Calorie tracking sounds tedious, but you don't need to weigh every gram of food to get useful results. A rough, consistent estimate beats a perfect one you abandon after a week.
Step 1: Find your maintenance calories
Your maintenance level is the number of calories that keeps your weight stable. Our calorie calculator estimates this using your age, weight, height, and activity level.
Step 2: Set a realistic target
- For gradual fat loss: aim for a 300ā500 calorie daily deficit.
- For muscle gain: aim for a 200ā300 calorie daily surplus.
- For maintenance: track for two weeks and adjust based on actual weight trend.
Weight fluctuates daily from water and food volume. Track your weekly average instead of reacting to single-day numbers.
Consistency matters more than precision ā logging most days, even imperfectly, will teach you more about your habits than a single perfectly-measured day ever could.
PrimeCalculator Editorial Team
Calculator & Finance Writers