basic concepts in weight control

By SeekWellness Editor

How We Lose Weight

Your body weight is controlled by the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you use each day. So, to lose weight you need to take in fewer calories than you use. Doing this for one, two or five days might not make much difference. But do it for a month and you have weight loss!

You can change this balance of calories in versus calories burned by becoming more physically active or by eating less. If you do both at the same time, you are more likely to achieve your weight loss goals.

Following a weight-loss program that helps you to become more physically active and decrease the amount of calories that you eat is most likely to lead to successful weight loss and weight control over time.

The weight-loss program should also help you keep the weight off by making changes in your physical activity and eating habits that you will be able to follow for the rest of your life.

A simple tip is to buy a simple calorie counter book and then write down everything you eat in a day. At the end of the day, you can look up the calories per unit and figure out how many calories are in the food you ate today. You don't need to do anything else. You don't need to show it to anyone or go on a strict diet. Just the act of learning what you are putting into your body each day will tend to make you eat less. If you set a calorie goal AND you increase your physical activity, you will speed up the process. Try it for a couple of months before you decide this tip won't work for you.

Posted April 2007
Updated February 2010