Session 2

Finding Where Those Calories Come From

Session 2-2

Tools that will help make tracking what you eat easy and “do-able”.

Tools that will help make tracking what you eat easy and “do-able”.

Useful Tools:

Food and physical activity tracking app:

These apps allow you to enter the item and portion size you are eating and give you the calories and nutritional information for each as well as a daily running total. We highly recommend you become a frequent app user.

Websites:

(nutrition sites or restaurant sites eg many restaurant chains provide nutrition information for their items) eg Chipotle, Starbucks etc.

Food Labels:

Provide the calories and nutritional information of food and drinks by portion size.

Measuring tools:

In order to know how many calories you are taking in, you need to know the quantities you are eating. Use measuring cups and spoons, a kitchen scale (to measure ounces of meats, fish or cheese) or everyday objects.

NOTE: Once you become familiar with portion sizes you will be able to estimate more accurately the amount and calories you are eating without having to use measuring tools each time.

Notebook, food log/diary and calorie counter:

If you struggle using a calorie tracking app, you can always use pencil and paper with a printed version of a calorie counter.

You can use everyday objects to “eyeball” serving size

Ping-pong ball

Serving size: 2 teaspoons

CD

Serving size: 1 medium waffle

Tennis Ball

Serving size: 1/2 cup

Computer Mouse

Serving size: 1 medium baked potato

Palm of Your Hand, or a Deck of Cards

Serving size: 3 ounces of meat or poultry

4 Dice

Serving size: 1 ounce of cheese

Golf Ball

Serving size: 1/4 cup

Baseball

Serving size: 1 Cup

Tennis Ball

Serving size: 1 medium apple

You can use your hands to eyeball serving size: