With the exception of certain beverages, all foods that you eat contain calories. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a calorie as the "energy supplied by food." Whether you are in the process of losing weight, maintaining weight or even trying to gain weight, learning to measure and count the calories in the food you eat is important. Appropriate calorie consumption is about balancing your food intake with your activity level to meet your weight goals.
Single Foods
Step 1
Use the nutrition label on boxed, canned or packaged foods to determine the calorie count per serving. Decide how many servings of the food you are going to eat. For example, if you are eating soup, there may be 2 1/2 servings per can. If there are 100 calories per serving, and you eat the whole can, you have consumed 250 calories. Reverse the process if you eat a partial serving.
Step 2
Research the caloric content in foods that are not labeled, such as meats. Use an online food calculator or a book containing calorie content information. Weigh the meat on a food scale after cooking for accuracy. Meats are generally listed by calorie per ounce rather than by piece.
Step 3
Use measuring cups or spoons to measure your food and determine your actual calorie consumption. For example, fruits and vegetables are listed in online calculators and books either by the whole fruit or in cups. If the fruit or vegetable you eat is unusually large, count it as 1 1/2 or 2 times the calories. If a banana is listed as 6 inch, and you eat a 9-inch banana, add extra calories.
Combination Foods
Step 1
Calculate the calorie count in homemade recipes, such as a brown rice, vegetable and chicken stir fry, by analyzing each ingredient individually. Add them all together. Divide the total calorie amount by the number of servings. When measuring calories for casseroles made with creamed soups, multiply the number of servings in each soup can by the calories per serving to calculate the total calories. Add to the total meat and pasta calories, and divide by the number of servings in the casserole recipe.
Step 2
Use restaurant website nutritional information to determine how many calories you consume when dining out. Ask the server for a nutritional guide that most chain restaurants have available. In certain states, the menus have calorie counts prominently displayed. Make lower calorie choices if you are trying to maintain or lose weight.
Step 3
Familiarize yourself with portion sizes for foods that you eat away from home, such as when you are at a friend's house or at a locally owned restaurant with no nutritional information. According to Drugs.com, a cup of food is as much as you can hold in your hand, one-half cup will fit easily in your hand and 1 tbsp. is the distance from your thumb knuckle to end of your thumb. A deck of cards is about 3 oz. of meat, and an ounce of cheese is the size of a 1-inch cube. Use your knowledge of calories and serving size to estimate how many calories you eat.
Tips and Warnings
- Check the nutrition labels consistently, as serving sizes and calorie counts may change. Keep a notebook with you if you are keeping track of your daily calories.
- In addition to calorie content, choose foods that have no trans or saturated fats. Consult with your doctor regarding your recommend caloric intake.
Things You'll Need
- Online calorie counter
- Nutritional reference book
- Food scale
- Measuring cups and spoons
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Balancing Calories
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Make Your Calories Count -- Size Up Your Serving and Calories
- Weight-Control Information Network: Just Enough for You
- American Council on Exercise: Coming Soon to a Restaurant Near You: Calories on the Menu
- Drugs.com: Counting Calories
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