Despite the way it feels, losing weight isn’t a mysterious process. It’s a simple matter of burning more calories than you eat. The true secret to weight loss is this: Make small changes each and every day and you’ll lose those extra pounds. To lose one pound of fat, you must burn approximately 3500 calories over and above what you already burn doing daily activities.

Calculate your BMR (basal metabolic rate). Your BMR is what your body needs to maintain normal functions like breathing and digestion. This is the minimum number of calories you need to eat each day.

Calculate your activity level. Use a calorie calculator to figure out how many calories you burn while sitting, standing, exercising, lifting weights, etc.

Add it up. Take your BMR number, add your activity calories and then subtract your food calories from that total. If you’re eating more than you’re burning, (your BMR + activity is 2000 and you’re eating 2400 calories) you’ll gain weight. If you’re burning more than you eat, you’ll lose weight.

Weight Loss Tips

Set realistic goals Make small goals on your way to the bigger goal(s). In the end, you’ll have achieved more (and more frequently, might I add).

Drink Water Drink one or two glasses of water before meals, this will make you feel more full and so you won’t eat so much. Drinking water is also generally quite healthy, so you’d be doing yourself two favors by keeping yourself hydrated throughout the day.

Breakfast Skipping breakfast will actually make you fatter since you’ll be even hungrier by lunchtime. Make sure you eat a good breakfast every day.

Fill up on fiber You can curb your hunger by increasing your intake of dietary fiber, which is filling, so you feel full but eat less. For these diet tips, experts recommend eating more fruits, vegetables and wholegrain cereals.

Eat Only when you are Hungry Hunger is the message of our organism to tell us that we need fuel, so if the desire for food is not due to hunger, the food will not make us feel better.

Do not Skip Meals Eating small frequent meals help to balance your calorie intake throughout the day and also keep your blood sugar level balanced. Instead of eating 3 big meals, try to eat 5 – 6 smaller meals throughout the day.

Avoid after Dinner Snacks The most dangerous time to destroy your weight loss efforts and diet is after the last meal of the day, when you lie down in front of the TV with a pack of chips or a box of crisps and biscuits.

Exercise, period Most authorities recommend 30 – 60 minutes of physical activity a day to stay healthy. Also try adding weight-bearing exercises at least 2 times a week. This will help burn some of the unwanted calories. Lose weight with a friend, or join a support group

Weigh yourself once a week. Really, do not weigh yourself every day. Your weight fluctuates daily so you will drive yourself nuts by weighing every day.

Here are some of the exercises that help the best to lose weight:

Step Aerobics; Calories Burnt: 800 cal/hr This mainly targets your legs, hips and bum, which are often the areas that women most want to tone.

Bicycling; Calories Burnt: 500 – 1000 cal/hr Depending on how fast you go, this can be a real calorie burner.

Swimming; Calories Burnt: 800 cals/hr Doing lengths up and down the pool for an hour will burn off 800 calories, and also tone almost all of your body.

Walking; Calories Burnt: 360 cals/hr The easiest exercise, brisk walking is a great cardio workout and will also help tone legs, stomach and hips.

Dancing; Calories Burnt: 600/800 cal/hr this targets all over your legs, and is an excellent work out.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet.