How to Calculate Nutritional Intake

A healthy diet is not just a matter of calories in versus calories out; it is a matter of ensuring you are getting enough of each of the three major nutrients. Calculating your nutritional intake is the first step toward improving your health and fitness. By tracking your intake of protein, fat and carbohydrates, you can help determine which nutrients you are getting enough of and which you may be getting too much of. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Paper
• Calculator
• Nutritional database

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Instructions

Procedure

• 1

  Locate a nutrient database on the Internet that allows you to locate the nutritional information of the food you plan on eating. For example, take a look at the United States Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database. Become familiar with it so you can quickly locate any food on an as-needed basis.

• 2

  Calculate the number of grams of protein you are eating per day. If you are active, you may need twice as many grams of protein as an inactive person. Multiply the number of grams of protein by four and write this number down.

• 3

  Calculate the number of grams of carbohydrates you are eating over the course of the day. Multiply this number by four. Write this number down.

• 4

  Calculate the number of grams of fat you are eating per day. Multiple this number by nine. Write this number down.

• 5

  Add up all three numbers. This will give you not only the total amount of fat, protein and carbohydrates you are eating, but the total number of calories you are consuming as well. If you are using this as a method of weight control, track everything for at least three weeks to develop a decent average of your caloric intake.