The mathematics is quite simple. One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Do you want to lose a pound a week? Then you need to consume 3,500 fewer calories per week than you use.
That's around 500 calories a day. By eliminating 500 calories a day from your normal daily diet, while maintaining the same level of activity, you can lose approximately one pound per week.
Okay, that may not be much, especially if you have more than 10 kilos of overweight.
Okay, that may not be much, especially if you have more than 10 kilos of overweight.
However, one has shown that people who lose weight gradually, at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per week, are much more likely to maintain weight and maintain a normal weight throughout life.
So, how much is exactly 500 calories? If you are going to reduce your daily intake by 500 calories, it is useful to know what you need to reduce, right? Here we show you how easy it is to lose 500 calories a day:
* Use milk instead of cream in your coffee. Savings? 50 calories per cup.
* Skip the butter in your baked potato. Savings? 100 calories
* Drink fruit-flavored water instead of a half-liter soda. Savings? 200 calories
* Skip the Big Mac and eat a salad instead. A Big Mac weighs in at a whopping 460 calories. A fresh salad with a light dressing? Less than 100! Savings? 360 calories
* Forget about the bag of chips. A bag of average-sized snack chips has more than 300 calories. Savings? 300 calories
* Eat your natural corn or direct from the leaf. A 1-cup serving of canned corn has 165 calories. An ear of corn has 85. Savings? 80 calories.
* Switch to low-fat cream cheese in your bagel. Savings? 90 calories per ounce.
* Do you love those fries and you can not give them up? Change thin potatoes too thick ones. Thin chips absorb more oil than the thicker and meatier ones. Savings? 50 calories per serving of 100 grams.
If you prefer to know how to lose weight from an exercise perspective, you can also lose one pound per week by increasing your activity level by 500 calories per day. How easy is it to do that? Check out:
* Half hour walk through the park. Aim at a pace that is a bit faster than a ride, but not fast enough to be out of breath. You will burn 160 calories.
* Get out on your bike and take a ride. It tackles some moderate hills and aims at about 5 kilometers in total. You burn 250 calories.
* Go dancing - and really dance. The longer you are on the track instead of sitting at the table drinking high-calorie beverages, the better. The dance that leaves you breathless and warms up your body will provide you with a good calorie saving. You will burn 400 calories for one hour
* Swimming is great for you, and also very fun. Water resistance means that it burns more calories and avoids the impact of stress on the joints like aerobics, dancing or walking. Do some laps slowly: if you can swim for an hour, you will be doing very well. You burn 510 calories
* Go to your garden. An hour of gardening tasks that includes bending and stretching can burn up as many calories as a quick walk. You burn 250 calories.
* Play a game of tennis. Connect with a friend for a weekly game of tennis and you will be surprised at the difference. One hour of vigorous tennis is one of the best calorie burners. Burn: 800 calories
It is important to keep in mind that all exercise/calorie numbers are based on a woman who weighs 60 kg. If you weigh more, you will burn more.

So, how much is exactly 500 calories? If you are going to reduce your daily intake by 500 calories, it is useful to know what you need to reduce, right? Here we show you how easy it is to lose 500 calories a day:
* Use milk instead of cream in your coffee. Savings? 50 calories per cup.
* Skip the butter in your baked potato. Savings? 100 calories
* Drink fruit-flavored water instead of a half-liter soda. Savings? 200 calories
* Skip the Big Mac and eat a salad instead. A Big Mac weighs in at a whopping 460 calories. A fresh salad with a light dressing? Less than 100! Savings? 360 calories
* Forget about the bag of chips. A bag of average-sized snack chips has more than 300 calories. Savings? 300 calories
* Eat your natural corn or direct from the leaf. A 1-cup serving of canned corn has 165 calories. An ear of corn has 85. Savings? 80 calories.
* Switch to low-fat cream cheese in your bagel. Savings? 90 calories per ounce.
* Do you love those fries and you can not give them up? Change thin potatoes too thick ones. Thin chips absorb more oil than the thicker and meatier ones. Savings? 50 calories per serving of 100 grams.
If you prefer to know how to lose weight from an exercise perspective, you can also lose one pound per week by increasing your activity level by 500 calories per day. How easy is it to do that? Check out:
* Half hour walk through the park. Aim at a pace that is a bit faster than a ride, but not fast enough to be out of breath. You will burn 160 calories.
* Get out on your bike and take a ride. It tackles some moderate hills and aims at about 5 kilometers in total. You burn 250 calories.
* Go dancing - and really dance. The longer you are on the track instead of sitting at the table drinking high-calorie beverages, the better. The dance that leaves you breathless and warms up your body will provide you with a good calorie saving. You will burn 400 calories for one hour
* Swimming is great for you, and also very fun. Water resistance means that it burns more calories and avoids the impact of stress on the joints like aerobics, dancing or walking. Do some laps slowly: if you can swim for an hour, you will be doing very well. You burn 510 calories
* Go to your garden. An hour of gardening tasks that includes bending and stretching can burn up as many calories as a quick walk. You burn 250 calories.
* Play a game of tennis. Connect with a friend for a weekly game of tennis and you will be surprised at the difference. One hour of vigorous tennis is one of the best calorie burners. Burn: 800 calories

It is important to keep in mind that all exercise/calorie numbers are based on a woman who weighs 60 kg. If you weigh more, you will burn more.
Do you want an added advantage to burn calories through exercise?
When you exercise, you build muscle by converting it from fat. Your body uses more energy to maintain and nourish muscles than fat.
To get the best results, combine a good diet with exercises that burn calories.
To get the best results, combine a good diet with exercises that burn calories.
Keep in mind that eating less than 1000 calories per day for more than a few days will convince your body that you are starving and will slow down your metabolism.
Maintain reasonable calorie ranges and consult a doctor if you want faster and drastic weight loss.