There are many different theories on weight loss, but there's one universal rule: In order to lose weight, the one undeniable rule is that you must burn more calories than you take in. Calories are units of energy contained in the things you eat. And in order to shed those extra pounds, you'll need to cut back on calories, burn more of them through exercise, or do both.
Suggested Daily Calories
The Food and Drug Administration suggests that the average American above the age of four takes in roughly 2,000 calories per day. This can vary depending on your body size and activity level but is the general standard for caloric intake. It includes everything you eat and drink that contains a single calorie; and outside of water, just about everything has at least some caloric value. To reduce your caloric intake, keep track of the amount of calories in everything you eat, keep a journal and cut down on high-calorie items.
Lower-Calorie Alternatives
Once you begin to inspect your caloric intake, you may find that many of your extra calories come from junk food, fast food and sweets. If you have a sweet tooth, it's virtually impossible to lessen caloric intake enough to lose weight without cutting down on such items. Instead of ice cream, try sherbet, which generally contains fewer calories -- not to mention less fat. If you tend to guzzle soda, switch to diet soda. Instead of snacking on potato chips or chocolate, stock the fridge with fruit and put wheat crackers in the cabinet.
Burning Calories to Lose Weight
Along with eating fewer calories, you need to burn an increased amount. Every 3,500 calories you burn is equivalent to one pound of weight lost. But don't enter your weight loss mission with the unrealistic expectation of burning a pound's worth of calories daily. Losing weight through diet and exercise is a long-term grind, not an overnight solution. Aim for a specific number of calories you'd like to burn daily, one that, combined with your reduced intake, will lead to significant weight loss.
Burn Calories Through Various Exercises
Virtually any exercise that increases your heart rate will burn calories, but results vary wildly depending on how strenuous the activity is. If you're an avid runner, you can achieve stellar results; in just a half-hour of running at 10 miles per hour, a 185-pound person can burn more than 700 calories. Of course, not everyone can run six-minute miles. At a more relaxed rate of five miles-per-hour, the same size person can still burn 355 calories. And you can also shed calories by doing household chores such as food shopping -- 155 calories per 30 minutes and lawn-mowing -- 200 calories per 30 minute period.
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