How to Diet by Counting Calories

Take one look at the week's supermarket tabloids and you find at least a dozen "new" miracle diets. Unfortunately, despite their promises of easy and fast results, these supposedly revolutionary methods rarely work in the long run. The basic and proven way to lose weight and keep it off is by counting calories.

Instructions

1

Determine the number of calories you need per day to maintain your weight. To calculate this figure use the calorie counter at CalorieControl.org (see Resources below).

2

Reduce the number of calories obtained in step 1 by 500 to get the number of calories you will need to consume per day to lose approximately 1 pound per week on your diet.

3

Plan your day's calorie allotment before you start eating. Decide how many meals and snacks you will eat and divide calories accordingly. When possible, it is best to eat many small meals rather than 2 or 3 large ones.

4

Eat a good breakfast that includes protein and carbohydrates. You will need the fuel for your activities, and eating early will lessen the urge to overeat the rest of the day.

5

Buy a calorie counter book to make counting calories in a particular food easy and quick. "The Ultimate Calorie Counter" by Shelia Buff and "EZ Lifetime A to Z Calorie Counter" by Helena Schaar are good choices. You can find these at Amazon (see Resources below).

6

Use the food pyramid designed by the United States Department of Agriculture at MyPyramid.gov to assure you are getting the proper nutrition while counting calories (see Resources below).

7

Use a pocket calculator to help you count your calories. Be sure to count everything that goes into your mouth, including the crackers that come with your salad and the extra tsp. of mayo you added to your sandwich.

8

Count the calories in each serving of food. You may be surprised that certain products like many soups contain more than 1 serving per can.

9

Keep a food journal. Write down everything you eat a day along with the number of calories consumed to keep an accurate account of your consumption.

10

Drink plenty of water to avoid consuming extra calories during a diet. Studies have shown people often mistake feeling hungry when they are actually thirsty.

11

Get an accountability buddy who is also trying to lose weight by cutting calories. The added support of a fellow dieter who checks in once a day can help you stay on track.