How to Track Caloric Intake

Keeping track of your caloric intake on a daily basis is part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and eating a balanced, nutritious diet. Depending on your size, age and lifestyle, the number of calories you should take in varies. In order to track caloric intake, you need to keep a record of what you eat and drink. If you're motivated, it's easy to track your caloric intake.

• 1

  Determine your daily recommended caloric intake at the USDA My Pyramid website. Enter your height, weight and age to see what your daily caloric intake should be.

• 2

  Track what you eat and drink during the day in a notebook. Read the nutritional information to determine how many calories are in the amount you eat. Some restaurants and fast food places have charts or menus with approximate calorie counts.

• 3

  Add up the total calories from your food and beverage consumption using WebMD's Food-O-Meter to enter the food and serving sizes you consumed. This program will determine your total caloric intake and provide information about its implications. For example, you can find out if you're consuming enough fiber and calcium, and alter your diet accordingly.