Nutrition

Should You Be Tracking Your Calories? (5 Pros and Cons)

Tracking your calories: a colossal waste of time and path to disordered eating or the quickest way to achieve your fitness goals? We investigate.

Gene Lim

Mar 2, 2024 — 4 min read

Few topics in fitness are more divisive than the concept of tracking calories.

Some would go so far as to send you hate mail if you even mention the words “calories” and “tracking” in the same breath. Because they believe the practice is a colossal waste of time. And a slippery slope to disordered eating.

While others? They’re all for it. They see value in tracking calories; it helps them make quicker progress toward their goals.

So, who’s right?

Should you be tracking your calories — or not? Let’s find out by first weighing the pros and cons of the practice.

Pros of tracking calories

There are 3 compelling reasons for tracking your calories.

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