Most weight-loss regimes require counting calories. A weekly deficit of 3,500 calories equals a 1 lb. loss, so you must keep track of your calories consumed and balance that against calories burned. Once you know how many calories you burn, creating your daily caloric deficit becomes a simple matter of mathematics. The process is basically a matter of calories in, calories out---when you take in fewer calories than you expend, your excess weight will begin to come off.
Counting Calories to Lose Weight
Step 1
Determine the number of calories you should eat daily. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends calculating your recommended caloric allowance by multiplying your desired weight by 12 to 15 calories, depending on your gender, activity level and age.
Step 2
Read food labels. If you eat a tuna sandwich, for example, you need to check the calorie counts of the bread, tuna, mayonnaise, and even the pickles or eggs, if you add them. If you drink milk, water, tea with sugar, or a soda, you need to check those calorie counts as well.
Step 3
When you have found the calorie counts, write them down. Be sure to note what you ate and how much, the time, the calorie count and, if possible, what your mood was like. The American Cancer Society reports that people who keep a food journal have double the weight loss of people who don't.
Step 4
Tally up your calories at the end of the day. Take a moment to reflect on the day and, if necessary, note any food you may have eaten but failed to write down. Be sure to revisit your journal and add to your total if you have a snack later on. Late-night snacks or beverages definitely still count toward your total for the day!
Step 5
Review your journal. Where did you go wrong? Where did you go right? Did you eat cookies when you were sad, or consume all your calories at the end of the day? Reviewing your journal will help you see your eating patterns. For example, a pattern of late-night snacking can be avoided if you know it happens every night at 8 when you're watching reality TV.
Tips and Warnings
- Keeping a food diary or journal to write down your daily calorie intake is critical. It is easy to get "food amnesia" and forget what you ate, leading to overconsumption of calories. If you go out to eat, and the restaurant provides a nutritional information handout, use it to track your calories, or to help you plan which meal gives you the best nutrition for the calories. If this is not available, look the information up at home in a calorie counter book or online. If you have a large amount of weight to lose, you may wish to cut additional calories from your target number, or to expend more calories by adding exercise.
- Do not cut too many calories. Eating less than about 1200 calories could put your body into "starvation mode." Your body's metabolism will slow, conserving fuel by dropping your daily caloric burn even further, hampering your weight-loss efforts.
Things You'll Need
- Pencil or pen
- Journal
- Calorie counter (book or online)
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