Everyone is so weight conscious these day, but many make poor decisions for losing weight. Your body weight is controlled by the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you use each day.

Your body has basic caloric needs, that is, in order for your heart to pump blood and for your brain to function, etc., you need a minimum intake of energy. This is called your BMR or basic metabolic rate. First, let's talk about what is a calorie.

A calorie is not a protein, a fat, or a carbohydrate. It is a simple measurement. We use it to recognize those foods that contain energy. We often talk about foods that contain "empty calories", that is they do not contain any of the goodness our bodies need to function well, but lots of sugar and empty energy. They may well be high in calories but low in nutrients. We need to use our calorie knowledge to choose foods that are essential to a healthy lifestyle. So, simply put, calories are energy.

How much energy do you need? Well, you can calculate your BMR (remember, basic metabolic rate) with a simple equation:

English BMR Formula

Metric Formula

For example, a 30-year-old woman who is 5'4" and weighs 130 lbs. calculates her BMR like this:

655 + (4.35 x 130) + (4.7 x 64) - (4.7 x 30)=

655 + 565.5 + 300.8 - 141=1380.3 or 1380 calories.

Once you know your BMR, you can calculate your daily calorie needs based on your activity level using the Harris Benedict Equation.

The Harris Benedict Equation is a formula that uses your BMR and then applies an activity factor to determine your total daily energy expenditure (calories). The only factor omitted by this equation is lean body mass. Leaner bodies need more calories than those that are less lean. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate for all but the very lean and the very fat. So, if you are a body builder or are morbidly obese consult a physician or a dietitian to calculate your needs.

To determine your daily caloric needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

Total daily calorie needs example: Let's continue with our 30-year-old woman. Her BMR is 1380 calories and her activity level is lightly active. Calorie calculation is: 1380 x 1.375 = 1897.5 or 1898 calories. This is the total number of calories she needs to maintain her weight of 130 pounds.

Once you know the number of calories needed to maintain your weight, you can easily calculate the number of calories you need to eat in order to gain or lose weight. There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3500 calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose 1 pound of body weight (on average, 75% of this is fat and 25% is lean tissue). The calorie deficit can be done by either calorie restriction alone, or by a combination of less calories in (diet) and more calories out (exercise). The combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss.

If you want to lose weight, reduce your intake by 500 calories a day, but not more than 1000 calories a day. For those with a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 calories is to much of a deficit. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200/day for women and 1800/day for men. Even these levels are quite low.

So, our 30-year-old woman wants to lose 5 pounds. Her daily calorie needs to maintain her current weight is 1898/day. If she cuts back 500 calories everyday to 1398 calories, after 7 days she will lose 1 pound (7 x 500 = 3500 calories or 1 pound).

You didn't put on the extra weight overnight so it is unrealistic to take it off quickly. Set a goal you can achieve like 4-8 pounds in a month. This rate of weight loss is more likely to be permanent.

Here are some simple changes that you can start today that will greatly improve your chances of weight loss success:

Eliminate red meat. Build your meals around leaner meats such as poultry and fish.

Cut out fried foods. Grill, bake, roast, broil, or boil four food. These use less fat.

Start with soup or salad. These starters will help keep your portions in check and curb your hunger.

Stop cola consumption. For every 20 ounces of cola you drink, you consume 250 empty calories. It is too easy to blow your whole calorie budget on soda.

Drink water. Try for 8-8ounce glasses a day. Even if you don't make the eight you will be drinking more than usual.

Follow these guidelines and add in some exercise and I think you will find losing weight is not that complicated. It just takes a bit of determination, willpower, and, of course, the knowledge you now have. Good luck!