Weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume. To lose a pound of body fat, you must burn 3,500 calories beyond what your body needs to maintain its current weight.

To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An 18-year-old can do this in one of two ways: eating fewer calories or exercising more. The best -- and healthiest -- choice is a combination of both.

Extra belly fat can make you self-conscious about wearing form-fitting clothing or swimwear. Wearing a slimmer belt may seem like a solution for your stubborn stomach fat, but results are only temporary.

Diabetes is a very manageable disease if you have the right tools. Losing and maintaining a healthy weight is one way you can improve your blood sugar control and lower your risk of complications. To lose weight, it is important to find the diet that works for you.

Cutting back on refined carbohydrates may help you reduce calories and lose weight, especially when combined with other weight-loss strategies. Refined carbohydrates are those found in white rice, baked goods and white breads, including hamburger buns.

Studies on the use of vinegar as an appetite suppressant are conflicting. Some studies show that vinegar affects metabolism, while others show no effect at all. More research needs to be conducted on whether drinking vinegar as an appetite suppressant is safe or beneficial.

No one single nutrient, food or vitamin with a slew of nutrients will help your body magically lose unwanted pounds. Weight loss requires you to create a negative calorie balance by making a change in what you eat and also in your activity level.

Women possess significantly fewer amounts of testosterone and growth hormone than men, which is why females are unable to build as much muscle mass. Typically females will increase their muscle tone and also lose weight.

No one can force you to eat right and exercise, so you must use self-discipline to get up off the couch and throw away that bag of chips. It's not always easy, but you can improve your self-discipline with practice, just like you get better at sports the more you play.

Major weight loss can literally save your life: By reducing your body fat down to a healthy level, you not only alleviate excess strain on your joints, but lower your risk of several chronic diseases, ranging from heart disease to certain types of cancer.

You should be able to lose several pounds in one month -- but to keep it off, don't fall victim to a strict, fad diet that promises fast results. Those types of plans leave you hungry and unsatisfied, which might make sticking to the diet difficult. To win the weight loss game, you need to go slow and steady.

If the term "man boobs" comes to mind when you look down at your chest, you're most likely not a happy camper. Although the pecs or pectoral muscles are often associated with men, excess fat in the chest area can affect both genders.