The basis of any weight loss program is consuming fewer calories than you expend, and counting calories is one way to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, as portion sizes have ballooned, estimating the amount of calories you are eating has become more difficult. Practicing portion control and being aware of the serving size of everything you consume can help you keep your calories within reason.
Counting Calories
Counting calories involves determining exactly how much food you are consuming, figuring out the calories contained in those foods and reducing the number of calories you take in each day. Reducing your caloric intake by 500 calories per day adds up to 3,500 calories fewer by the end of the week, which results in weight loss of about one pound. Recording the amount of calories you eat each day is essential for a weight loss plan dependent on counting calories.
Portion Control
Reducing the size of the portions you eat is one strategy for counting calories. One way to do this is to serve yourself only half of what you would normally eat at any meal. Instead of putting one cup of whole wheat pasta on your plate, which contains about 140 calories, have only a 1/2-cup serving of pasta, worth about 70 calories. By doing this on a regular basis, you can still enjoy the foods you love but consume smaller amounts.
Serving Sizes
Understanding serving sizes can help you plan your meals and keep calories under control. Serving sizes are often smaller than most people imagine. A single serving of meat, for example, is 3 to 4 oz, about the size of a bar of soap. A 3-oz portion of fish is similar in size to a checkbook. One serving of peanut butter or salad dressing is typically 2 tbsp. One serving of fruit or vegetables ranges from 1/2 cup to 1 cup and is far lower in calories than a similar amount of meat.
Considerations
Beware of nutrition labels that list calorie counts based on a single serving, since a serving is typically far smaller than the entire package. Many processed foods contain two or more servings per package, giving you more than double the caloric intake if you eat the whole thing. By paying close attention to the serving size, you can accurately record how many calories you are consuming. If you are eating food prepared at home, use a kitchen scale or measuring cup to accurately determine portion sizes so that you can count the precise amount of calories in your food.
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