Calories provide energy you need for daily activities. When trying to lose weight, the calories you take in should be less than the calories you burn, but there is a limit beyond which you should not go unless you're under medical supervision.

Vegetable lo mein, which typically consists of spaghetti-type noodles and vegetables with a soy-based sauce, can fit into a healthy diet if you watch your portion size. The vegetable version is lower in calories than the house version, which can have as many as 1,100 calories per order.

Coffee-mate brand creamer comes in a wide variety of flavors, and the nutrition facts differ with each. The calorie content of Coffee-mate is typically equal to or higher than that of half-and-half cream; however, light and fat-free Coffee-mate products have fewer calories.

The thermic effect of food refers to the amount of energy used by your body to digest, absorb and dispose of the food you ingest. Consider this the operating cost of working your digestive system; one of the few costs in life you may be happy to pay.

Paneer is a fresh cheese used in Indian foods like saag paneer, which is a spinach dish. It is also used in malai kofta, which is a cheese and vegetable dumpling. Although paneer is somewhat lighter than many other cheeses, it's still relatively high in fat.

A 200-lb. adult's calorie needs can vary tremendously depending on his medical condition, level of activity, height and gender. Consult a physician or dietitian for expert advice on managing your personal calorie needs.

A sub sandwich is typically made on a long roll and can be either relatively low or relatively high in calories depending on the size of the sandwich and what you put in it.

USDA's ChooseMyPlate.gov recommends eating between 5 and 8 ounces of grains per day, depending on your age and gender, with at least half of those being whole-grain options. One-half cup of cooked pasta equals one serving or 1 ounce of grains.

Most macaroni and cheese dishes are calorie dense. They're also high in fat and have few nutrients, so keep the portion sizes small. If you make macaroni and cheese at home, you can lighten the calorie load by reducing the butter content and using skim milk or reduced-fat cheeses.

If you're watching your waistline, sherbet may be a better dessert choice than ice cream because it usually contains fewer calories. While a 1/2-cup serving of vanilla ice cream contains 137 calories on average, the same portion of orange sherbet contains just 107 calories.

When you just can't shake the sweet tooth, reaching for a mini cupcake instead of a full-size version can help satisfy your urge without splurging on calories. The key is to stick to just one mini.

Baked goods, such as sheet cakes, can be notoriously high in calories. Sheet cakes are typically covered in large amounts of frosting, which is essentially a mix of fat and sugar, two things you need to limit in a healthy diet.