How to Lose Weight Using Calorie Charts

Two tools used by successful dieters are weight loss journals and calorie charts. By monitoring and tracking your daily calorie expenditures, you can easily see where you may be overeating and where simple changes mean big weight loss results.

Calorie charts consist of lists of foods, usually in alphabetical order and grouped according to category. Calories are units of heat, and reflect the energy contained within a food or burned when the food is used by the body for energy. There's no magic to weight loss. Losing weight is simply a matter of burning more calories than you take into your body. Each pound of body weight equals 3,500 calories. You burn a set number of calories each day through normal metabolic processes, such as breathing, digestion, and daily movement. Reducing the number of calories you take in while simultaneously expending more is the best method of weight loss. Calorie charts guide you to pick healthier choices and make wise decisions on portion sizes.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Journal. You can use a notebook and pen or one of the many online tools available.
• Calorie charts. These can be purchased at a bookstore, or you can find many online.
• Measuring cups and spoons and a food scale are helpful to monitor portion size.

1. Purchase a book containing calorie charts or bookmark a website containing calorie charts.

2. Familiarize yourself with the format of the chart. Highlight foods you consume frequently so that they're easier to find.

3. Write down all the foods you consume in a day. Measure each food for more accurate results. List foods in your journal. Many successful dieters indicate they also list the time, location, and their mood when eating the food to pinpoint other factors affecting their weight loss, such as emotional eating.

4. Note the caloric content for the food and portion size next to each food consumed.

5. Add up the calories consumed for the day.

6. Calculate the number of calories you need to consume daily to maintain your weight. The following formulas help you calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is called the Harris-Benedict Formula.
   
   Women: BMR = 655 + ( 4.35 x weight in pounds ) + ( 4.7 x height in inches ) - ( 4.7 x age in years )
   
   Men: BMR = 66 + ( 6.23 x weight in pounds ) + ( 12.7 x height in inches ) - ( 6.8 x age in year )
   
   Don't like the math? See the links at the end of this article for online calculators that allow you to plug in height, weight and exercise level and calculate your basal metabolic rate for you.

7. Subtract the calories consumed from the BMR rate you calculated. If the number is negative, you're eating more calories than you're burning, and need to either decrease the number of calories you're eating or increase your exercise level. If the number is positive, circle it - you've successfully taken in fewer calories than you've burned today. Do this successfully for several days in a row until you're hit the magic number of 3,500 and you should begin to see some weight loss.

Tips & Warnings

• The BMR formula and calorie charts are approximates. Everyone's metabolism is different, and weight loss rates will vary among individuals.
• Never crash diet! Not only is it unhealthy, it never works in the long run.
• Monitor portion sizes carefully and choose high fiber foods for health and their filling properties.
• Drink plenty of water daily. Thirst often masquerades as hunger.
• Always consult a physician before embarking on this or any weight loss strategy.
• Do not diet if you have any medical conditions or are pregnant or nursing. Seek medical advice before dieting.

Resources

• Calculate your BMI online and save the math!
• FitDay provides easy online tracking of calories, weight goals and more.
• Free calorie charts online.
• More easily navigated calorie charts online.