A person who is trying to lose weight must make sure the amount of calories taken in is less than the amount of calories that are burned. Calculating the calories in foods is easier to do at home than it is to do when dining out, but a little research can net you the information you need so that you are prepared to count calories in the foods you eat. According to the Mayo Clinic, the calories in food provide your body with the energy it needs to complete the activities in a day. Beyond that, the calories are stored as fat in the body. Calculating the calories in the foods you eat allows you to keep from going overboard.
Step 1
Read labels. Looking at the nutrition facts panel on the food package helps you figure out what constitutes a serving and how many calories that serving has. Many people are surprised to see that they have actually been eating several servings of a food, which increases calorie count.
Step 2
Write down what ingredients you are using. When preparing a dish from scratch, keep a running tally of how much of each item you are adding. For example, if you are making soup, carefully measure each food you put in the pot. When you are done and have a list, you can use food labels on those ingredients to come up with a calorie count for the entire pot of soup. This allows you to divide those calories down per serving.
Step 3
Consult calorie counting materials. Many books and computer software packages are available that contain a comprehensive list of calorie counts for a serving of many types of food. Some even contain calories counts for restaurant fare. Simply look up the food you want to eat and you will know the amount of calories a serving contains. These materials are especially helpful for foods like meats and produce that don't always have the nutrition information on them.
Step 4
Measure your portions before eating them. Knowing exactly how much of a certain food you ate makes it much simpler to discern how many calories you just consumed when you look up the calorie count.
Step 5
Use restaurant websites. Most chain restaurants now post nutritional information for their menu options on their webpage. Access the restaurant site and click on the nutrition data icon. Look up the foods you want to order and you will see how many calories that menu item will set you back.
Tips and Warnings
- Getting plenty of physical activity each day burns calories, which can lead to weight loss and better overall health.
Things You'll Need
- Calorie counter software or books
- Food labels
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