Responsible weight loss
CaloriTrack is a food diary, not a clinic. Each note below is a longer page on one habit. They are not personal medical advice. If you are unwell, or you are not sure a deficit is right for you, talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian first.
1Lose slowly
A steady loss is about 0.5–1 kg a week, or 1–2 lb. Faster drops often take muscle and water with the fat, then come back. If the graph falls harder than that for more than a week or two, eat a little more.
2Keep a deficit you can live with
The lose-weight goal here sits about 500 kcal under your estimated burn, and it will not go under 1,200 kcal a day. That floor is a guardrail, not a target. If you are hungry, cold, or snapping at people, switch the goal to maintain for a while. A week at maintenance is not a failure.
3Eat food, then count it
Build meals around protein, vegetables, and a starch you actually like. Weigh or measure the parts that are easy to overpour: oil, nuts, cheese, cereal. Do not cut out an entire food group unless a clinician has told you to. Use the meal ideas as a starting plate, not a rulebook.
4Trust the week, not the morning
Weight moves with salt, sleep, and hormones. Weigh once a week, in similar clothes, and read the line on the progress chart. One heavy morning is not a gain. One light morning is not a prize.
5Sleep, walk, and keep some strength
Short sleep makes the next day hungrier. Walking is enough movement on most days. Two short strength sessions a week help you keep muscle while the scale comes down. You do not need a new sport to start.
6When not to diet
Do not run a calorie deficit if you are under 18, pregnant, or breastfeeding, or if you have or have had an eating disorder. Stop and get medical advice if you feel faint, if weight is falling without trying, or if logging food starts to run the day. This diary is not a diagnosis and not a treatment.
Set a target on your profile, then log what you actually eat. The meal ideas are sized around a normal day, not a crash plan.