Access my free calorie calculator here: https://calculator.peaknutritioncoaching.com/

After a longer-than-planned break (house purchase, life admin, zero regrets), I'm back — and kicking things off with the topic that came out on top of a recent poll: how to actually work out your calories.

This one isn't a pitch for calorie tracking. It's a reality check on what these calculators are actually giving you, why obsessing over which one to use is a waste of time, and what to do with the number once you have it. If you've ever stared at three different calorie equations and got three different answers, this should help.

Episode Breakdown

• [00:00] Back after the longest break yet, why content went quiet, and why the business didn't suffer for it
• [01:30] The social media poll that decided this episode topic
• [02:30] Important preface: calorie tracking isn't for everyone, and who should skip it entirely
• [04:00] Sean's honest position on tracking — neutral, slightly biased against it, personally lasted about two days
• [05:30] Why calories still matter even if you never open MyFitnessPal
• [06:30] Why stressing over which calculator to use is mostly a waste of time
• [07:30] How BMR and the activity multiplier actually work, and why the multiplier is where the estimation gets messy
• [09:30] Setting a deficit or surplus — roughly 10 to 20 percent is the ballpark
• [10:30] Just pick one. Then test it.
• [11:30] Why one week isn't long enough to know if it's working
• [12:30] Weekly averages matter — one blowout can quietly undo six consistent days
• [13:30] Summary: estimate, test, reflect, adjust

What I Want You to Take Away

• • Calorie calculators are all estimations. There is no magic number hiding in a specific equation. The activity multiplier alone can shift your target by 20 percent depending on where you land between sedentary and active — and that is a genuinely subjective call.
  • Don't stress about which calculator to use. They all cover layers of estimation. Pick one, get a number, and treat it as a starting point rather than gospel.
  • Tracking isn't for everyone. If you have a history of obsessive or disordered eating, calorie tracking can do more harm than good. This approach is for people who are simply trying to understand their intake — not for using as a blanket recommendation.
  • Calories still matter whether you track them or not. If the goal is changing body weight, energy in versus energy out is what drives it. Knowing roughly where your intake should sit is useful even if you never log a meal.
  • Consistency before conclusions. Stick to a target for at least two weeks before deciding it isn't working. One week is too noisy — there's lag time between making a change and seeing it show up in body weight.
  • Weekly averages are what count. Six consistent days and one very inconsistent one will shift your average more than you'd think. The data only means something if the input is honest.