Calorie Counting Weight Loss Groups

The American Council on Exercise, known as ACE, reports that only 5 percent of people who diet keep the weight off. Typically people cycle, meaning that they form a pattern of losing and regaining weight. The National Weight Loss Registry, a database of people who have lost at least 30 lbs. and maintained their weight loss for at least a year, report that 10 percent of members have lost weight through diet alone.

Count Calories

Calorie counting refers to keeping track of your calorie intake. According to the National Institutes of Health, 1 lb. is equivalent to 3,500 calories. So in order to lose weight by dieting alone, you need to eat 500 fewer calories each day. You can keep track of your calorie intake by getting calorie information on the nutrition label listed on packaged foods. The USDA National Nutrient Database also has calorie information for thousands of different fresh and packaged foods. While it's easy to check the nutrition panel to get calorie information for a bowl of cereal, homemade chicken noodle soup, for example, does not come with a nutrition label. To reduce your calorie intake, ACE recommends reducing your food portions by 10 to 15 percent and instead of restricting your calorie intake on some days, known as selective dieting, you should keep track of your calorie intake every day.

Support Groups

Weight Watchers is one of the original calorie-counting groups. Known as the point system, Weight Watchers assigns a point value to foods. So instead of counting each individual calorie, foods low in fat will have a low point value. Foods high in calories will have a high point value. By keeping your point intake low, the theory goes, you can drop pounds. Today, dozens of calorie counting groups have cropped up online, some of which require payment and others that are similar to message boards. These groups allow members to add foods and caloric-values to a database. Some sites calculate your calorie intake for you. Many groups offer advice on how to substitute high calorie foods for those that have fewer calories. You can also use their tools to estimate how many calories you should consume. Most importantly, they offer support from others who are trying to lose weight.

Calorie Intake

The number of calories you should eat daily is calculated based on your activity level, gender and age. According to the American Heart Association, people who are sedentary and don't exercise regularly should consume fewer calories than a person who is active. Healthy females between the ages of 19 and 30 need 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day. Between the ages of 31 and 50, females need 1,800 to 2,200 calories and those over the age of 50 need 1,600 to 1,800 calories. Healthy men between the ages of 19 and 30 need 2,400 calories to 3,000 calories. Between the ages of 31 to 50, men need 2,200 to 3,000 calories and those over 50 should take in 2,000 to 2,800 calories.

Studies

Jamy Ard, a nutrition sciences professor at the University of Alabama, reports that exercise combined with a low-calorie diet is the best way to lose weight and for overall health. Further, a 2007 study by EatRight Weight Management, part of the University of Alabama, indicates that people who diet by reducing calories can be successful at maintaining their weight loss, even without added physical activity. Along with counting calories, the Mayo Clinic recommends skipping one high-calorie indulgence each day, swapping high-calorie foods for lower-calorie alternatives and serving smaller portions.