Mary Cole's New Year's resolution was to lose about 20 pounds.
She started with watching what she ate. After keeping a calorie
journal for a week, Cole said she couldn't believe the numbers.
"I honestly thought I only ate about 1,500 calories a day," she
said. "In reality, I was eating more than 3,000." Dr. Linda
Berry, a certified nutritionist, said that kind of surprise is
common. She said studies show most people go above their caloric
needs, but are lacking nutrients. "We are sort of an overfed but
undernourished society," she said. According to the USDA, women
31 to 50 years old who are not physically active need about
1,800 calories a day. Those who are active need 2,000 to 2,200 a
day. Men in that age range need about 2,200 if they are not
active and 2,400 to 3,000 if they exercise. Many factors affect
that number for each individual, including height, weight and
genetics. Heavy exercisers and those who are pregnant may need
more, while some with slower metabolisms may need less. Once she
got an idea o