Simple Math

With all the talk about which diet to be on, which magic pill to take, or which surgery to get, the true key to losing weight is simple math. When it comes to your body, calories are calories. Your scale can't tell if they're carbs, protein, or fat.

So, how do you employ simple math to lose weight without starving yourself or taking extreme measures? Here's how:

Calculate Goal Weight Calories

First, you need to determine what the ideal weight for your body is. Use the American Cancer Society’s Calorie Calculator and enter your goal weight, your gender and your activity level. The tool will calculate the number of calories someone who weighs your goal weight should consume.

In order to meet this goal weight, you need to eat like someone who weighs that amount instead of eating like someone who weighs what you currently weigh. Commit your goal weight to memory. Write it down or make yourself a sign and put it in a prominent place.

Divide Your Calories

Split your daily calorie intake into 5 segments. So if you need to consume 2,200 calories, divide that amongst the 5 meals that you should be having each day.

• Breakfast – 300 calories
• Snack – 250 calories
• Lunch – 500 calories
• Snack – 250 calories
• Dinner – 900 calories
  

Track Everything

Get a food journal (What I Ate (Teal) Mini Journal) or use a free online service like FitDay to track EVERYTHING that you eat.

Start planning your meals ahead of time by identifying the calorie counts of your favorite foods and building your meals around them. You can still have your favorite latte or fast food splurge. You just need to account for them.

Read labels and measure servings. This is what the majority of people don't do. If you plan on eating cereal for breakfast, take a few minutes to measure out the 1/2 cup serving of cereal and the 1/2 cup of milk. Take a look at how big the serving really is – this will help you adjust your own judgement of portion sizes.

Weigh Yourself Weekly

Weekly weigh-ins help you stay on track and allow you to keep those extra pounds from mysteriously piling on.

Balance Your Calorie Checkbook

Think of your daily calorie allotment like your bank account. You have a certain number of calories to spend per day. As you go through your day, you subtract every calorie that goes into your mouth from your calorie balance. If you know you are going out for a special dinner, you can save up your calories earlier in the day or earlier in the week. If you don’t “spend” all of your calories in a given day, think of them as a savings for the future. If you “spend” more than your allotted calories then you are borrowing against your calorie account. Once in a while this will not affect you negatively, however, if you are constantly borrowing, your body goes into debt – and you will gain weight.