To lose weight, you have to eat fewer calories than you use. The National Institutes of Health explains that 1 lb. of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. So, in order to lose 1 lb. in a week, you need to burn about 500 calories everyday. However, the American Academy of Family Physicians warns that if you lose more than 2 lbs. a week, you could be shedding lean muscle mass rather than excess fat.
Step 1
Write down everything you eat and drink for five to seven days. Include condiments, alcohol, snacks, etc. You'll find portion size and calorie information on the back of packaged foods.
Step 2
Tally your average weekly calorie intake. Add the total number of calories you eat each day and divide that number by the number of days you kept track of.
Step 3
Calculate your calorie goal by creating a deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories. Note that in order to get the most basic nutritional needs met, men should consume at least 1,500 calories a day and women should consume at least 1,200 calories.
Step 4
Record everything you eat and drink, include portion size and calorie information in a food journal like you did in Step 1. You can get calorie information for fresh foods like vegetables, meat and dairy at the National Nutrition Database compiled by the USDA.
Step 5
Add your calories as the day goes on. If you add your calories at night, after you've eaten, you're more likely to surpass your goal.
Tips and Warnings
- The AAFP suggests eliminating empty calories--foods with a lot of calories but little or no nutritional value. A can of cola can have 140 calories. Fast food is notoriously high in calories and low in nutrition. For example, one popular fast food restaurant offers a 625 calorie cheeseburger loaded with condiments.
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