A large handful of nuts, a few bites of chocolate at your co-workers desk every afternoon, or a glass of wine or two after work are all ways that extra calories can sneak up on us. All calories count, no matter the time of day, meal or snack, liquid or solid. We need calories to survive; to stay warm, to think and even to digest food. However we can run into problems when we are eating more calories than we are burning through everyday activities and exercise. 

Make your calories count. Choose foods that are nutrient-dense, but not calorie-dense. Nutrient-dense foods are foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains that contain fiber, vitamins and minerals at not too high a caloric price. Some nutrient-dense foods like olive oil, nuts and seeds are also calorie-dense, but most calorie-dense foods are just that; dense with calories and not providing much nutrition. 

To strike a balance between the calories you consume and the calories you burn, aim for filling up on foods that fill you up for fewer calories like vegetable soups, veggie-filled salads and chopped up fruit. Consume foods like chips and sweets in small doses and infrequently; a little goes a long way when it comes to these calorie-dense foods.