Calories measure the energy in food, and your body turns calories into physical energy. If you take in fewer calories than your body needs to maintain your current weight, you will lose weight.
Calorie Needs
Nutrition labels base values on an average adult intake of 2,000 calories daily, but the actual number of calories you need depends on your gender, weight, age, physical activity level and other factors.
Calories Into Pounds
Generally, you must burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose one pound (0.45 kg). To lose about one pound per week, cut your calories by 500 per day.
Cutting Calories
To reduce calories, eat smaller portions, substitute lower-calorie foods for high-calorie items or cut out calorie-dense foods. For example, you could eat 1/3 cup of ice cream instead of 1/2 cup, substitute lower-fat ice cream for premium ice cream, or just skip the ice cream altogether.
Exercise vs. Calories
Exercise also burns calories, but counting calories promotes weight loss more effectively than exercise alone, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Keeping the Weight Off
Most participants in the National Weight Control Registry report that they have kept the weight off by exercising and following a low-calorie diet, regardless of how they lost weight in the first place.
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