Losing weight is not as hard as it seems. It is not a mysterious process either. You just need to understand that it is just a matter of how much calories you are taking in and at the same time, how much of it do you effectively burn. Yes, it is as easy as that. But why do so many people fail in doing so? It is true that it may be hard but only for those who want instant results.

Losing weight is not magic. It is not instant, unless you count surgeries and advance treatments such as liposuction and gastric banding. Though the market offers you instant solutions such as pills, medicines and other commercial products, they most likely are ineffective and would probably cause various unwanted side effects. Losing weight is gradual, the small changes you see everyday is a sign that your body is reacting effectively to your weight loss diets or programs.

To lose a pound of your weight, you need to cut 3500 calories from your system. It is not a 1 day process though. You may do it gradually and step by step. Trim down those extra calories by modifying your activities and daily food intake.

First, you need to know and understand what your basal metabolic rate is. The basal metabolic rate is what you need to normalize the body functions such as digestion and breathing. This is the minimum amount of calories you need to take everyday. Just remember that the calculator is not always 100% accurate. It is important that you are making the necessary adjustments as you progress.

Also, you need to keep track of your activity level. You need a calorie calculator for you to be able to know how much calories you burn while standing, sitting, lifting weights and exercising each day. This will help you keep a daily journal of your activities. You can also use a heart rate monitor which calculates how much calories you have burned.

You must know how much calories you take. It is not hard to know how much calories you take these days. There are so many websites today that shows calorie count of different kinds of food, and you can make a list on what you drink and eat everyday.

To calculate for your basal metabolic rate, you need all the above details. Add your calorie activity and then deduct it from your food calories. Input minus the output. If you are eating more calories than you are burning, you will probably gain weight, but if you are burning calories more than you eat, then you lose weight. From these, you can make adjustments to either increase your activities or to modify your intake.

How about exercise? It should be part of your physical activity list. It is one of the most important factors for weight loss. Of course, different people would need different amount and quality of exercise. It depends on the person's physical attributes and experience. If you are just a beginner, it is better for you to start small. Exercise 3 days per week for 20 to 40 minutes for your body to have time to adjust. A pro on the other hand may take about 1 to 2 hours of exercise everyday.