This week marks the start of my calorie-counting journey. After my recent vacation, I stepped on the scale and—boom—90 kilos stared right back at me.
Like my usual post-vacation routine, I tried to bounce back: hit the gym, cut out soda, and start dieting. But this time felt different. The weight wasn’t coming off as quickly. Maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s my not-so-great metabolism… or maybe both.
Then a co-worker mentioned using AI for calorie counting, and I thought, “Why not?” So, starting this week, I’ve been tracking every bite and sip—asking ChatGPT to estimate the calories, checking my BMI, and setting targets. Based on my current stats, I need about 1,900 calories a day, and if I cut 500 daily, I can shed about half a kilo per week.
Calorie counting can feel tedious, but it’s also eye-opening. It keeps me accountable. Sure, there are apps for this, but the accountant in me is perfectly happy logging everything in a simple Excel sheet.
It’s a habit that takes discipline, but I find it oddly satisfying when I hit my 500-calorie deficit. And if I miss it? Well, that just tells me how much I need to burn during my workout. Like today—I’d already hit 900 calories by midday, and with an event tonight, I knew I’d probably overeat. So I made sure to burn 250 calories at the gym earlier, just to balance things out.
Calorie counting is definitely a habit in the making. I’m curious to see where I’ll be by the end of September. Wish me luck—because I’ll need it!
