1. Limited Variety in Your Diet

If your meals consist mainly of processed foods and lack fruits and vegetables, you may be consuming more calories than you realize. Most countries permit a discrepancy of around 20% between actual and labeled values, which can lead to inaccuracies in calorie counting.

Research indicates that only 16% of products comply with this allowance. To ensure better tracking, focus on consuming whole foods without labels, such as:

2. Overindulging in Meal Variety

Many successful dieters tend to stick to a few favorite meals, consuming them repeatedly each week. While food variety sounds appealing, it often leads to disorganization and larger portion sizes.

A systematic review showed that increased meal variety can drive higher food intake. Instead, create a list of nutritious foods you enjoy and stick to 2-4 meal options for each meal. This approach simplifies meal prep and calorie tracking.

3. Excessive Ingredient Use

If your meal entries on MyFitnessPal resemble a long grocery list, tracking your intake will become tedious and overwhelming.

Simplify your meals to make tracking more manageable and enjoyable.

4. Frequent Dining Out

When eating out, meals can contain significantly more calories than homemade equivalents. For instance, a restaurant's mashed potatoes might have double the calories of your home-cooked version.

With the average American dining out nearly five times a week, it's crucial to either limit your restaurant visits or choose meals focused on lean proteins and vegetables.

5. Logging as You Go

Tracking your macros throughout the day can leave you off-target by day's end. This disorganization can lead to stress and anxiety about your intake.

Implement the “24 before” rule: take a few minutes each evening to plan your meals for the next day. This strategy reduces decision fatigue and enhances consistency.

6. Misusing Exercise Calories

MyFitnessPal allows you to 'eat back' calories burned through exercise, which can undermine your weight loss efforts. Instead of increasing your calorie intake post-exercise, focus on maintaining a calorie deficit by reducing food intake.

Avoid pairing your fitness tracker with your food tracking app, as fitness trackers can often provide inaccurate data.

If you're still struggling to lose weight while enjoying your favorite foods, consider exploring my online coaching program for personalized guidance.

If you found this information helpful, you may also be interested in learning about easier alternatives to calorie counting in this related article:

Hate Calorie Counting? You’re Doing It Wrong (Here’s A Better Way)