The best way of reducing weight is reducing the number of calories you intake while increasing the number of calories you expend through physical activity. If you want to lose one pound, you have to burn nearly 3500 calories. It can be made possible either by decreasing your food intake, by increasing physical activity, or ideally, by doing both.

It is generally accepted that a safe, healthy rate of weight loss is one to 1 ½ pounds per week. A necessary change in eating habits along with regular exercise is the most effective way to lose weight over the long term. It is also the ideal way to ensure that the weight stays off.

Although starvation diets may cause rapid weight loss, most people find it difficult to maintain such a restrictive diet for long. If you drastically reduce your food intake, you can also experience hunger pangs, bouts of hypoglycemia, headaches, and mood changes. These symptoms can result in binge eating and ultimately weight gain.

If you practice portion control and eat nutritious food consuming no more calories than what you need for a good health and an ideal weight, weight loss happens on its own. While selecting better foods, you should also avoid processed foods, sugar-laden foods, white bread and pasta, foods with a high percentage of calories from fat and alcoholic drinks. If the temptation is too strong to resist, minimize the quantity you eat. If you add some physical activity to some wise food choices, you can do without those troublesome diet plans and lose some weight as well.