How To Count Calories In Food

The common diet principle for losing weight of reducing your caloric intake only works if you know how to count calories in food. With all of the resources available on the internet today, it's very easy to keep track of your new diet plan and count calories in food which you either purchase or prepare at home. With just a bit of planning, you'll be on your way to a slimmer you in no time.

To count calories in food, you will need to:

1. Educate yourself about portion sizes of food. You can count calories in food if you aren't sure how much you're eating. Measuring food is the best way to know exactly how much you've got on your plate but, if you're in a restaurant, you might not have measuring tools available. To guestimate food portions though, you can use your hand. The size of a medium palm is widely accepted as a serving size of meat. Your thumb, from base to tip, is roughly the size of one ounce of cheese. Use teaspoons and tablespoons as measuring utensils for salad dressings and other condiments.
2. Research and use online resources to look up the calories in food. There are many good calorie counting books on the market so, if you would like to have a handy reference, pick one up. Alternatively, there are a lot of online calorie counting sites where you can even keep a diet journal to record your food intake.
3. Reading the nutritional labels on foods before you eat them is essential in anyone's quest to count calories in food. You might be very surprised at how many calories (and servings!) are in that one candy bar that you're about to wolf down. Become familiar with healthier alternatives, such as granola bars, and you'll lose weight faster.
4. Now that you've educated yourself about the calories in food using the above steps, the next thing to do while learning how to count calories in food is to find a method to keep track of calories that works for you. Some people carry a small notebook and pen, others may find that the use of smart phone with a diet app will aid in keeping track of the calories ingested during the day. Keeping track of your calorie intake starts by looking at the calories of food and jotting these down. You will make be much more aware of what you're putting in your mouth. And, you may also be very surprised at how many calories are included in your daily intake.

Tip:

• You might be more successful in counting calories in food if you make a list of your favorite foods. Use this quick guide to look up the calories in food instead of having to look online or in a book.