Several years ago, I found myself in a situation that many others have experienced. Despite living an active lifestyle, lifting weights, and playing sports, I had gradually gained weight over the years and had become significantly overweight as a result of chronic overeating. I was out-eating my lifestyle. Unhappy with my appearance and how I felt, I decided I needed to make a change.
Fat loss happens when you're in a calorie deficit, and I believe the best way to achieve this is by finding a method that you can maintain consistently. Personally, I chose to count my calories and macros so I could still enjoy a variety of foods while monitoring my total caloric intake. This approach helps ensure you’re getting enough protein and healthy fats while enjoying the foods you like you eat.
Note: See our blog titled “Building a Nutrition Plan: A Practical Guide” for more detailed information about suggested protein, fat and carbohydrate intake and its relation to fat loss.
When I first started tracking my calories and macros, along with weight training and cardio, I saw immediate results. After using an online calculator to estimate my daily caloric requirements I set a goal to eat about 2,500 calories per day. I used a food-tracking app to keep tabs on my intake, and it worked—I lost weight steadily for a few months, gradually reducing my calorie intake as I lost weight. But eventually, I stalled. I was down to an estimated 2,000 calories per day while working out intensely 5 to 6 days a week. I felt exhausted and frustrated, believing I was doing everything right, but I had not seen results for months.
During this time, I often ate at Chipotle and similar restaurants that offer fresh, high-protein meals. One day, as I watched the disinterested Chipotle employee build my bowl of black beans, chicken, rice, and guacamole, I had a lightbulb moment. I noticed that the portion of chicken I received seemed twice as large as that of the person ahead of me in line. This made me realize how much portion sizes could vary at a place like Chipotle.
The app I was using had Chipotle's menu loaded into it, so typically I would simply select the ingredients I chose that day for my bowl and add them to my total every time I ate there. However, I realized the actual portions I received were likely not matching the amounts listed in the app, making it unreliable at best. I wondered if this is why I wasn’t losing weight? Could it really be adding that many extra calories?
I decided to find out. I purchased a $15 food scale on Amazon and began weighing my ingredients from Chipotle individually. I quickly discovered I was definitely consuming more calories than I had estimated—sometimes by hundreds of calories! This discrepancy was often ruining my calorie deficit I was working so hard to stay in. I decided to start weighing everything I ate, not just Chipotle, and found similar discrepancies in the portion sizes of other foods as well. Once I began measuring accurately, I resumed losing weight.
This approach may not be for everyone, but if you’re committed to counting calories to maintain a calorie deficit, it’s essential to do it accurately. Relying solely on serving sizes listed on nutrition labels or estimating won’t work if you want consistent results. I stayed dedicated and ultimately lost 60 pounds of fat in about 9 months using this method. So, if you're struggling to see results while counting calories and seemingly doing everything right, do yourself a favor: buy a food scale and start measuring accurately.
