Calorie counting. A phrase that long made me raise my eyebrows and sigh deeply, because it sounded so difficult and complicated. At first glance I imagined calorie counting as something that would chain me to a kitchen scale for the rest of my life, slow down my everyday routine and take the joy out of eating entirely.

At first, it did exactly that. But through that difficult start I found a whole new perspective. Despite the negative effect of those first weeks, calorie counting eventually became a solid daily habit for me — one I still use every single day, even though I've already reached my first big goals.

When I lost nearly 40 kg naturally in a little under two years, I quickly noticed one important thing: tools are just tools, and we decide their nature ourselves. I didn't need to blow up my entire diet at once, and I didn't need to turn my everyday life into a prison.

At first I stressed too much about individual days — and my weight didn't budge

In the beginning, my biggest mistake was exactly that: I took on far too much stress and got fixated on the daily numbers. It was mentally extremely draining and stressful. This desperate number-watching went on for several weeks, during which my weight stayed completely still. If my calories went over on one day, or my macros drifted off course, I panicked needlessly and thought everything was ruined. Which, of course, it isn't.

Only after that frustrating plateau did I learn to understand that one missed day didn't capsize the boat. They were just momentary events, drops in the ocean when you look at the bigger picture in hindsight.

My body didn't work in 24-hour cycles where the counter reset at midnight and the day's mistakes instantly turned into fat. Far more important to me was tracking the longer term. What I did at the weekly, monthly and yearly level determined the outcome. One missed day or weekend didn't destroy months of work, as long as the foundation was solid. And these things did happen — a lot. At one point I consciously chose to drop calorie counting entirely and gained 3–4 kg back towards my starting point, but with the know-how I'd already gathered it was easy to drop them again and even get closer to new personal bests.

Calorie counting as a tool for self-discipline and control, not a restriction

After that early lesson, I turned my thinking about calorie counting on its head. I no longer saw it as a restriction, a hindrance or an obstacle, but above all as a way to develop self-discipline and control over my own life. To create some rhythm and routine that had been missing entirely before.

During my journey I developed a rule of thumb: I didn't eat foods before I had weighed them. To some ears that might sound obsessive, but for me it wasn't about compulsion or fear. It's because I consciously wanted to challenge myself, keep my promises and build my mental toughness. Weighing food was a moment when I took conscious responsibility for what I put into my body. It was a routine that kept me on track — and still does, making everyday life clear and predictable.

Breaks were part of it, but staying in motion was easier than starting over

Of course, I'm human, not a machine. My life included periods when I couldn't be bothered to count calories and wanted a break, because I had already achieved the results I was happy with. Even so, the main point was that, as a rule, I stuck to my own goals and didn't just let everything go to waste.

During my own process I even took breaks of several months from the scale and the apps. And yes, during those breaks I did gain a few kilos back. It wasn't the end of the world, and it wasn't final.

One important observation I made during those breaks, though: getting back into calorie counting and managing my eating was considerably harder after a longer break than staying with it when I was already in a good rhythm.

When I was inside the routine, it rolled along almost by itself. It didn't take time or require energy. But when I took a long break and let old habits creep back in, the threshold to start over was surprisingly high. That's why shorter, controlled easings or relaxations often worked better for me than total breaks of several months.

I found my own balance

In the end it was about finding balance. I had to find a compromise where my body, my mind and the goals I was heading towards all met. Calorie counting was, and is, a tool and, so to speak, a bank for myself, into which I deposit my own progress on the way towards my goals. I hold the reins, and I decided how to use these tools so that they serve me — not the other way around.