Everything you need to know about calories

Counting them won't necessarily help you lose weight.

Whatever your history with calories (counting them, avoiding them, indulging in them, all of the above here are some insights that'll help you look at them wisely.

Not All Calories Are Created Equal

We've all heard the term "empty calories." It refers to sources of calories that bring no real nutrition to the table. No protein, no fibre, no healthy fats — nothing that's going to keep you satisfied.

For Example: A can of pop and 100g skinless chicken breast have about the same number of calories, but one is pure sugar, and the other is loaded with protein. Use your calories wisely and limit anything that's primarily sugar or starchy carbs.

Even Things You Don't Consider "Food" Contain Calories

The milk in your coffee, that ketchup on your eggs, even some vitamins contain calories! I'm not saying you need to ditch them. Just factor them in those calories when you tally up your daily total. A food dairy might seem nerdy, but it works if you're trying to identify why you aren't meeting your weight goals. Make a habit of jotting down everything you eat and drink, along with the calorie counts. There are some great phone apps for this, like My Fitness Pal. Need to trim down your total? Review what you've eaten and decide what's worth it and what's not. You'll know — and it'll make you feel much better about everything you eat.

The Numbers on Nutrition Labels Aren't Cut-and-Dried

Sorry to tell you this, but the Food Standards Industry can't possibly check everybody's calorie calculations, and they only consider something mislabeled if the real calorie count is more than 20 percent off. Big-name brands are more likely to be accurate, but you should always let healthy skepticism be your friend. If something seems too good to be true, trust your instincts. A muffin might claim to be 50g and 200 calories, but if you weigh it and discover it is actually 75g, that's really 320 calories!

That Food with the Zero-Calorie Label Has a Secret

Here's another tricky labeling fact. If a product has fewer than 5 calories per serving, the label can claim it has 0 calories. The discrepancy may seem minor, but the numbers can add up. Things like cooking spray and salad dressing can still be good calorie bargains, but if you're tracking your intake, consider counting them at 4 calories per serving to be safe. I have a friend who used lots of sweetener packets and doused her food in "calorie-free" spray oil. We did the maths — she was eating 250 more calories every day than she thought she was.

Calories Are Not the Enemy

Consuming as few calories as possible isn't a smart weight-loss tactic. Calories give you fuel. You should know how many your body needs to lose or maintain weight; then you can think of it like a budget, and decide which foods are worth "spending" on. There are many tools online to help you determine your daily number, based on height, age, weight, activity level, and goals. Go for about 1,400 to lose weight. If you are a lady, 1.900 if you are a man.