Nutrition Facts for Losing Weight

Losing weight is directly related to the foods you put in your body and your level of physical activity. Cut your calories and eat nutrient-dense foods to help reach your ideal weight. Schedule an appointment with a registered dietitian. She can help you design a daily meal plan that can put you on a path to weight loss.

Calories

Pay close attention to the amount of calories you consume and spread them out into several small meals throughout the day. Each pound of body fat contains 3,500 calories. Plan to lose about 1 to 2 lbs. per week. You will need to cut your daily caloric intake by 500 calories to lose 1 lb. a week, or by 1,000 calories to lose 2 lbs. per week. You can also burn calories by increasing your physical activity.

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Macronutrients

Your body gets energy from the carbohydrates, protein and fat in foods. Carbohydrates and protein each provide 4 calories per gram. Around 45 to 65 percent of your total calories should come from carbs, and 10 to 35 percent should come from protein, suggests MayoClinic.com. Fat is a concentrated energy source. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories. About 20 to 35 percent of your calories should come from fat.

Food Portions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture developed the website MyPyramid.gov to outline proper food portions within each food group. Measure your food portions to help you lose weight. You need 3 to 4 oz. or equivalents from the grain group each day. At least half of your servings should come from whole grain foods. Whole grains are high in fiber, which can help you feel full for a long period of time. This can be beneficial for weight loss. Eat 2 to 3 cups of vegetables and 1 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit. Get in all of your veggie servings by filling half of your plate with salad or steamed veggies at lunch and dinner. You need three cups of milk or equivalents each day, but select low-fat or skim varieties to cut calories and increase your weight loss. Lastly, eat 5 to 6 oz. of meat and beans every day, but stick to lean meats and vegetable proteins.

Nutrition Facts Label

Read the nutrition facts label on all of your foods. The label breaks down nutrition information based on a 2,000-calorie diet. It tells you how many grams of carbohydrates, protein and fat are in the food. It also provides the amount of calories, cholesterol and sodium. Learning to read the label is important for your weight loss journey. Pay close attention to the serving size and the amount of servings on the nutrition facts label. The label might say 150 calories, but the package might contain three servings. Eating the entire package at once would provide 450 calories.