Diet & Nutrition - How to count calories

Count calories by reading labels, looking at the portion size of a meal and getting nutritional information off the Internet. Keep a running tab of calories,...

I'm Katie Adams, a registered dietitian with Decathlon Club part of Western Athletic Clubs. The easiest way to determine the amount of calories you are eating is to watch your portion size. If you turn over a food product and look at the nutrition label, it will tell you how many calories are in one serving of that product. If you eat two servings, then you will need to double the amount of calories. As you assemble meals you can count out the number of calories in each of those ingredients either in your head or keep a running tab on a piece of paper. When eating out, turn to the Internet. Many restaurants offer their menus online and some of them even provide nutritional information. If you eat half an entree, you'll be getting half of the amount of calories. The important thing to remember is not to obsess about the number of calories you're eating everyday. Calorie intake varies from day to day for everyone. The important thing is to keep a consistent level based on your daily needs and your activity level. I'm Katie Adams, a registered dietitian with Decathlon Club a part of Western Athletic Clubs and that is the easiest way to count calories.