Nearly everything you eat or drink has calories, which are a measurement of the energy that is released in your body when you metabolize food. You need a certain number of calories every day to maintain your current weight and activity level, as well as your body's normal functions. If you eat more calories than your body uses, the excess will be stored mainly as fat; if you eat fewer, you will lose weight. To slim down at the healthy rate of a pound a week, trim 500 calories daily by eating less, exercising more, or both.

(Note: Do not eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day. Consult your doctor if you are having trouble losing or gaining weight.) To gain a pound a week, add 500 calories per day from nutritious choices.

Not for use by pregnant women

Please enter your age, weight and activity level (i.e. how physically active you are on a regular basis) into the calculator and it will determine the amount of calories you must consume to maintain that weight. Therefor if you would like to determine how many calories you should consume to reach your goal weight, enter you age, goal weight and the level of activity you intend to maintain to calculate the caloric intake required to reach and maintain your goal weight.

http://www.self.com/calculatorsprograms/calculators/calorieneeds
 
Go to the website listed above to locate and use the Caloric Calculator.

You may check the Food Chart, which lists the number of calories in most foods, at the following link:  http://inch-aweigh.com/dcnresult.php