Counting calories to lose weight is a basic skill for effective weight loss. The average adult person requires 2000-3000 calories per day to maintain their weight. The actual number varies depending on age, gender, build and level of activity.

In order to lose one pound per week it is necessary to eliminate 500 calories per week. That’s 500 calories for each pound you would like to lose. Needless to say, counting calories to lose weight is a vital part of anyone’s program.

So how do we go about slicing all those calories? The obvious answer is to go on a diet. Just eat less. Less food intake means fewer calories consumed means inevitable weight loss. Right? While I can’t disagree with the basic logic, it is a little over simplified.

A calorie is not necessarily a calorie. There are good ones and bad ones. A cupcake containing 300 calories is not the same as consuming 300 calories of fruits and vegetables. The fat and sugar content in that cupcake has a way of doing weird things to your body.

In addition, there is another way to eliminate calories, and that is to burn them. The more physical activity you engage in the more calories you burn. The good news is that exercise is not as hard as it seems. Walking, for example, is not strenuous and yet is a great way to burn calories.

A combination of proper dieting and exercise is the ideal way to lose weight. Both should be incorporated into your plan, and if you are counting calories to lose weight you need to take into account both the diet and burning sides of the leger.