Recording how many calories you take in on a regular basis is an effective way to keep your weight at a healthy level. It's easy to lose track of the foods you've eaten if you don't keep a record --- and your weekly calorie numbers can balloon as a result. When you record your calories, you have the option of looking back over what you've eaten to see where you might have gone astray.
Step 1
Buy a small notebook with columns, or with lines suitable for making columns. As an alternative, download a ready-made sheet to record calories, such as the one available from the the Center for Health Research website.
Step 2
Leave wider spaces down the left-hand side to list the specific foods you eat. Make smaller columns across the rest of the page for number of calories and any other values you'd like to include such as fat, total carbohydrates or sodium.
Step 3
Read labels of the foods you eat and write down the food and the total calories as soon after you eat it as possible.
Step 4
Calculate the total number of calories at the end of each day to help determine if you're staying on track or if changes need to be made.
Tips and Warnings
- Base your calories requirements on the total given to you by your doctor or dietitian. Visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient Database website to find calorie totals for foods that may not have labels. Include information such as the time of day you ate the food and any feelings you may have had while eating it to help pinpoint potential problems.
Things You'll Need
- Notebook
- Pen or pencil
- Calculator, optional
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