by Brandon Whitton

Created on: December 27, 2007   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Obesity has many causes. It also has many solutions. Numerous people struggle in their attempt to lose weight. Whilst weight loss is always a challenge it should never be an unwinnable battle. With the help of the following suggestions it is possible to begin losing those excess pounds.

At its simplest weight loss occurs when your energy intake is exceeded by your energy expenditure. The traditional method of weight loss has as a result tended to focus on counting calories. Whilst this approach can be effective many people find that they cannot adhere to calorie counting over the longer term. A more sensible approach to losing weight is to gradually implement changes to your lifestyle that can be maintained for life. Those who are able to do this will not only lose weight but will increase the likelihood that the weight loss will be permanent.

There are two key elements in the weight loss equation that need to be examined - 1) what you eat, and 2) what you do. I will examine each briefly.

1) Input

What do you eat each day? How much of it do you eat? What is the fat content of the food that you eat? What is the caloric content of your diet? These are some of the questions that you need to ask yourself if you are attempting to lose weight. It is often useful to keep a diary of everything that you eat. This will allow you to better answer some of the questions above. You may be surprised by what you consume over the course of a week.

There are a number of ways to reduce your energy input. Ultimately, your caloric intake will need to be restricted. This can be done by reducing portion size or by eating foods that are less energy dense. Foods that are energy dense include "fast food" such as hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza etc. Whilst less energy dense foods include vegetables, fruits and cereals etc. Energy dense foods are also often high in fat. By reducing your intake of food with a high caloric value and replacing it with food containing a lower caloric value you will reduce your daily consumption of calories. A good resource for those losing weight are the calorie counter guides that can be bought in any bookstore. These will give you a better idea of the energy content of various foods.

It is not necessary to strictly monitor the calories you eat if you eat sensibly. Your diet should be varied. It should consist mainly of fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals, grains, and legumes. You should eat moderate amounts of dairy foods with low fat milk and cheese being eaten where

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