The Hidden Calories We All Miss (No Shame, Just Truth)
- Why Calorie Tracking Might Be More Tricky Than You Think (And Why That’s Okay) -
If you’ve ever tracked your food intake and felt frustrated by a lack of results—despite doing “everything right”—you’re not alone.
And more importantly, you’re not doing anything wrong. In fact, you may be doing better than you think.
Research has shown that even when people try to track their food accurately, there's often a gap between what we think we're eating and what we’re actually consuming.
Sometimes, that gap is bigger than we realize.
One well-known study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that a group of individuals with obesity who believed they were eating under 1,200 calories per day were actually consuming up to 2,000 more calories than they reported.
And they weren’t being dishonest—they simply didn’t realize.
The same study also found participants overestimated their physical activity by about 50%.
It’s not just this one study, either.
A broad range of meta-analyses—including one from Frontiers in Nutrition—have confirmed this pattern.
On average, people underreport their calorie intake by 20% to 50%, depending on the method used and the person’s body composition.
That means if you think you’re eating 1,800 calories, you might actually be closer to 2,400—or more.
Why does this happen? Food labels aren’t perfect.
Portion sizes are hard to eyeball. And let’s face it—life is busy. A handful of this, a splash of that, a bite while cooking—it all adds up.
And because we’re human, we tend to forget the little things (especially when it comes to snacks and extras).
But here’s the good news: awareness is powerful.
You don’t need to obsess over every calorie to make progress.
But knowing that your numbers might be a little off gives you the opportunity to approach your goals with more flexibility and patience.
Want to Track More Accurately? Try These Simple Tips:
- Use a food tracking app like MyFitnessPal, Cronometer, or MacrosFirst. These tools take the guesswork out of logging and can help you spot patterns over time.
- Weigh and measure when possible. A food scale and measuring cups can go a long way toward building awareness. Even doing this for just a few days can recalibrate your portion perception.
- Watch out for “sneaky” calories. Oils, sauces, dressings, bites while cooking, and liquid calories can add up fast. They’re easy to forget—but easy to log once you’re aware.
- Plan ahead. Pre-logging your meals in the morning or the night before can help you stay on track without decision fatigue.
- Be consistent, not perfect. The goal isn’t flawless tracking—it’s better awareness over time. Even imperfect tracking is more helpful than none at all.
So if your tracking doesn’t seem to “add up,” take a deep breath.
You’re not failing. You're learning.
These insights don’t mean you should give up on tracking—they just mean you should give yourself grace along the way.
After all, progress isn't about being perfect. It's about being consistent and informed.
And now, you are.