- Scan barcodes directly from your ingredients
- Weigh your portions and enter the exact amounts
- Save full meals to reuse them later
Once you get used to it, it really becomes second nature. What once took me fifteen minutes now takes about three.
How Many Calories Should You Eat?
This part tripped me up in the beginning.
You’ve probably seen “1,200” or “1,500” calories thrown around as some kind of golden rule. But the truth is, your calorie needs are completely unique to you. Your maintenance calories (how much you need to maintain your current weight) depend on your age, height, weight, movement, and even how long you’ve been dieting.
Once you calculate your maintenance, subtract a small amount to enter a calorie deficit, the key to losing fat. And don’t forget to prioritize protein to preserve muscle and stay full longer.
I go much more in-depth about calculating maintenance, creating a deficit, and making it sustainable in my A Guide to Sustainable Weight Loss.
What I Learned From Tracking My Food
In the beginning, I struggled a lot. I made mistakes, guessed too often, and sometimes just avoided tracking when I didn’t want to know the number.
But eventually, it clicked.
The more I tracked, the more I learned. I started to recognize portion sizes, understand what foods kept me full, and notice which meals weren’t worth the calories. It’s not forever, it’s a learning tool. And once you’ve built that awareness, you won’t have to track as strictly anymore.
Final Thoughts
Tracking your food isn’t about control. It’s about clarity. Once you understand how your body responds to what you eat, everything starts to make more sense.
If you’ve been putting off tracking because it feels confusing, I promise it’s worth learning. And if you want a more detailed guide that walks you through each step, again, my A Guide to Sustainable Weight Loss is a great tool.
You don’t have to be perfect, just aware. And that awareness will take you further than you think.