For someone trying to lose weight for the first time, knowing your calorie intake is an integral part of making your diet work for you. The best way to do this is to count your calories daily. Every meal, including snacks, should be recorded. At the end of the day, you should be able to look over a report on your intake for the day. Empowered by this information, you'll be able have an understanding on how your day went, and know what changes to make for the next day.