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For anyone trying to lose weight, the first question always is: Where do I start?

Unfortunately most attempts to answer this question have been either unnecessarily complicated or based on pseudoscience. The fact is that weight loss will always be about eating less and exercising more. But how do we translate this to our day to day lives?

Combining the basic science of weight management with the best practices in goal setting, we will try and explain how weight loss works and how you can start losing weight in 3 simple steps.

This will put you well on your way to successfully managing your weight.

Step 1: How Your Weight Works
Like a car, your body needs a certain amount of fuel (or energy) to run. You need this to live your daily life. However, instead of gasoline, the human machine requires food and beverages for energy. For example, a large apple provides 110 calories in energy, a can of Coke about 150.

To find out your approximate daily requirements, measure your weight and use one of the following equations:

For Pounds - Men: Weight x 12, Women: Weight x 11
For Kilograms - Men: Weight x 12 x 2.2, Women: Weight x 11 x 2.2

The result is your approximate daily requirement. For example, if you are a man weighing 200 Pounds, your daily requirements will be (200 x 12) 2400 calories.

If you eat more than your daily needs you gain weight. Eat less and you lose weight.

Step 2: Setting a Target
Setting a target for how much weight you would like to lose is very important. It tells you exactly where you're headed. Since: 1 Pound = 3500 Calories (In other words, when you eat 3500 calories less than your requirements over a period of time, you lose 1 pound.) and 1 Kilogram = 7700 Calories, figure out how much you would like to lose and multiply that by either 3500 or 7700.

For Example:
1. If you would like to lose 20 Pounds, your target will be 20 x 3500 = 70,000 Calories
2. If you would like to lose 10 Kilograms, your target will be 10 x 7700 = 77,000 Calories

Step 3: Losing The Weight
' Start by finding out how much you're eating right now. Remember: these calories come from everything you eat, from vegetables to fast food.
' Substitute higher calorie foods with better options.
' Eat 500 to 1000 fewer calories per day (or whatever you're comfortable with) till you get to your target.

Managing your weight should not be complicated. Knowing the basics of weight management is an excellent start to reaching your ideal weight.