Calorie Counter & Nutrition Guide

A calorie counter app is a smartphone application that helps you track the calories and nutrients in the food you eat. You can log meals by searching a database, scanning barcodes, or taking photos. The app totals your daily intake and compares it to your goals. Popular features include macro tracking, barcode scanning, meal logging, and progress charts. NutraSafe is a free calorie counter app designed for UK users with a database of British supermarket products.

To count calories for weight loss: 1) Calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) using your age, weight, height and activity level. 2) Create a calorie deficit by eating 300-500 calories below your TDEE. 3) Track everything you eat using a food diary or calorie counter app. 4) Weigh portions accurately - eyeballing often underestimates. 5) Include drinks, cooking oils, and snacks. 6) Be consistent and patient - sustainable weight loss is typically 0.5-1kg per week.

TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is the total number of calories you burn each day, including your basal metabolic rate plus activity. To calculate: First find your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation, then multiply by an activity factor. Sedentary (office job): BMR x 1.2. Light exercise (1-3 days/week): BMR x 1.375. Moderate (3-5 days): BMR x 1.55. Very active (6-7 days): BMR x 1.725. Athlete: BMR x 1.9.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the number of calories your body burns at complete rest - just to keep you alive (breathing, circulation, cell production). For most people, BMR accounts for 60-75% of daily calorie burn. It's influenced by age, sex, weight, height, and muscle mass. BMR matters because eating below it long-term can slow your metabolism and cause muscle loss. Most adults have a BMR between 1,200-2,000 calories.

A calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body burns. This forces your body to use stored energy (fat) for fuel, resulting in weight loss. For example, if your TDEE is 2,000 calories and you eat 1,500 calories, you have a 500-calorie deficit. A deficit of 500 calories daily typically results in losing about 0.5kg per week. You can create a deficit by eating less, exercising more, or combining both approaches.

Yes, calorie counting is one of the most effective weight loss methods when done consistently. Research shows that people who track their food lose more weight than those who don't. It works by creating awareness of what and how much you eat, identifying hidden calories, and ensuring you maintain a deficit. However, accuracy matters - weigh portions, log everything, and account for cooking oils. Some find it tedious long-term, so use it as a learning tool to build healthy habits.

Empty calories are foods that provide energy (calories) but little nutritional value - few vitamins, minerals, protein or fibre. Common examples: sugary drinks, sweets, alcohol, crisps, and refined snacks. A 500ml sugary drink has 200+ calories but no protein, fibre, or meaningful nutrients. Contrast with an apple (95 calories) which provides fibre, vitamin C, and antioxidants. Reducing empty calories helps you lose weight while still getting proper nutrition.

For weight loss, most people need to eat 300-500 calories below their maintenance level. The NHS suggests around 1,400-1,900 calories daily for women and 1,900-2,400 for men when losing weight, depending on activity level. However, calorie needs are individual. A moderately active woman might maintain weight at 2,000 calories, so eating 1,500-1,700 would create a sustainable deficit. Never go below 1,200 calories (women) or 1,500 (men) without medical supervision.

Common reasons include: 1) Underestimating portions - use a food scale, not cups or eyeballing. 2) Forgetting to log cooking oils, sauces, and drinks. 3) Restaurant meals often have more calories than you think. 4) Metabolic adaptation - your body burns fewer calories over time. 5) Weekend overeating undoing weekday deficits. 6) Water retention masking fat loss - weight fluctuates daily. 7) Medical conditions affecting metabolism. Try tracking more accurately for 2 weeks, or consult your GP if weight hasn't budged.

The best diet is one you can stick to long-term. Evidence-based approaches include: calorie counting (flexible, eat what you want within limits), Mediterranean diet (heart-healthy, sustainable), low-carb/keto (effective but restrictive), intermittent fasting (eating windows rather than food rules), and the NHS Better Health programme. All work by creating a calorie deficit. Avoid fad diets promising rapid results - sustainable loss is 0.5-1kg weekly. Focus on whole foods, adequate protein, and building habits you can maintain.

Diet is more effective for creating a calorie deficit - it's much easier to not eat 500 calories than to burn them through exercise. A 30-minute run burns ~300 calories, while skipping a chocolate bar saves 250. However, the best results come from combining both. Exercise helps preserve muscle, improves health markers, and allows you to eat more while still losing. Focus on diet for the deficit, and exercise for fitness, mood, and long-term weight maintenance.

