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, 28, 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.