Calorie Counting 101: Everything you ned to know about getting started
Aug 22, 2025
Calorie tracking can be pretty daunting. What app should you use, what goals should you set, and what even are macros? Here's everything that you need to know to get started.
I first started tracking my calories a few years ago when I was getting into better shape. But it can seem pretty daunting when you're first getting started. To help you out, I've put together a simple guide on what a calorie is, how to set a daily budget in minutes, how to log your first day in Calorik, and the beginner mistakes to avoid.
What is a calorie?
A calorie is just energy. Food gives you energy. Your body uses energy to stay alive and move. If you consistently eat more energy than you use, you gain weight. If you consistently eat less, you lose weight. That is it.
How to set simple daily calorie goals
Pick a goal, set a sensible daily budget, then adjust from real-world results.
Choose your goal
Fat loss: you want a small daily deficit.
Maintenance: you want to hold steady.
Muscle gain: you want a small daily surplus.
Get a quick maintenance estimate
Rule of thumb: body weight in kg × 30.
Example: 80 kg × 30 ≈ 2400 kcal.
Set your starting budget
Fat loss: maintenance minus 300 to 500 kcal. Example: 1900 to 2100 kcal.
Maintenance: use the maintenance number.
Muscle gain: maintenance plus 150 to 300 kcal.
Sanity checks
Keep protein high. Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg.
Do not set an extreme deficit. Energy, training, and mood will suffer.
Keep steps and training consistent so your results are clear.
Review and adjust
Track a 7-day weight average.
If the trend is not moving toward your goal after 14 days, nudge by 150 to 200 kcal and repeat.
Use Calorik to set your calorie target and protein goal (we'll cover this in more detail later in the blog), then save three go-to meals so hitting the number is easy.
What is a macro?
Macros are the big parts of food that give you energy and help your body work: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Fibre is part of carbs and is worth tracking too.
Protein
Builds and protects muscle, keeps you full.
Targets: 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg of body weight.
Sources: chicken, yoghurt, eggs, fish, tofu, beans, protein powder.
Carbohydrates
Main energy source, supports training and recovery.
Pick mostly higher-fibre options such as rice, oats, potatoes, fruit, veg.
Fat
Supports hormones and vitamin absorption, adds flavour.
Use olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, dairy. Measure oils and spreads.
Fibre
Helps digestion and fullness.
Targets: 25 to 35 g per day from fruit, veg, whole grains, beans.
How to set up your macros
Set calories first.
Set protein from the range above.
Split the remaining calories between carbs and fat based on preference and training. There is no perfect ratio. Start with roughly half carbs and half fat, then adjust to what keeps you full and energised.
How to log your calories in Calorik
Here's how you can log your daily calories using Calorik. Do this once, then save it as your routine.
Add your budget and protein target
Open Calorik, set daily calories and a protein goal.
Build your “frequent foods”
Breakfast: add the items you usually eat. Save as a meal.
Lunch and dinner: add two go to meals each. Save them.
Snacks: save three staples such as yoghurt bowl, fruit, protein bar.
Use fast logging tools
Scan labels on packaged foods (but remember we don't do barcodes).
Use Quick Add for simple items like eggs or toast.
Weigh once, then save as a custom food if labels are vague.
Weigh the tricky bits
Oils, dressings, sauces. Log teaspoons or grams.
Rice and pasta. Log cooked weight unless you know the dry weight. Pick one method and stick to it.
Close the loop at night
Check your totals.
If you are short on protein, add a small snack such as Greek yoghurt or tuna on toast. But don't eat too close to bedtime!
Add one note about hunger, mood, sleep. This helps future tweaks.
A sample day at 2000 kcal and 150 g protein
Breakfast: 0% Greek yoghurt 250 g with berries and honey.
Lunch: chicken Caesar wrap using yoghurt Caesar.
Dinner: chicken tikka with plain basmati.
Snacks: protein shake, apple.
Save each as a meal so that logging them tomorrow only takes two taps.
Common beginner mistakes to avoid
All or nothing thinking. Aim for 80 to 90 percent consistency. One off days do not ruin progress.
Forgetting oils and extras. Spray oil, butter, mayo, dressings, lattes. They add up fast.
Switching between raw and cooked weights. Pick one per food and be consistent.
Guessing restaurant meals with no plan. Use simple orders such as grilled protein, veg, potato or rice.
Eating back all exercise calories. Keep the same daily budget and let workouts speed results.
Only counting on weekdays. Weekends often erase the deficit. Plan a buffer.
Chasing scale noise. Daily weight jumps are water and salt. Track a 7 day average.
Under-eating protein. Low protein makes hunger worse and stalls progress.
Not saving meals and favourites. Logging should take five minutes per day.
Moving less when you diet. Keep steps steady so your budget remains accurate.
What to do next
Set your starting budget and protein target.
Save three breakfasts, three lunches, three dinners in Calorik.
Log for 14 days. If your 7 day weight average is not moving toward your goal, adjust by 150 to 200 kcal and repeat.
Simple, repeatable, five minutes a day. That is how calorie counting works.
