But have you ever stopped to think about what those calories look like?

For example, this is 200 calories worth of apple

On the other hand, if we take 200 calories worth of cheese, it doesn't look quite the same in terms of volume

throw 200 calories of wine into the mix for a nice wine and cheese

And you have three very different looking versions of 200 calories

Now compare that wine to beer or rum, and you have three very different party nights for your stomach

Or how about the eggs you had for breakfast

Compare that to 200 calories of sweet cereal you had the other day, or even some oatmeal

And they're bound to seem a bit different

But if you had gotten a sausage and egg breakfast sandwich, You'd be looking at even less

Broccoli? You may be surprised by the amount you can eat before you hit 200 calories

Not to mention this stuff is packed with nutrients and a great source of fiber

A slice of pizza? Less than a slice if it has pepperoni on it

And what about the classic Big Mac? Try a 200 calorie 'Small Mac'

And since calories are simply units of energy, with the calories of 217 Big Macs

You can drive your car 35 Kilometres

So, wait. What is a calorie?

Specifically, a calorie is the amount of energy, or heat it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water

By one degree celsius

We need energy to survive, and we get it from food

Carbohydrates, Protein and fats are the building blocks of our food, and each contribute a different amount of energy to our bodies

The average person needs somewhere between 2000 to 2700 calories a day

Depending on factors like height, weight, gender and age

And some foods like peanut butter are calorie dense, filling this requirement faster

Or that muffin you ate as a snack, chances are its calorie content is higher than you thought

And those irresistible Doritos? Don't lie, you ate the whole bag

Unlike Celery, which has very few calories, giving you lots to munch on

Or carrots

Not so much Hershey's Kisses

And if you're eating salad to limit calories, watch out for creamy dressing

Particularly, french dressing

On its own, black coffee is quite low on calories

You can have a lot before you hit 200 calories

But once you add one cream and one sugar, those calories quickly add up

Turn it into a specialty drink, like an Iced Peppermint White Mocha

And you might be shocked at the amount left

But, just because something has less calories

Doesn't necessarily mean it's healthier or better for you

Take for example this 200 calories of coke vs. 200 calories of whole milk

While it's true that the coke contains fewer calories per liter

You can't forget that milk contains many nutrients and healthy fats

Or like brown bread vs. white bread

Yes, whole wheat bread often contains more calories per slice, but it also contains more nutrients and fiber

So, counting calories isn't the be all and end all

But thinking about what goes into your body is bound to make a difference

At the end of the day, eat a healthy and balanced diet

And if you'd like to see even more 200 calorie examples, check out the WiseGeek post we've linked in the description

Which puts even more food into perspective

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