"Calories" is a word that strikes fear in the hearts of many dieters. But the reality is that calories are just a unit of energy. Simply put, you get calories from food for fuel, and when you eat more calories than you need, you gain weight. Conversely, if you eat fewer calories than you need, you will lose weight. Counting calories is a helpful tool when dieting, because it helps you to be aware of how much you are eating as you strive to reach your ideal weight.
Step 1
Find out how many calories you need to eat. There's no point in counting calories if you don't know what your target is. A doctor or registered dietitian can help you determine your ideal caloric intake for weight loss, or you can use the government's My Pyramid online tool. Enter your height, weight, gender, age and activity level to determine how many calories you should be eating.
Step 2
Sign up for a free online calorie-counting database such as LIVESTRONG My Plate. Search for the food you want to eat, adjust the portion size to how much you want to eat and see how many calories the food has. If you prefer, you can purchase a calorie-counter book, which lists different types of foods and how many calories they have. Use a food journal to write down the food you ate and how many calories you ate so that at the end of the day you can see your total calorie intake.
Step 3
Save calories by trading in high-fat foods for lower-fat versions. Though it's important to get some types of fat in your diet, MayoClinic.com points out that fat has 9 calories per g, while carbohydrates and protein have only 4. Therefore, higher-fat foods typically have more calories than low-fat foods. An 8 oz. glass of whole milk has 149 calories, while an 8 oz. glass of skim milk has only 86 calories. Be sure to specify the type of foods, whether low-fat, flavored or sugar-free, when tracking foods in your food journal.
Step 4
Run, dance, swim, bike or do whatever other physical activity you love doing. Exercise helps burn off calories and is especially helpful when you've eaten a little too much. Dr. Mary Gavin of the Nemours Foundation explains that you don't need to burn off all the calories that you eat and that even moderate exercise can help you lose weight faster than being sedentary and counting calories. Make sure that your target daily calorie goal takes into account your physical activity level.
Things You'll Need
- Online calorie counting database or calorie-counter book
- Food journal
Member Comments