Oh great, I'm on a diet and now I have to learn some math too? Actually the numbers behind weight loss are very straight forward and simple. This article will help you derive a formula for successful weight loss. Don't be scared, you won't be graded on the content of this article.

First of all, we need to analyze a pound of fat. A pound of fat can also be measured in units of energy, more familiarly known as calories. That's right; the calorie is a measure of energy and probably the most infamous unit of measure at that. A pound of fat consists of approximately 3500 calories. What does that mean to you, well, that means that the spare tire around your tummy consists of thousands and thousands of calories. And in order to lose that spare tire, you'll have to burn 3500 calories per pound of tire (aka fat). So, there you are, your first formula:

1 lbs. fat = 3500 calories

So, what do you have to do to lose a pound of fat? That's right, you guessed it, you have burn 3500 calories. Well, it isn't quite that easy. You have to create a deficit between the calories you consume and the calories your burn. Simple put, you have to burn 3500 more calories more than you eat. This brings us to our next formula:

calories you eat/drink - calories you expend = caloric deficit

On a side note for every 3500 calorie deficit you create, 75% of that is actually fat and the other 25% is lean muscle. But a pound is a pound is a pound. Lets try a quick story problem to reinforce this principle. If I eat 2500 calories a day and burn 3000 calories a day, how many days will it take me to lose 1 pound?

2500 - 3000 = -500 caloric deficit -3500 / -500 = 7 days!

If you aren't sure about the math thus far, please raise your hand and have your teacher come punch you, because you are dumb.

Let's examine another aspect of weight-loss math: BMR. Your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the amount of calories you burn during a day of rest. Though it is really rare that all we do is lay in bed, this number is useful in calculating other numbers that may give us a clue on how to create a deficit. If we apply a activity level coefficient to our BMR, we can get the approximate amount of calories we burn a day. I know, I know, I said this math would be easy. 'Coefficient' is a fancy way of saying, some arbitrary number scientists came up with to scale our BMR by. Don't really worry about it, here is a tool to help you out:

YOUR BMR IS : calories
To Maintain Weight : calories