The History of Calorie Counting




Who Invented the Calorie?





Atwater, 1902.

 Who popularised Calorie Counting?

















Gaspari with his nutritional ‘bible’



Gaspari’s Glutes in all their Glory



  1. It’s surprising how well calorie counting seems to have worked out considering the inherent errors in the whole process. Also it’s interesting to seem how long the idea has been around.

    1. It’s amazing isn’t it? In such a short space of time we’ve taken to the concept so readily. And until something better comes along it looks like calorie counting is the way to go!

  2. I remember when I first started training back in the early 90’s – pre internet even, food labelling in Australia wasn’t mandatory, so there were no reference points for calories on individual items, and we had to use a little calorie counter book to get a rough idea of the counts of everything. There seemed to be less variety of foods back then anyway, and 90’s dieting was a lot more stringent compared to today, so it was still kind of easy to get a rough estimate of what you were consuming. We’re spoiled for choice and support these days both in terms of food and info! And STILL, the physiques aren’t that much better, OR the average gymrat, any better educated. Generation Irony indeed!

    1. Fascinating. It’s easy to forget how easy the internet has made calorie counting. Funnily I tend to keep a strict rotation of foods based on the problems of variety you highlighted! Much easier to keep things in check. As you say, with all the advantages you’d expect markedly better physiques which hasn’t been the outcome. If anything the average gymrat is more likely to misunderstand the point of calorie counting and spiral into obsessive counting patterns instead of eating the damn food!

  3. Really so many of you are saying how well this has worked out. Society is fatter, sicker and we have obesity and diabetes at epidemic levels. What is it you see working out so well? Something else better didn’t come alone it was always there, it’s called the HFLC or ketogenic diets that were used in sports and weight lifting until the 70’s.

    1. Hi Todd, thanks so much for stopping by. Funnily enough I myself have been on a HFLC diet for the past 3 years now (less than 20g carbs a day) and find that I have no need to count calories to maintain a relative level of leanness. So I do agree with you that for some people there are much better alternatives, that are sadly rarely discussed.

      You may be interested in some of our previous articles, specially those on Vince Gironda’s diets, which are HFLC by nature.

      That being said, HFLC does not agree with everyone and in the round of Bodybuilding it appears that calorie counting is used by the majority. Despite all it’s obvious flaws.

      For the general public, the ‘fatter and sicker’ as you put it, it’s doubtful that calorie counting is beneficial. For the majority work needs to be done on creating a healthier food environment based on actual foods!

      Thanks so much for stopping by,

      Conor 🙂

    2. I have been counting calories “effectively” for over a year and a half, and combined with my weight training regiment, I am able to hold a 6-7% body fat while continuing to gain SMM at about 0.5-0.8 pounds per month. I eat anywhere from 300-500 grams of carbs per day, depending on the goal for the week, and feel great in the gym. There is no debate on whether or not calorie counting is effective, or whether or not it works, it’s the pure science of thermodynamics and there is no fail. What fails is implementation.

      I weigh everything I eat. Most people, ok 99% of people won’t do that, but every label clearly states the amount of calories PER WEIGHT. If you eat those weights, you will get the desired calories. The other area of calories counting I see even the experienced ones fall down at, is counting cooked meat calories. If you weigh your food raw and use the calorie information on the bag it came from, you’re good, however if you wait to weigh your food after it is cooked, and try to use the raw label weight information, you will under estimate your calories and over eat, unless you can determine a scaling factor to account for dehydration of cooking (which does not reduce calories, despite reducing weight).

      So, my conclusion is that calorie counting is the absolute answer to complete control, however society behavior is not conducive to the attention to detail it takes to be successful at it. Probably why most pro bodybuilders continue to say (all steroid comments and jokes aside) that they do what 99% of the population can’t do with regards to diet. It’s not that most can’t, it’s that most won’t.

      1. Hi Nayeem, thanks so much for stopping by and congratulations on your impressive progress to date. As you mention not everyone would be willing to do what you’re doing to achieve such things so congrats!

        The raw/cooked weighing issue is one I’ve seen many people fall down on. It’s so simple to do isn’t it?

        Agree with you about the effectiveness of Calorie Counting although we do have to remember that it’s not infallible. We’re still at the mercy of manufacturers to be honest and similarly the science of body absorption throws some interesting things into the mix!

    3. As a 63-year-old who’s been bodybuilding for forty-six years since beginning at age sixteen in 1972, I’ve used la ow-carb/high protein/high fats menu successfully for many years to hold 10-12% bodyfat for several months each year.

      However, as far as calorie-counting generally…the reason obesity and its health consequences are so prevalent isn’t because calorie-counting doesn’t work — it’s because many of not most people are too unwilling to control calories for the lengths of time required to lose a pound or two per week.

      1. 100% with you on the low carb/high protein/high fat. It works for me and is relatively easy.

        I think you’re right about why people don’t do it. We want to eat without consequences. It is interesting at least anecdotally my less health conscious friends have begun counting calories thanks to Apps on their phones. Maybe the ease of that will encourage some?

  4. You state “Heck even Arnold, Zane and co appeared to function without the need for counting calories”

    This is not accurate not at least for Zane. He was EXTREMLY meticulous about his diet. Here’s an excerpt from an article by Zane in the man’s own words.

    “I’d write down each item of food, the time, the amount, the grams of carbohydrate, protein and fat and the calories for everything I ate. ”

    As for Arnold, (soon after his loss to Zane at the ) he would train with Zane now and again and room with him at overnight bodybuilding events and use those times to pick Frank Zane’s brains about nutrition and diet.

    1. This is fantastic – thanks so much for sharing it! I had tried to find contemporary stuff from Zane i.e. written in the 1970s, because I know he has written extensively about it since retiring.

      You don’t know of anything from that time by chance?

    1. This is great Reilly, thanks for sharing. Currently going through it now – completely new for me. Really interesting to get his take on peaking for contest and also his push for a different Olympia physique. Hope you’re well!

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