Every so often I’ll stumble across a media article saying “calorie counting” doesn’t work. Complaints that it’s too restrictive, too big a hassle and doesn’t align with the latest in nutrition science are the biggest arguments made against this age-old method. But when we dig into the details, most of these stories don’t actually discourage “food tracking”; they discourage extreme caloric deficits, diets lacking in quality and obsessive behaviors around food. I also discourage these dangerous practices, but I maintain  (as do many nutritionists and experts) that “food tracking” can be a very effective tool for weight loss. Recently, my partner Peter lost over 20# through food tracking and he feels better than he has in a long time. I asked him to share his experience and to give those struggling some tips based on what’s worked for him in this Q&A.