Losing weight is a double edged sword in many ways. On the one hand, you want to lose weight as fast as possible; on the other hand you do not want to regain the weight after you are finished with your weight loss program or diet. Finding the right balance is harder than one might imagine. Our body has a rate of metabolism that is unique for every individual, so any dieting program that tries to curtail the number of calories burned by it disturbs its natural metabolic equilibrium. The natural tendency of our body then is to return to its natural equilibrium once we have stopped watching our weight, with the result of weight gain that we had fought so hard to lose. What is the best way to lose weight then? To answer this question, we need to start from the very basics of dieting and weight loss.

Weight Loss and Diet Basics

The fundamental principle behind all weight loss, whether fast or slow, is that it requires one to burn more calories than they consume in a day. Our body has natural stores of energy in the form of the fats that we are trying to lose in the first place. Once our body starts to feel a deficit in the number of calories we burn everyday when compared to the number of calories we consume, it starts to burn the stored fat in a bid to make up the deficit. This is the principle behind all forms of weight loss programs.

One pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories, so if you are able to reduce your weekly intake by 3500 calories, you will start to lose weight at a rate of one pound every week. Since there is a direct equivalency between our body’s fat and between the weight we lose by burning it, the extra fat we carry is also known by the term “fat pounds”.

Your first step towards the goal of finding what is the best way to lose weight that works for you should be to calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), your activity level and your rate of calorie consumption.

Basal Metabolic Rate refers to the minimum number of calories required by our body to maintain and sustain itself at rest. Basically, this is the number of calories burned by our body in a day without any exertion. BMR depends mostly on height, weight and age of a person, and can be easily found using one of the many internet sites that help to calculate it.

The daily activity level is used to calculate the number of calories burned by an individual every day. Coupled with the daily calorie intake, this information can be used to find the amount of calorie intake that needs to be reduced every day in order to start losing weight at the desired rate.

Let us say that an individual has a BMR of 1200 calories, and they additionally use 900 calories by engaging in activities of daily living. Therefore, we see that they are burning a total of 2100 calories every day. If their weight is at equilibrium before they start a weight loss program, we can safely say that their daily calorie intake is 2100 calories too. Now, if our subject wishes to lose weight at a rate of one pound every week, they have to reduce their daily intake by 500 calories, so that their new daily intake should be 1600 calories. Another aspect of weight loss is that they can increase their activity level by engaging in the best exercise program that is suitable for them. If our subject starts exercising and burns 500 calories more than he or she normally does, they do not even have to reduce their calorie intake to start losing weight. Exercise also brings other benefits for the health of any individual, and is a good habit even when one is not trying to lose weight.

Best Weight Loss Programs

Many experts have weighed in on the question of what is the best way to lose weight using the diet programs listed below. However, even as most experts do not agree on the suitability of a single program, they do agree that using one or more of the following should help you lose weight, and keep it away after losing it.

• Low Carbohydrates Diet Plans

  This refers to a number of diet plans that focus on reducing the intake of carbohydrates in our diet. Low carbohydrate diet plans are based on the fact that much of our daily intake of calories comes from carbohydrates. Other sources of energy, i.e. proteins and fats, are more essential for the healthy functioning of our body; therefore we can easily reduce carbohydrate intake without any negative effects on the body. Atkins, South Beach and The Zone are prime examples of low carbohydrate diet plans.

• Atkins Diet

  The goal of the Atkins diet is to reduce carbohydrate consumption to as low as 40 grams per day. Atkins is also the quickest way to lose weight; it also requires that you should consume at least 4 liters, or two quarts, of water every day.

• South Beach Diet

  South Beach diet is similar to Atkins in the way it reduces the calorie intake by reducing the consumption of carbohydrates. The prime difference is that South Beach allows a wider choice of the foods a dieter can consume, which makes it a safe natural way to lose weight.

When you want to lose weight easy, you can start from the basics. By calculating your BMR, your activity level and your daily calorie intake, you can better understand what you need to do, and to what extent you need to do it, to start losing weight. The answer to the question of what is the best way to lose weight varies from person to person; you can answer it yourself by observing your own body, and following the diet plan that suits you best.