The simple rule is that if you eat fewer calories than your body needs, you will lose weight. So how many calories does your body need? The answer comes using the tool, "Physical activity calorie calculator" which gives the average number of calories you need to maintain your basal and activity levels. Armed with this information, you should now plan your daily diet schedule and think about what form of exercise to take. Why think first? If your activity levels have been low, you should not suddenly start exercising at high levels of effort. Indeed, if you are older, you should probably have a physical check-up to ensure your heart is strong and there are no other problems likely to be caused if you launch into an activity program. Always plan ahead for the maximum benefit with the greatest possible level of safety.

The best way to start is by walking. This is good all-round exercise, improving muscle tone and burning calories. Warm up first by walking at an easy pace for between five and ten minutes. Once your muscles are ready for action, pick up the pace. You need to walk at a pace which significantly raises your heart rate and build up to maintaining this pace for at least thirty minutes. Use the "Target Heart Rate Calculator" to find out your optimum burn rate. As a guide, you should be breathing more quickly but still able to hold a conversation without getting breathless. Over time, increase speed and duration to sixty minutes. Once you have finished the "speed" walking, slow down and walk more normally for a further five minutes to cool down. As you grow more fit, add stretching and flexibility exercises at the beginning and end of the walks.

Walking should become a regular part of your daily routine and, over time in combination with a better diet, this will reduce your weight significantly. There is no major cost in buying special equipment or fees as in joining a gym. A good pair of shoes or trainers is advisable and something waterproof in case it rains is desirable. Other than that, you are ready to go. If you have a bad day when you feel too tired, take a rest but walk the next day no matter how you feel. Build up the habit to three or four times a week without fail. When you start out, you may find the additional exercise makes you feel more hungry more quickly. If this becomes too much of a temptation to snack, think about using an appetite suppressant like phentermine. This drug has been on the market for fifty years and has an unbeaten record for effectiveness. Used in short bursts, phentermine will reduce your awareness of hunger and keep up your morale. Put the entire package together and you have a cost-effective way to feel better by improving fitness, look great by shedding those pounds and still have cash in your hand at the end of the week because eating less saves you money.