You should know how many calories you are eating because your weight is established by energy balance. If the calories that you consume are equal with those used daily, your weight will remain the same, according to Healthy Eating Every Day. Contrarily, if you eat more calories than you expend, you will gain weight. You can lose extra weight by regularly using more calories than you eat. Determining the caloric value of foods is simple if you have a food label handy. However, food labels are not always available. If you do not have the label, you will need to use the exchange system from the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association to calculate the calories in your food.
Step 1
Items in the starch food group contain approximately 80 calories per serving. One serving is equal to one slice of most breads, ½ an English muffin, ½ cup of cooked cereal, or ¾ cup of most unsweetened cold cereals. Some vegetables are also considered starches, such as ½ cup of corn or peas, ½ cup of baked or mashed potato, and 1 cup of winter squash. Count ½ cup of dry beans and 3 cups of popcorn each as one serving of starch too.
Step 2
One serving of fruit has 60 calories and is equal to one small fruit, ¼ cup of dried fruit, ½ cup of most juices, or ½ cup of canned fruit.
Step 3
Fat-free and low-fat milk have about 90 calories per serving, whereas 2 percent milk contains 120 calories, and whole milk holds 150 calories per serving. Count one serving of milk for every cup of milk, 6 ounces of yogurt, or ½ cup of evaporated milk you consume.
Step 4
Vegetables have 25 calories per serving. You can count ½ cup of cooked vegetables or 1 cup of raw vegetables as a serving.
Step 5
Assess meat. Very lean meats, 1 ounce of skinless poultry (white meat) and ¼ cup of low-fat cheese each have 35 calories per serving. There are about 55 calories in lean meats: 1 ounce of lean beef, pork, dark poultry meat, salmon or tuna. Meats with medium fat content have 75 calories per serving. Count 1 ounce of most beef, 1 ounce of mozzarella cheese and one egg as one serving of medium fat meat apiece. One ounce of most cheeses and processed sandwich meats, one hot dog or sausage, and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter each count as one high-fat meat, which all contain 100 calories.
Step 6
Every fat exchange has about 45 calories. Count six almonds or cashews, four pecan or walnut halves, and 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds as 1 serving of fat apiece. Two tablespoons of avocado also counts as 1 fat exchange. Consider 1 teaspoon of butter, margarine or oil as a serving of fat too.
References
- "Healthy Eating Every Day;" Ruth Ann Carpenter and Carrie E. Finley; 2005
- "Exchange Lists For Meal Planning;" American Dietetic Association and American Diabetes Association; 2003
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