Winning the Battle of the Bulge: How to Safely Lose a Pound a Week

I think it's probably safe to say, at some point in our lives, everyone has been on a diet. With society being so focused on appearances and with so many famous faces out there promoting different diets and dieting products, it's hard not to succumb to the pressures to look a certain way by trying to lose weight. There are hundreds of diets out there, but probably your best bet is the old standard: watch what you eat and get some exercise.

People usually don't want to hear those words. In this day an age where quick fixes seem like they're only a pill or a patch away, it's a slap in the face when someone says that the best way to lose weight is to count your calories and get off your lazy butt and get moving. But it's true, and it's more likely that, when your approach is slow and realistic, the weight you lose will not only come off, but it will stay off as well. (Provided you don't reach your goal weight and then settle down on the couch with the remote in one hand and a box of Ho-Ho's in the other!)

So, how do you lose weight safely? Or better yet, how do you know what's safe for you and for your body? Everyone is unique and we all have different needs based on our age, gender and activity levels. Luckily, there's a fairly simple way to figure it all out. All you need to do is grab your pencil and paper, a calculator (the one on your cell phone will work just fine), and yes, you have to get on the scale. I know, it's something most of us dread, but if your goal is to lose weight, you need to know your starting point in order to figure out how to get to where you want to be.

Now, I need a couple volunteers to get up in front of the class to be our guinea pigs. Don't everyone raise your hands at once! Okay, I'll take the young lady in the lime green t-shirt and you, sir, with the powdered sugar on your sweats. Yes, put the donut down, sir.

Okay, here we go! Lets start with our first subject, Sarah.

Sarah