How to Count Calories Online

Put down the pencil and save the calculator for your bills. Online diet tools have taken the work out of calorie counting.

Instructions

• 1

  Stop guessing and know what you eat (and drink). Even when we intend to make smarter diet decisions, we could just be kidding ourselves. For example, you walk into a Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast and eye the Chocolate Frosted Donut behind the counter. You think better of it because you are trying to watch your weight. Instead, you go for the Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffin. In truth, the Chocolate Donut is 230 calories with 29 grams of carbs, while the Reduced Fat Muffin is 400 calories with 78 grams of carbs. Despite sometimes misleading advertisements, fast food venues have made their nutritional information more accessible to consumers. Doing a little online research before you eat can help prevent a calorie miscalculation.

• 2

  Establish daily targets. Online diet tools employ a variety of popular methods to estimate an individual's daily calorie requirements based upon such factors as gender, height, weight, age, and activity. For example, FitClick.com uses the Harris-Benedict equation to establish a recommended daily calorie total to maintain or lose weight. It is important to know your daily ranges for calories, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. If you stay within your targets, you will meet your weight loss goals while maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.

• 3

  Plan ahead. Use an online diet tracker to input what you eat. If you ate breakfast, and know what's in your packed lunch, submit those foods so you have a good idea of how many calories you have left for the day. If you know you only have 500 calories remaining for dinner and an afternoon snack, you are more likely to rethink the urge to get that 270 calorie Snickers bar from the office vending machine. Dieting ultimately comes down to making better choices. And, like any other decision you may make in your life, it helps to stay informed and plan ahead.

• 4

  Find an online diet tool and let it work for you. If calorie counting sounds like a chore, you haven't found the right tool. There are a number of free online sites that will do the work for you. Key features to look for include an extensive food database (including the ability to add your own foods and recipes), diet plan variety (low carb, low fat, high protein, and balanced plans), aesthetic motivators (progress graphs, menus, and calendars), and social motivators (message boards, journals, and friends to help you stay on track). Get started today!