> It's nearly impossible to accurately gauge calorie intake without strict calorie counting. Yes, but you can get most of the way there just by counting for a

> It's nearly impossible to accurately gauge calorie intake without strict calorie counting. Yes, but you can get most of the way there just by counting for a while, so that you build a model in your head for how many calories different foods have. Unless you've counted before, the results can be surprising. Stopping at Starbucks for a snack and deciding between a cake pop [0] and the chocolate chip cookie [1]? The cookie has 380 more calories. Thinking about grabbing a quick lunch and trying to decide between a burger from Shake Shack or a burrito at Chipotle? That burrito could easily have 1200+ calories [2]. The burger has 530. [3] (A bowl without rice at Chipotle, on the other hand, can have as few calories as the burger. So, again, knowing that difference can help you make better choices.) These are just random examples from my own life, recently. Knowing these differences makes a difference (especially over the course of many meals). [0] https://www.starbucks.com/menu/food/bakery/cat-cake-pop?foodZone=9999 https://www.starbucks.com/menu/food/bakery/cat-cake-pop?food... [1] https://www.starbucks.com/menu/food/bakery/chocolate-chip-cookie?foodZone=9999 https://www.starbucks.com/menu/food/bakery/chocolate-chip-co... [2] https://www.chipotle.com/nutrition-calculator https://www.chipotle.com/nutrition-calculator [3] https://www.shakeshack.com/food-and-drink/ https://www.shakeshack.com/food-and-drink/