Should you count your calories? Should you weigh yourself once a week or even once a day?

We live in a land of plenty where snacks and large portion sizes are abundant. Bagels and sodas are three to four times bigger than they were decades ago and calories and pounds add up quicker than we want to admit.

While the high protein and fiber diets are very satisfying these days, portion sizes are too big to the point of gluttony.

The answer is yes. Count calories by rounding off to the nearest hundred and it's effortless. Study package labels. How many servings are in a package? How many calories in a serving? Knowledge is power for maintaining a healthy weight and for weight loss.

Here's an interesting idea. Consider giving yourself a target amount of weekly calories. That way you can indulge one day and make up for it by the end of the week. This will help you feel like you are moving forward even though you had an extravagant day.

Annette Herrick can be reached at annette@fitnessforvitality.com