Why Tracking Calories Burned Might Be Holding You Back (and What to Focus on Instead)
- Frank Sinclair
- May 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 2
Let’s be honest, we’ve all done it. We checked the watch. We glanced at the app. We celebrated the calories burned number like it’s a badge of honour. Maybe we judged whether the workout was “worth it” based on that final figure. If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s easy to fall into the trap of using your workout purely to torch calories. It feels logical, right? Burn more, lose more.
But here’s the truth: focusing too much on calories burned during a workout can do more harm than good.
🎧 Listen to the Podcast Episode
Click below to hear the full conversation where we break this down further, share personal stories, and offer practical advice for changing your mindset around exercise.
Also available on Spotify / Apple, just search "Voice Of Fitness Reason"
🔻 The Problem With Calorie Burn as a Goal
1. It’s Not Accurate
Fitness trackers are helpful, but they often miss the mark when counting calories burned.
📚 *Stanford University researchers tested seven popular fitness trackers. None of them measured energy expenditure accurately. The error margin ranged from 27% to a whopping 93%. This can mislead your food and fitness choices
2. It Warps Your Motivation
When you judge workouts by how many calories they burn, it can suck the joy out of movement.
You might think slower-paced classes, like Pilates or strength training, “don’t count” because the numbers are too low. That’s exactly what happened to Barbara.
Barbara joined a gym. She gave Pilates and weight training a try. She felt stronger and less achy. But her fitness tracker said she’d burned only 120 calories. Meanwhile, her friend’s spin class showed 400+. This made Barbara feel disheartened. She switched to intense cardio sessions every day. Eventually, she got so exhausted and sore that she gave up altogether. In the end, she abandoned the very activities that were helping her body feel good—all because of a number on a screen.
3. It Can Lead to Unhealthy Behaviours
Relying solely on calorie counts can create a slippery slope. If you feel you’ve “earned” food only after burning enough calories, or if you punish yourself with exercise after eating, that's a red flag.
This kind of mindset can lead to:
Overtraining
Exercise guilt
Binge-restrict cycles
Burnout
✅ The (Few) Times Calorie Tracking Can Help
While we don’t recommend obsessing over calorie burn, there are scenarios where awareness can be beneficial:
General activity tracking: For example, aiming for 8,000–10,000 steps as a movement goal.
Creating awareness: If you’ve been sedentary and are building a more active lifestyle.
Temporary guidance: In a structured program with professional support (e.g., preparing for a marathon or recovering from an injury).
Use calorie awareness as a loose guide, not a rigid rule.
🔁 What To Focus On Instead
🧠 Train for Health, Not Burn
Shift your mindset from “What burns the most calories?” to “What makes me feel stronger, happier, and more mobile?”
Strength Training: Builds lean muscle and boosts metabolism long-term.
Low-intensity movement: Activities like walking, swimming, or yoga lower stress and support recovery.
Fun workouts: Dance, group classes, and sports make consistency easier.
Mobility & Pilates: These reduce pain and improve everyday movement.
Calorie burn ≠ success. Instead, feeling better in your body equals success.
🥗 Eat for Fuel, Not to Compensate
Instead of linking food to workouts (e.g., “I burned 400 calories so I can eat this…”), focus on a nutrition approach that supports your life:
Simple tips:
Base meals around lean proteins like chicken, tofu, eggs, or fish.
Include colourful vegetables and whole carbohydrates such as brown rice, oats, and sweet potatoes.
Snack on fruits, yogurt, and nuts instead of ultra-processed bars or “diet” snacks.
Eat slowly and stop when you're 80% full.
Don’t forget to hydrate and get enough sleep—both play a vital role in everything.
Fat loss isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency and managing stress, habits, and expectations over time.
📸 A Visual Reminder
Sometimes we chase a number that’s not helping us. You don’t need to earn your food or burn off last night’s dinner. You need movement that supports your life and food that fuels your goals.
❤️ Final Word
You are more than your calorie count. Let go of the obsession. Focus on how you feel and build habits that stick.
If you’re tired of chasing numbers and want support building a routine that lasts, we’re here for you inside the Fit With Frank Academy.
Let’s help you feel good again.
FRANK
Your Personal Trainer / Lord Of The Apple Watch Rings
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