How to track calories without obsessing over them

Calorie tracking works. It also breaks people. The difference between a tool and a trap is how you use it.

The 80/20 rule of tracking

You don't need to log every gram of salt. Aim for 80% accuracy on your macros, most days. Miss a Sunday? Fine. Guessed a restaurant meal? Fine. Consistency across a week beats perfection across one meal.

Track intake, not worth

Your calorie number is data. It is not a grade.

Two rules keep tracking healthy: never skip meals to 'save' calories, and never let the app decide whether you get to enjoy the birthday cake. It's a compass, not a leash.

A weekly cadence that works

• Log every meal for 5 days.
• Take one weekend day off entirely.
• Reweigh on the same day/time each week.
• Adjust calories only if the trend line moves the wrong way for two weeks in a row.