Figure Out How Much To Eat For Your Goals (Without Tracking Calories)
As a coach, I’ve often felt pressured to provide the “perfect” solution for my clients' nutrition challenges, and for years, that solution included calorie tracking.
But recently, that changed.
While calorie tracking works incredibly well for some clients—giving them clarity, control, and flexibility—it’s not the answer for everyone. For others, it adds stress and creates another hurdle in their fitness journey. My most important role is to remove barriers, not create more. That’s why I’ve shifted my approach to focus on simpler, more sustainable methods for nutrition.
Honestly, it’s a change I should have made years ago.
One of my clients recently opened up about feeling stuck, saying:
"I’ve been stressed about my nutrition this past week, especially after eating less-than-nutritious meals. If I were on my own, I’d think I need to eat more—but that probably wouldn’t be a good idea, right?"
This uncertainty is all too common. We’ve been led to believe that without tracking, we’ll lose control. But that’s not true.
Another client shared a similar struggle:
"I find it hard to hit my protein goal of 150-170 grams per day. And when I’m eating meals prepared by others, I don’t want to feel restricted or pull out a scale."
That hit home for me. Here was someone who wanted to succeed but felt frustrated because nutrition had become a chore—another math problem to solve.
In this guide, I’ll share the principles I now use with my clients to figure out how much to eat without turning food into an endless task. You’ll learn strategies focused on balance and sustainability—not rigid calorie counting.
By the end, you’ll know how to fuel your body without stress, allowing you to enjoy life while reaching your goals.
First, Define Your Goal (Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, or Maintenance)
Before we talk about food, you need to know what you’re working toward.
Are you looking to lose fat, maintain your weight, or pack on muscle?
Each goal requires a slightly different approach.
Fat loss: This means you’ll want to eat fewer calories than you burn. But this doesn’t have to feel like a grind—you can adjust your portions and focus on nutrient-dense foods to make it easier.
Muscle gain: This is where you’ll need to eat slightly more than your body needs. The goal is to provide enough fuel for muscle repair and growth, while still keeping it clean and nutritious.
Maintenance: Maybe you're happy with where you are and just want to keep things stable. In this case, you want to make sure you’re eating enough to sustain your energy and performance without going into a calorie deficit or surplus.
Knowing your goal will help guide everything else, from portion sizes to food choices. Once you’ve got that clear, it’s time to find your starting point.
Use a Calorie Calculator to Determine a Starting Point
Now, before you say, “Wait, I thought this was about not tracking calories!”—hear me out. I’m not asking you to meticulously log your intake every day, but having a rough idea of how many calories your body needs is a solid starting point.
This isn’t about strict tracking, but more about establishing a baseline to inform your eating habits.
You can use any free online calorie calculator to get an estimate. These calculators take into account things like your weight, height, age, activity level, and most importantly, your goal.
Whether you want to lose fat, build muscle, or maintain, it’ll give you a ballpark figure for how many calories you should be consuming each day.
Fat loss: The calculator will estimate a slight calorie deficit. Aim for a reduction of about 250-500 calories per day for sustainable fat loss (about 0.5-1 lb per week).
Muscle gain: Expect the calculator to suggest a surplus of 200-300 calories to fuel muscle growth while minimizing fat gain.
Maintenance: It will suggest an intake that keeps your weight stable, allowing you to maintain muscle mass, strength, and energy levels.
Here are my two favorites:
Remember, this number is a starting point. Your body will give you feedback over time, and you can adjust accordingly.
Eat Protein with Every Meal and Snack. Aim for 1 Gram per Pound of Bodyweight
One of the simplest ways to control your food intake and get closer to your goals is to prioritize protein at every meal. Protein is a powerhouse—it helps you feel full, supports muscle recovery, and plays a key role in fat loss and muscle gain.
How much protein should you aim for? A good rule of thumb is to eat about 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. So, if you weigh 180 pounds, shoot for 180 grams of protein per day.
You don’t need to track every gram, but being mindful of including protein in each meal/snack will make it easier to hit your target.
Here’s why this works:
Keeps you full longer: Protein is highly satiating, meaning it keeps hunger at bay. This is especially helpful when you’re trying to eat less.
Protects your muscle: If you’re in a calorie deficit, protein ensures your body burns fat instead of muscle.
Supports muscle growth: If you’re trying to gain muscle, protein is the building block that makes it happen.
How do you make sure you're getting enough? 90% your meals and snacks should include protein.
