Get your body swimsuit-ready with a high-protein, low-fat diet and plenty of exercise to burn calories and, with luck, melt pockets of body fat. This 1,200- to 1,600-calorie plan combines egg whites, skinless chicken and salmon with mounds of steamed and fresh vegetables.

Doctors use body mass index, or BMI, to help determine who is overweight or obese. Although it isn't a perfect measurement, it is free and easy to calculate so it is good for screening patients. If you have a high BMI, you are considered obese, which puts you at higher risk for a number of health conditions.

To help you reach your weight loss goals more easily, start your day with a healthy breakfast. According to the National Weight Control Registry, which regroups data from people that managed to lose a minimum of 30 lbs. and kept it off for at least a year, 78 percent of successful dieters eat breakfast every day.

Losing 20 pounds can make a serious difference in your health -- if you're overweight, it may be enough to lower your risk of chronic weight-related diseases, like heart disease. It'll also affect how you look. And while it's natural to want rapid results, don't expect to lose 20 pounds in just a couple weeks.

A weight-loss rate of 1.5 pounds per week is realistic and falls within the expert-recommended range of 1 to 2 pounds per week. To lose 1.5 pounds a week, a caloric deficit is required.

Weight-loss reality shows impress you with their contestants' big losses, so much so that you might be inspired to try to drop some pounds yourself. You may have a goal that doesn't allow you to wait for the slow, gradual weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Body Ecology Diet, or BED, was created by Donna Gates as she sought to cure her own chronic battle with candida. She maintains that following the BED will strengthen your organs and immunity by starving the yeast and restoring normal flora.

Fitness videos are a smart way to get your exercise in the privacy of your home. Exercise will help you burn a lot of calories. The more calories you burn, the more weight you lose. There are a wide variety of exercise videos to suit different personalities.

Shedding pounds from your waistline isn't nearly as difficult as you may believe, as long as you put in the effort on your favorite machine.

As men age, fat often develops at a faster rate on the body. This is due to several factors, including a less-active lifestyle and genetics. However, fat can be lost from around your body at any age. If you are a 40-year-old man wanting to lose excess body fat, implement an aerobic exercise routine to burn calories.

Depending on who you ask, potatoes are either good for your diet or a weight-loss saboteur. While it's true that potatoes ride the fence when you're trying to lose weight, preparation may be the culprit. Consult your doctor to discuss how potatoes fit into your weight-loss plan.

Your body needs significant amounts of fat and carbs in your diet. Both are macronutrients, which provide energy but are markedly different nutrients with unique chemical compositions.