How to Count the Calories Required in a Day

Whether you want to lose weight or just maintain your figure, counting calories is one of the best ways to keep yourself on track. The simple act of writing down everything you eat can teach you to eat consciously instead of snacking without thought. Calorie tracking can also show you patterns in your eating habits or the times when you are likely to overeat. Determining how many calories your body needs in day and learning to count them is simple. All you will need is a notebook or a computer file to begin. Follow these steps.

Things You'll Need

• Spiral notebook

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Instructions

• 1

  Decide what your goals are for your weight. You can set your daily caloric intake higher if you want to maintain your weight. Be sure to take an honest look at your activity level and goals for yourself.

• 2

  Calculate your daily calorie requirements. Many websites are available to help you figure out the number of calories required in a day for your body. The American Heart Association offers a basic chart and the Mayo Clinic has an interactive calorie calculator for this purpose.

• 3

  Create a calorie tracking system that works for you. This can be as simple as a spiral notebook or as complex as a computer program. A simple list of foods eaten is enough to keep many people on track. The website Fit Day offers a free online food log as well as a downloadable software program for counting calories.

• 4

  Decide if you want to track nutrients besides calorie caloric content. Some people choose to track almost everything, while others might simply track calories, fat, protein and fiber.

• 5

  Fill out the first day's page with everything you have eaten that day, paying close attention to portion sizes. Finding nutritional information is simple with Internet access. The website Calorie King provides a searchable database of food details.

• 6

  Make counting calories a priority. Put your food journal into your basic daily routine and do not skip it. Measure foods if you are not certain of how much you are eating. Even if you are not proud of your food choices, write down the calories that you have eaten.