I used to be annoyed by people who are always looking at the nutritional panel of food products.  My attitude was if I want it, I’ll eat it.  But, turns out taking a look at what you are putting into your mouth is actually a good thing.
While I’m not one to constantly count calories or have a goal of how many (or few) calories I consume each day, I think it’s an exercise that everyone should at least try for a while. You could be in for quite the surprise if you start tracking your calories.  Research has shown that most people don’t realize how many calories they eat.  Calories really can add up from large portions, high fat food, and drinks.
The real key to weight loss:  You lose weight when you burn more calories than you consume.   So, either eat (and drink) fewer calories or start burning even more calories.  Of course, a combination of the two is ideal.  As long as you continue to consume more calories than you expend, you will gain weight.
The tricky part is determining how many calories you should be consuming.  There are several variables including age, gender, weight, body composition, and activity level.  If you’ll recall my articles on strength training, muscles burn more calories – so a very muscular person actually needs to consume more calories.
There are several websites that can assist you in determining your ideal daily caloric intake as well as determining the amount of calories in specific foods. Be sure to pay attention to the serving size…just looking at the numbers can be deceiving.   Most restaurants now provide nutritional information on their websites.  Take a look at your favorite meals and you’ll most likely be in for a surprise.  When looking at percentages of intake, keep in mind it’s all based of 2,000 calories a day.

Here are a few examples of some ways you can cut calories by the choices you make.
1 Snickers bar, 266 calories     OR    1 cup apple, 65 calories
12 oz Coca-Cola, 155 calories   OR 12 oz water, 0 calories
Wendy’s: medium french fries, 430 calories OR junior chocolate Frosty, 160 calories
McDonalds: Big Mac, 540 calories OR cheeseburger, 300 calories