This is debated. Exercise calorie estimates from fitness trackers and machines are often 30-50% too high. A safer approach: don't eat back all exercise calories - at most, eat back half. If you're maintaining weight, eating back some is fine. If losing weight, treating exercise as a bonus deficit accelerates results. Listen to your body - if you're exhausted, hungry all the time, or losing more than 1kg weekly, eat a bit more. The key is sustainable energy for your workouts.

You cannot spot-reduce fat from specific areas - where you lose fat is determined by genetics. To reduce belly fat, you need to lose overall body fat through a calorie deficit. However, some things help: strength training builds muscle and improves body composition, adequate protein helps preserve muscle during weight loss, reducing alcohol (high in calories, promotes abdominal fat storage), managing stress (cortisol promotes belly fat), and getting enough sleep. Be patient - belly fat is often the last to go.

Maintenance is often harder than losing. Key strategies: 1) Gradually increase calories to your new maintenance level - don't suddenly stop tracking and eat freely. 2) Continue weighing yourself regularly to catch small gains early. 3) Keep active - exercise helps maintain weight loss long-term. 4) Maintain protein intake to preserve muscle. 5) Accept some weight fluctuation is normal. 6) Continue tracking occasionally to stay calibrated. Research shows people who keep weight off typically maintain some level of monitoring and don't abandon all habits.

The classic 10,000 steps target burns roughly 400-500 extra calories daily, depending on your weight and pace. Research suggests even 7,000-8,000 steps provides significant health benefits. For weight loss, more is generally better - 12,000-15,000 steps combined with a moderate calorie deficit can accelerate results. However, steps alone won't cause weight loss without dietary changes. Start where you are and increase gradually. Every 2,000 extra steps daily burns roughly 100 additional calories.

Moderately low-calorie diets (1,200-1,500 for women, 1,500-1,800 for men) are generally safe for most healthy adults. Very low-calorie diets (under 800 calories) should only be followed under medical supervision as they risk nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, gallstones, and metabolic slowdown. Signs your calories are too low: constant hunger, fatigue, hair loss, missed periods, irritability, and obsessive food thoughts. Sustainable weight loss doesn't require extreme restriction - a 500-calorie deficit from your TDEE is effective and safe.

Macros (macronutrients) are the three main nutrients your body needs in large amounts: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Protein builds and repairs muscle (4 calories per gram). Carbohydrates provide energy (4 calories per gram). Fats support hormones and absorb vitamins (9 calories per gram). 'Counting macros' means tracking how much of each you eat, often to specific ratios like 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat.

To track macros: 1) Set your daily targets for protein, carbohydrates and fat (common splits: 40/30/30 or 40/40/20). 2) Log everything you eat in a tracking app. 3) Check the macro breakdown for each food - most apps show this automatically. 4) Aim to hit your targets within 5-10g. 5) Focus on protein first as it's hardest to hit. Tracking macros helps ensure you get balanced nutrition, not just calories. It's especially useful for muscle building or athletic performance.

UK guidelines recommend 0.75g of protein per kg of body weight for general health. However, if you exercise regularly, you likely need more: 1.2-1.6g/kg for moderate exercise, 1.6-2.2g/kg for strength training or muscle building. For a 70kg person, that's 52g minimum, but 84-154g if actively training. Good sources include chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yoghurt, beans, lentils, and tofu. Spread protein across meals for better absorption.

There's no single answer as carb needs vary by activity level and goals. UK guidelines suggest carbs should make up about 50% of daily calories. For a 2,000 calorie diet, that's around 250g of carbs. Low-carb diets typically restrict to 50-150g daily, while keto goes below 50g. Active people and athletes often need more carbs for energy. Focus on quality: wholegrain, vegetables, legumes, and fruit rather than refined carbs and sugar.

Total carbs are all carbohydrates in a food. Net carbs = total carbs minus fibre (and sometimes sugar alcohols). The theory is that fibre isn't digested for energy, so doesn't affect blood sugar. In the UK, nutrition labels typically show total carbs with fibre listed separately - you need to subtract yourself. Low-carb and keto dieters often count net carbs. However, if you're simply counting calories, total carbs matter less than overall calorie intake.

Metabolic rate is how many calories your body burns. It includes BMR (resting metabolism), thermic effect of food (digestion), and activity. To support metabolism: 1) Build muscle through strength training - muscle burns more calories than fat. 2) Eat enough protein - it has a higher thermic effect. 3) Stay active throughout the day. 4) Don't crash diet - severe restriction slows metabolism. 5) Sleep well - poor sleep disrupts metabolic hormones. Claims about metabolism-boosting foods (green tea, chilli) have minimal real-world effect.

