People often consider "calorie" to be a bad word, with its connotations related to body weight as well as its connection to many unhealthy fad diets. But calories are our body's source of energy, and they affect our weight in a simple way: The more we burn, the more weight we lose. Calculating your body's caloric intake is a crucial starting point toward adjusting your diet to maintain a healthy body weight.
Step 1
Devote a small notebook or day planner for the purpose of recording the amount of calories contained in everything you eat. Carry this notebook with you wherever you go throughout your day and plan to fill out at least a week's worth of pages to get an accurate calculation of your body's caloric intake.
Step 2
Read the nutritional facts label provided by the Food and Drug Administration for every food item you put into your body in a day. Include breakfast, lunch and dinner -- as well as any snacks, soft drinks or alcoholic beverages you consume. The calorie listing is at the top of the FDA label.
Step 3
Record the amount of calories using the FDA nutritional facts label. Take into consideration the serving size. If you're not mathematically inclined, this is where your calculator will come in handy. For instance, if you eat an entire can of ravioli that is listed as containing two servings at 280 calories per serving, you'll need to multiply the amount of calories by two to get an accurate count -- 560 calories. Likewise, if you eat half a granola bar that contains 120 calories and serves one, record the appropriate amount -- in this case, 60 calories.
Step 4
Tally your calories for the day at bedtime, using your calculator or by hand. Do so after you eat any late-night snacks or nighttime calorie-containing beverages. Make a routine of this by keeping your notebook or planner on a bedside table when you sleep, an excellent way to make sure you see the book when you wake up again in the morning.
Step 5
Fill out a full week of your planner or notebook using this calorie-counting method. This step is essential since most people eat differently on the weekend than they do during the work week. Once you have daily caloric intake totals for a full week, add them together and divide the large number by seven, giving you a good idea of your body's average daily caloric intake.
Tips and Warnings
- For times when nutritional labels are not available, refer to a reference for a list of common foods and their respective caloric contents. Remember, exercise burns calories. If you're very active and your caloric intake is rather high, you may be burning a healthy amount. Talk to your doctor or dietitian for advice on any changes to your diet.
Things You'll Need
- Notebook or day planner
- Pencil
- Calculator
- FDA nutritional labels
- List of common foods
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