Build meals around protein-rich foods like chicken, lean beef, fish, eggs, or plant-based options like tofu and beans. Have snacks like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein shakes/bars, or hard boiled eggs if you need an easy boost.
Here’s a quick list of the 20 fastest, easiest high protein foods:
Greek yogurt (fun fact - with the amount I eat, 20% of my body is composed of Greek yogurt)
Protein bars (look for ones with low added sugar)
Protein shakes (whey or plant-based)
High protein cereal (Magic Spoon is my favorite)
Cottage cheese
Eggs (hard-boiled eggs for on the go, whites only for max calorie:protein ratio)
Canned tuna or salmon
Rotisserie chicken
Deli turkey or chicken slices
Beef jerky or turkey jerky
String cheese or cheese sticks
Edamame (frozen, microwaveable)
Chickpeas (roasted or canned)
Tofu (pre-baked or sautéed)
Pre-cooked chicken breast strips
Frozen turkey or chicken meatballs
Smoked salmon
Canned sardines
Almonds/cashews/any other nuts (if you’re trying to lose weight, be mindful of the calories/serving here).
Weigh Yourself Daily. Track the Weekly Average
I know daily weigh-ins can seem obsessive, but stick with me on this one.
First, stepping on the scale each morning takes way less time than tracking your calories.
Second, because we’re not tracking calories, understanding how your bodyweight is trending is crucial for monitoring progress and making adjustments.
Unfortunately, the “daily” part is important. Your weight can fluctuate wildly from day to day based on factors like water retention, how much sodium you had, stress, or even how well you slept. Weighing yourself daily (or at least 3-4x/week) gives you more data points to work with.
The trick is to focus on your weekly average, not the day-to-day numbers. At the end of the week, calculate the average of your daily weigh-ins. This gives you a much clearer picture of what’s really happening with your weight.
If you’re aiming for fat loss, your weekly average should slowly trend downward (anywhere from .5-3 lbs/week)
If you’re aiming for muscle gain, expect a slow, steady increase (anywhere from .25-1lb/week)
If you’re maintaining, your weekly average should stay relatively stable (within a range of about 2 pounds on either end).
Don’t freak out over a “bad” day on the scale. The goal is to use your average weight as feedback to see if you’re on the right track.
Adjust as Needed Based on Scale, Energy, Performance, and Hunger
Now that you have a starting point, protein dialed in, and are tracking your progress through the scale, it’s time to adjust based on how your body feels and performs. This is where you fine-tune your intake.
Your body is smarter than any calorie app—pay attention to what it’s telling you.
Energy levels: If you feel sluggish, especially during workouts, you may need to slightly increase your food intake, particularly around carbohydrates and healthy fats.
Hunger: If you're constantly hungry, you may need to adjust your meals, either by increasing protein or adding more fiber-rich foods like vegetables or whole grains to help you stay full longer.
Performance: Struggling to perform in workouts? That might signal a need for more calories or better nutrient distribution (e.g., more protein and carbs).
Scale trends: If after a few weeks you’re not seeing progress—whether that’s fat loss, muscle gain, or maintenance—consider a small adjustment in food intake (up or down, depending on your goal).
Remember, progress takes time. Make small adjustments and give them time (10-14 days) to work before making further changes.
Wrap-Up: You Don’t Need To Track Calories To Be Successful
Let’s recap:
Define your goal: Is it fat loss, muscle gain, or maintenance?
Get a starting point: Use a calorie calculator to give you a rough idea of your needs.
Prioritize protein: Aim for 1 gram per pound of bodyweight to stay full and support muscle.
Track your weight: Weigh yourself daily but focus on weekly averages for accurate trends.
Adjust as needed: Tune into your energy, performance, and hunger to make small adjustments.
By following these steps, you can figure out exactly how much to eat for your goals without the hassle of tracking every calorie.
It’s a simple, flexible approach that allows you to make progress while enjoying your life.
Ready to take things further? If you want personalized guidance tailored to your goals, schedule a free assessment with me below.
VIP Fitness Coaching - 2 Minute Assessment Form
Together, we’ll create a plan that fits your lifestyle, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving the best shape of your life—without the guesswork.
Best,
John
P.S. Kelly and I watched “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” over the past few weeks. It’s trashy, dramatic, and we loved every second.
3 Steps You Can Take
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Keep learning - You can check out my other articles here. Nobody asked me to, but I’ve spent a ton of time researching everything from artificial sweeteners to saturated fat to testosterone and more, so you don’t have to.
