Your body gets energy from two basic sources, calories from glycogen and calories from fat. Eating fewer calories than your body needs can help you burn extra fat and lose weight. If you are instituting a weight loss program, consider other facets of successful dieting practices, including balanced nutrition and regular exercise.
Basal Metabolic Rate
Your basal metabolic rate is based on your height, weight, age and gender. It is a quantification of your body's metabolism, calculated as the number of calories you need in order to maintain basic body functions, including maintaining your current weight. Your body uses calories --- derived from fat --- to fuel processes such as respiration, blood circulation, digestion, brain function and cellular function. Your metabolism is also dynamic, changing to reflect your lifestyle choices. To a certain extent, your body will slow its metabolism when you eat less, and raise your metabolism when you eat more than you need.
Weight Loss
If you eat fewer calories than your body requires, you will lose weight. Your body first takes energy from the food you eat, storing any extra food as fat. When you don't eat enough to fuel these processes, your body makes a withdrawl from the stores of fat, converting them into energy in the form of calories. According to MedlinePlus.com, if you cut 500 calories per day from your diet, you will lose one pound per week. Cutting 1,000 calories per day will result in losing two pounds per week.
Balanced Nutrition
While cutting calories from your diet for weight loss, you should never sacrifice balanced nutrition. Within your limited diet, you need to maintain your regular supply of essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy. Maintaining nutrition will ensure that the processes that help you burn fat will continue working efficiently. The USDA recommends daily servings of grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy and protein. Whenever possible, choose whole grains and lean or low fat versions of proteins and dairy.
Exercise
When you exercise, your body requires more energy. Just as your body burns calories from fat to provide fuel for basic body functions, so does it burn fat to provide energy for exercise. Exercising regularly can significantly improve your weight loss results. The best type of exercise for weight loss is aerobic exercise, such as cycling, running, jump roping, rowing or swimming. Exercise three to five times per week aerobically for at least 20 minutes per session to increase your rate of weight loss.
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