If you are a woman who is trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, calculating the number of calories you consume each day, also known as your caloric intake, is essential. If you are looking to maintain a healthy weight, you should aim to match your caloric intake with the number of calories you burn each day. If you are trying to lose weight, limiting your caloric intake to less than the number of calories you burn each day will allow you to lose weight. Limiting your caloric intake requires you to keep track of what you eat and look up the nutritional information for each food.
Step 1
Keep a food journal. A food journal can be kept using a notebook or can be done online. In your journal you should note what foods you eat each day, FitWatch.com explains. Be sure that you note the quantity of each food consumed; use measuring cups for liquids and naturally small foods, such as rice or chopped fruits and vegetables.
Step 2
Find the nutritional information for all of the foods you eat. Many foods have a nutrition facts label, which lists the calories for each food and the serving size, as well. If you are eating out or cannot find a nutrition facts label, online food databases, such as MyPlate from LIVESTRONG.COM at www.livestrong.com/myplate, can help you find the nutritional information for many commonly consumed foods.
Step 3
Determine the number of servings of each food. To do this, divide the quantity of the food you ate by the serving size, which will be listed with the nutrition information from Step 2.
Step 4
Multiply the number of servings of each food by the calories per serving. Sum the total calories consumed from each food to calculate your daily caloric intake.
Things You'll Need
- Notebook
- Measuring cups
Member Comments