Whether you want to lose weight for health or to look slimmer in your jeans, you must burn fat to achieve your goal. Your body loses fat when you create an environment in which it's not getting enough energy and must turn to fat stores to fuel all its function.

Losing 25 lbs. in four months is a reasonable, attainable weight loss goal. To lose 25 lbs. of fat in four months, aim for about 1 1/2 lbs. of weight loss a week, or a little more than 6 lbs. each month.

Your lifestyle, certain medications and illness can squash your appetite, leading to possible unintentional weight loss that endangers your health. If you are too thin and have a body mass index of less than 18.5, this can compromise your immunity, energy, hormonal function and bone health.

Low-carb diets can help you lose weight, but if you've hit a plateau, you may need to make a few tweaks. Combining Weight Watchers with your low-carb diet may help you gain control over portions, which might get you back on track.

When it comes right down to it, weight loss is all about calories. Knowing the number of calories your body burns to perform daily functions, which is referred to as the basal metabolic rate, or BMR, can help you determine the number of calories you need to lose weight.

Avocados are often avoided by dieters because of their high fat content. Although avocados offer more fat than most other fruits or vegetables, you must consider the type of fat they contain and the other nutrients provided. Avocados can be part of a weight-loss diet as long as you practice portion control.

The U.S. dietary supplement industry brings in about $26.9 billion per year, according to the Council for Responsible Nutrition. Diet and weight loss aides make up a large portion of this revenue and are sold over the counter in stores across the country.

Bioelectrical impedence analysis is the method that Tanita scales utilize to measure body fat. These devices work by measuring the resistance of a small, water-conducted electrical signal that is sent through the body.

The reishi mushroom is a staple of Chinese traditional medicine, but it is used mainly as a dietary supplement in the United States. You will find it marketed as Ganoderma lucidum under some brands. Natural health proponents even add it to coffee to make consuming it effortless.

Going on a raw food diet can be a challenge if you enjoy cooking or eat a lot of processed, prepared and restaurant food. In most cases, raw foods are lower in fat and calories than cooked alternatives, so they can certainly help you lose weight.

During weight loss, your body gets some of its energy by breaking down fat and muscle tissue. The ideal goal while you're dieting is to encourage your body to preferentially utilize fat tissue and minimize muscle breakdown.

When you exercise, you probably find yourself stripping off layers of clothing as you start getting hot. So you might wonder what's up with the guy who wears vinyl workout clothes, covered neck to ankles the entire time even though he's sweating up a storm.