Do the math and figure out how much you need to eat to reach your weight goals. Let's get to the bottom line here.
Calories are a measure of the amount of energy food provides.
All the food you eat contains calories some more than others. Carbohydrates and proteins contain four calories per gram, fat contains nine calories per gram, and alcohol contains seven calories per gram. If you're trying to maintain your weight, the ideal scenario is to have the number of calories you eat per day equal to the number of calories your body is using. Unfortunately, it can be quite easy to eat more calories than your body is burning, resulting in gradual weight gain. To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than your body needs.