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Caloric Analysis Tools

Oftentimes people don't have any idea how many calories they consume or burn in a day, or how many calories they need daily for their body to work properly. People with diseases or metabolic disorders may need to exercise more and eat less, or vice-versa, depending on the nature of the disease. Caloric analysis tools are useful for tracking weight progress by determining the number of calories needed and the amount of energy expended each day.

  1. Mayo Clinic Calorie Calculator

    • The Mayo Clinic Calorie Calculator analyzes approximately how many calories you need each day to meet your energy requirements without putting on weight. The calculator asks basic questions such as your age, height, weight, sex and activity level to come up with a daily calorie quotient. People who have higher activity levels need more calories and those who have lower activity levels need less calories, and the calculator shows users how many calories they would need if they increased or decreased their level of activity. After analyzing how many calories you need per day, you can print and save the results to serve as a friendly reminder. The May Clinic Calorie Calculator can be found on the Mayo Clinic website. (See Resources.)

    Lifechek

    • Many calorie calculators analyze the approximate number of calories burned during exercise based on statistical averages. The Lifechek device, which can be worn on the upper arm, performs a more accurate caloric analysis by measuring the wearer's metabolism throughout the different activities of the day. Lifechek uses a patented heat monitor process to directly and accurately measure the amount of calories burned. This can be a good way to measure calories if you believe you may have an unusual metabolism or a thyroid problem. The Lifechek can also be used as an exercise timer. Target mode allows you to program calorie goals into the Lifechek, which will then notify you when those goals have been reached. More information about Lifechek can be found at the Lifechek website. (See Resources.)

    SenseWear BMS

    • The SenseWear BMS is another wearable device that can be used to measure metabolic rates and number of calories burned. The SenseWear BMS can be worn as an armband underneath a person's clothing, where it will analyze the amount of calories burned throughout the day. SenseWear BMS works best for people with metabolic disorders or diseases that require them to analyze their energy expenditure. The SenseWear BMS display gives frequent calorie reports that can be checked throughout the day. The user's physician can program the SenseWear BMS with daily calorie expenditure goals and it can be a useful way for a doctor to track a patient's progress. More information about SenseWear can be found at the SenseWear website. (See Resources.)

    Weight Watchers Point System

    • Weight Watchers is a nutritional program that allows people to manage their weight in a healthy way instead of resorting to dangerous and often unsuccessful fad diets. The Weight Watchers Point System is a simple way to analyze caloric intake without a whole lot of number crunching. Weight Watchers provides a list of foods, and instead of a calorie number each food has a certain amount of points assigned to it. Every time you eat a food, you use up a certain amount of points. After setting a point goal, depending on how much you weigh and how much weight you want to lose, you can track your caloric intake by using that number of points each day. In addition to using the Weight Watchers Point System to analyze caloric intake, Weight Watchers provides tips on healthy eating and how to eat foods that keep you full longer. More information about the point system can be found on the Weight Watchers website. (See Resources.)

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