Calories: Eye Balling vs Tracking, Maintenance, Deficit Mistakes & More
Right, let's have a proper chat about calories. I know, I know – it's not the most exciting topic, but stick with me because understanding this stuff is absolutely crucial for your fitness goals. Whether you're trying to lose weight, build muscle, or just maintain where you are, getting your head around calories will make everything else so much easier.
Eyeballing vs Tracking: What's the Real Deal?
Let's start with the age-old debate – should you track every single calorie or just wing it? Both approaches have their place, but the reality is more nuanced than most people think.
Eyeballing portions works brilliantly for some people, especially those who've got a good understanding of food and have been consistent with their eating habits for years. If you're naturally intuitive with food and can maintain your weight without much thought, eyeballing might be perfect for you.
But here's where it gets tricky – most of us are absolutely rubbish at estimating portions. That handful of nuts you think is 30 calories? It's probably closer to 100. That "small" serving of pasta could easily be double what you think it is. Research shows we consistently underestimate calorie-dense foods and overestimate the calories in vegetables and lean proteins.
Calorie tracking, on the other hand, gives you concrete data. You know exactly what's going in, which makes it much easier to adjust when things aren't working. It's particularly useful if you're new to nutrition, have specific body composition goals, or have been struggling to see results.
The sweet spot? Start with tracking to educate yourself about portion sizes and food composition, then gradually transition to intuitive eating once you've developed that knowledge base.
Understanding Maintenance Calories
Your maintenance calories are essentially the amount of energy you need to consume to maintain your current weight. Think of it as your body's daily fuel requirement – eat more and you'll gain weight, eat less and you'll lose weight.
But here's what most people get wrong: maintenance calories aren't fixed. They change based on your activity level, body composition, age, hormones, and even the weather (your body burns more calories keeping warm in winter).
A typical maintenance calorie range might look like this:
Sedentary woman: 1,800-2,000 calories
Active woman: 2,200-2,500 calories
Sedentary man: 2,200-2,500 calories
Active man: 2,800-3,200 calories
These are rough estimates, mind you. Your individual needs could be significantly higher or lower.
Finding your maintenance calories requires a bit of detective work. Track your food intake for 2-3 weeks whilst maintaining your current weight. The average daily intake during this period gives you a good starting point for your maintenance calories.
Common Calorie Deficit Mistakes That Sabotage Your Progress
Right, let's talk about where people go wrong with calorie deficits. These mistakes are more common than you'd think, and they're often the reason people get frustrated and give up.
Mistake #1: Going too aggressive too quickly
Jumping straight into a massive calorie deficit might seem logical – bigger deficit equals faster results, right? Wrong. Your body doesn't work like a simple calculator. Extreme deficits trigger your survival mechanisms, slowing your metabolism and making you feel absolutely dreadful.
Mistake #2: Not adjusting as you lose weight
As you lose weight, your calorie needs decrease. That 500-calorie deficit that worked brilliantly at the start might only be a 200-calorie deficit after you've lost a stone. You need to recalculate and adjust every few weeks.
Mistake #3: Ignoring food quality
A calorie is a calorie for weight loss, but not all calories are created equal for how you feel and perform. Spending all your deficit calories on processed junk will leave you hungry, tired, and more likely to give up.
Mistake #4: Not accounting for weekends
Being perfect Monday to Friday then going completely off-plan at weekends is a guaranteed way to spin your wheels. Those weekend blow-outs can easily wipe out your weekly deficit.
Fat Loss vs Weight Loss: Why the Scales Lie
This is massive, and most people don't understand the difference. Weight loss is simply the number going down on the scales. Fat loss is specifically losing body fat whilst preserving (or even gaining) lean muscle mass.
Here's the thing – you can lose weight by losing muscle, water, or fat. But you only want to lose fat. Muscle is metabolically active tissue that helps you burn calories even at rest. Losing muscle makes it harder to maintain your weight loss long-term.
The scales will lie to you regularly:
Eaten more carbs? You'll hold more water
Started a new training programme? Your muscles might retain water for repair
Haven't been to the toilet? That's weight too
Ladies, hormonal fluctuations can cause 2-3lb swings throughout the month
Better indicators of fat loss include:
How your clothes fit
Progress photos (same time of day, same lighting)
Body measurements
How you feel and perform
Focus on fat loss by:
Maintaining adequate protein intake (aim for 1.6-2.2g per kg of body weight)
Including resistance training in your routine
Keeping your deficit moderate (300-500 calories below maintenance)
Being patient with the process
Aggressive vs Sustainable: Finding Your Sweet Spot
The fitness industry loves to promote quick fixes – lose 2 stone in 8 weeks, get beach ready in 30 days. But here's what they don't tell you: aggressive approaches rarely lead to lasting results.
Aggressive calorie deficits (800+ calories below maintenance):
Pros:
Faster initial results
Can provide motivation
Might work short-term for special events
Cons:
Metabolic adaptation happens quickly
Muscle loss is more likely
Harder to stick to
Often leads to rebound weight gain
Can negatively impact hormones, sleep, and mood
Sustainable calorie deficits (300-500 calories below maintenance):
Pros:
Easier to maintain long-term
Better preservation of lean muscle
Fewer negative side effects
Develops sustainable habits
More flexible with social situations
Cons:
Slower initial progress
Requires more patience
Less dramatic for social media posts
The research is clear: moderate, sustainable deficits lead to better long-term success. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that people who lost weight slowly (1-2lbs per week) were more likely to maintain their weight loss after two years compared to those who lost weight rapidly.
Making It Work in Real Life
Here's how to apply all this practically:
For beginners: Start with tracking for 4-6 weeks to understand portion sizes and food composition. Aim for a moderate deficit and focus on whole foods.
For intermediate: You might alternate between periods of tracking and intuitive eating. Use the scales as one data point amongst many others.
For advanced: You probably know your body well enough to eyeball portions most of the time, but still track occasionally to ensure you're on track.
Remember, the best approach is the one you can stick to consistently. There's no point following a perfect plan for two weeks if you can't maintain it long-term.
The Bottom Line
Calories matter – that's just physics. But how you manage them can make the difference between short-term success and lifelong results. Whether you choose to track meticulously or eyeball your portions, focus on sustainability over speed, and remember that fat loss is about much more than just the number on the scales.
The goal isn't to track calories forever or to never enjoy a meal out again. It's to develop a healthy, sustainable relationship with food that supports your long-term health and happiness.
Ready to get your nutrition sorted without the confusion? Check out our personalised coaching options where we'll help you find the approach that works for your lifestyle and goals.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this, stay tuned — I publish new posts every Monday at 08:00. In the meantime, why not pop over to my Instagram account? Throughout the week, I’ll be exploring this topic in more depth and sharing practical ways you can apply it to everyday life.