Popular free calorie counter apps in the UK include NutraSafe (UK-focused database with barcode scanning), MyFitnessPal (large database, social features), Lose It! (goal-focused tracking), and Nutracheck (British-made, NHS partnership). When choosing, consider: UK food database coverage, barcode scanning accuracy, ease of use, and whether free features meet your needs. NutraSafe is specifically designed for UK users with comprehensive British supermarket products.

An effective food diary: 1) Record everything - meals, snacks, drinks, even a biscuit with tea. 2) Note the time and how hungry you were (helps identify emotional eating). 3) Include portion sizes or weights. 4) Log immediately after eating, not from memory later. 5) Review weekly to spot patterns - do you overeat at certain times? 6) Use an app for easier calorie calculations. Studies show keeping a food diary doubles weight loss success. Apps like NutraSafe make this easy with barcode scanning.

To calculate homemade meal calories: 1) Weigh each ingredient raw before cooking. 2) Look up calories per 100g for each ingredient. 3) Calculate: (weight / 100) x calories per 100g. 4) Add up all ingredients for total recipe calories. 5) Divide by number of servings. For example: 500g chicken (165 kcal/100g) = 825 kcal. Most calorie counter apps let you create recipes and save them for easy logging. Account for cooking oils - 1 tablespoon olive oil adds ~120 calories.

UK food labels are legally allowed a margin of error up to 20% for calories and nutrients. However, most packaged foods are reasonably accurate. The bigger accuracy issues come from: restaurant meals (often 20-50% more than stated), portion size differences (labels may show unrealistic portions), and home cooking estimation. For best accuracy: weigh portions, stick to packaged foods with labels when possible, and overestimate slightly for restaurant meals or recipes.

UK nutrition labels show values per 100g (for comparison) and often per serving. Key sections: Energy in kJ and kcal, Fat (including saturates), Carbohydrate (including sugars), Fibre, Protein, and Salt. Traffic light colours help: red = high (limit), amber = medium, green = low. Ingredients list items by weight - first ingredient is most prevalent. Allergens are in bold. Always check serving size - packets often contain multiple servings. Compare the 'per 100g' column when choosing between products.

No single food causes weight loss - only a calorie deficit does. However, some foods help you feel fuller on fewer calories: high-protein foods (chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yoghurt, legumes), high-fibre foods (vegetables, whole grains, fruit), and high-volume, low-calorie foods (salads, soups, cucumbers, berries). Protein and fibre slow digestion and increase satiety. Water-rich foods add bulk. Avoid labelling foods as 'good' or 'bad' - focus on overall balance and calorie awareness.

The 80/20 rule means eating nutritious, whole foods 80% of the time and allowing treats 20% of the time. It promotes balance over perfection. On a 2,000 calorie diet, 20% is 400 calories daily (or more on some days, less on others). This approach is sustainable because you don't feel deprived. The key is honestly assessing proportions - many people's 80/20 is actually closer to 60/40. Track for a week to see your real balance.

Tips to reduce snacking: 1) Eat protein with each meal - it keeps you fuller longer. 2) Stay hydrated - thirst often feels like hunger. 3) Don't keep trigger foods at home. 4) Plan snacks if needed - 150-200 calorie options like fruit, yoghurt, or nuts. 5) Wait 20 minutes before giving in to cravings - they often pass. 6) Identify emotional eating triggers. 7) Eat slowly and mindfully. 8) Ensure meals are satisfying - extremely restrictive dieting increases cravings. If constantly hungry, your deficit may be too aggressive.

Mindful eating means paying full attention to your food without distractions - noticing taste, texture, hunger and fullness cues. It can help weight loss by: reducing overeating (you notice when you're full), cutting mindless snacking (no eating while scrolling), and improving food satisfaction (you enjoy what you eat more). Practices include eating slowly, putting your fork down between bites, eating at a table (not on the sofa), and asking 'am I actually hungry?' before eating. It pairs well with calorie counting.

Building lasting habits takes time. Strategies that work: 1) Start small - one change at a time (e.g., adding vegetables to lunch). 2) Stack new habits onto existing ones (e.g., drink water while the kettle boils). 3) Make healthy choices easier - keep fruit visible, hide biscuits. 4) Plan ahead - meal prep, have healthy options ready. 5) Track your food to build awareness. 6) Don't aim for perfection - consistency matters more. 7) Give each habit 2-4 weeks before adding another. Focus on addition (more vegetables, more water) before restriction.