Calories & Portions
You don't need to count every calorie to make progress. But having a clear understanding of what you're actually eating - and where the numbers come from - is one of the most effective things you can do for your health and body composition.
#Understanding & Tracking Calories
A calorie is simply a unit of energy. Your body burns a certain amount each day through basic functions, activity, and digestion - this total is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).
The three outcomes
| Scenario | What it means |
|---|---|
| Eat less than TDEE (deficit) | Weight loss over time |
| Match TDEE (maintenance) | Weight stays stable |
| Eat more than TDEE (surplus) | Weight gain / muscle building |
A deficit of 300-500 kcal per day is generally considered a sustainable rate of fat loss (~0.3-0.5 kg per week).
How to estimate your TDEE
Online calculators using height, weight, age, and activity level give a reasonable starting estimate. Treat it as a starting point - adjust based on how your weight responds over 2-3 weeks.
Practical tracking approaches
- App tracking (MyFitnessPal, Cronometer): most accurate, especially for a short calibration period
- Hand portions: quick field estimate without a phone
- Photo logging: builds awareness without obsessing over numbers
Even 2-3 days of accurate logging reveals patterns most people don't expect.
Where calories most often sneak in
- Cooking oils and dressings (~120 kcal per tbsp)
- Nut butter (~180 kcal per 2 tbsp)
- Alcohol (150-200 kcal per glass)
- Flavoured coffee drinks (200-400 kcal)
Liquids and cooking fats are the easiest sources to undercount.
#Calorie Density
Calorie density is the number of calories per gram of food. It explains why you can eat a large bowl of vegetables and feel light, or eat a small packet of nuts and have consumed 600 kcal.
What drives calorie density
- Water and fibre lower calorie density (fruit, vegetables, soups)
- Fat raises calorie density significantly (oils, nuts, cheese)
- Protein and carbs land in the middle (~4 kcal/g each vs 9 kcal/g for fat)
The spectrum
| Density | Range | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Low | <100 kcal / 100g | Leafy veg, cucumber, berries, broth soups |
| Medium | 100-300 kcal / 100g | Lean meat, fish, cooked grains, legumes |
| High | >400 kcal / 100g | Oils, nuts, cheese, pastries, chocolate |
Quick label scan
Check per 100g on the nutrition panel: under 100 kcal = low density; over 400 kcal = high density. Takes 5 seconds at the supermarket.
The volume eating approach
Filling half your plate with low-density foods first (vegetables, salad, broth soup) means you get more food volume, feel fuller, and naturally consume fewer calories - without tracking every gram.
Gear for this post
Curated tools & essentials mentioned in this guide
#Weighing & Portioning Food
Eyeballing portions is notoriously unreliable. Research consistently shows people underestimate calorie intake by 20-40%, particularly for calorie-dense foods like oils, nut butters, cereals, and cheese.
The most common over-poured foods
- Oil: a casual drizzle is often 2-3 tbsp (240-360 kcal vs ~120 kcal for 1 tbsp)
- Nut butter: a heaped spoon is typically 3-4 tbsp (270-360 kcal)
- Cereal: a "bowl" is usually 2-3× the stated serving size
- Cheese: a casual slice is often 50-80g (200-320 kcal)
Cooked vs raw weight
This catches people out regularly:
- Rice: roughly doubles in weight when cooked
- Pasta: roughly triples in weight when cooked
- Meat: shrinks ~25% when cooked
Weigh rice and pasta dry before cooking, or use a cooked weight database entry - not both.
Hand anchors (when you can't weigh)
- Palm ≈ 25-30g protein (chicken, fish, beef)
- Fist ≈ 1 cup cooked veg or grain
- Thumb ≈ 1 tbsp fat (oil, nut butter, butter)
- Cupped hand ≈ 30g nuts or dried fruit
Scale tips
- Weigh before cooking where possible
- Use grams, not cups - cups vary by how packed the food is
- Tare (zero) between each ingredient when building a meal
Short-term effort, long-term benefit
Accurately measuring for 1-2 weeks recalibrates your visual estimates for months afterward.
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