Counting calories is the best way to lose weight?

Counting calories is really the only way to lose weight. Most diet's ask you to count fat or carbs, but what about calories? You here so many people talk about not eating carbs but that's not the way to go. Lowering your carbs will help you lose weight fast but it shouldn't be a life long diet plan. The carbs people should cut are the refined carbs. Refined carbs are basically sugar. Why do you gain weight if you eat too much sugar? Because you're eating too many calories. Most people once they start eating carbs again will actually gain more weight then they started. Eating all meat and vegetables should not be the only foods that are in your diet. You need healthy carbs like whole grains and fruit. Exchange those "bad carbs" for "good carbs" and you'll lose weight.

If you eat more calories than you need, you'll gain weight. Any successful weight loss method comes down to taking in fewer calories and burning extra calories with exercise. No matter which way you cut it ... cutting calories is actually behind every diet.

If you want to lose weight stay around 1500 calories w/exercise. Try to consume small meals throughout the day. Try not consuming a high percentage of your caloric intake in one setting. If you do that then the rest of the day you'll need to consume meals lower in calories. I've found keeping a journal and writing your calories down will help you see how many calories your consuming. If your hungry between meals pick up a piece of fruit, yogurt, vegetable, make a healthy smoothie or grab a low calorie bar...etc.

While you may find a number of 1,200 calorie diets it's important to remember that cutting your calories too low may actually lead to weight plateaus. There is a "starvation mode" that happens when your body actually withholds the calories you take in for later. It saves them up because it "thinks" you're starving. You could end up eating much less and weighing the same ... and you could do serious damage to your health. Plus, if you lower your calories to much you'll be hungry all the time, you're less likely to stick to it and more likely to binge. Never attempt to follow a diet that includes less than 1,200 calories a day unless you are under a doctor's supervision.

Down below are some websites that I found to be helpful:

http://lossweightsecrets.com/blog/counting-calories/, www.caloriecheckbook.com., http://www.keepandshare.com/htm/lists/free_food_calories_list.php, http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/collegestudents/calculator/alcoholcalc.aspx, you can also google calories in fruits, vegetables, and meats. I print off the charts so I can reference them when I need to. Happy dieting.