Budgeting calories may help lose unwanted pounds

If most of us could budget our calories like we budget our money, we would have a much better chance of staying in good shape.

“Many of us eat so much during the holiday season, we probably never consider the cost of all those calories on the waistline until our clothes start getting tight,” said Karen Brewton, M.A., R.D., L.D. with The Methodist Hospital Wellness Services in Houston. “Budgeting calories like money can really help people think about how much they eat.”

For this weight loss plan, pretend that each calorie is equal to one penny. Take your ideal weight and add a zero to it, and you have your calorie “budget” for the day. For example, if you want to weigh 120 pounds, you would have 1,200 calories, or $12 to spend per day, to reach and maintain your ideal weight.

“Many of us will hit the drive-thru at lunch and order a double-meat cheeseburger, large fries and a large regular drink, which is somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,560 calories, or $15.60 on this plan,” said Peggy Vincent, a behaviorist with The Methodist Hospital Wellness Services. “Eating that much for lunch would leave you with no food for the rest of the day. This plan will teach you not only how to eat less, but it will also help you make healthier food choices.”

In addition, many of us forget to figure drinks into our daily calories. For example, the large regular soft drink or gourmet cup of coffee you stop for on the way to work can be loaded with calories, and should be included in your daily plans.

Exercise is an important part of any weight loss plan. With this plan, the more you exercise, the more “money” you can earn towards either for your daily dietary budget or for a “savings account” that you can use later in the week. A person can earn 100 calories, or one dollar for every 15 minutes of exercise.

“The vast majority of us have a New Year's resolution of losing weight, but few of us stick to any diet plan past the month of January,” Brewton said. “This is a refreshing new way to look at eating healthy and staying healthy in the new year.”