STEP 4-Determine Your Real Calorie Need

Balance what you eat with your activity.

They give a point system: If your job or lifestyle involves a lot of sitting you exercise rarely; give yourself 12 points.

If you get more daily activity than light walking and you exercise aerobically for 45 to 60 minutes three times a week; give yourself 15 points.

If you get more daily activity than light walking and you get 45 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity at least five times a week; giver yourself 18 points.

MULTIPLY your points by your goal weight in pounds to get your daily calories. For example: if you are a 140 pound active woman and you want to lose 10 pounds; multiply 15 by 130 and get 1950 calories.

To lose fat instead of muscle you need to eat at least 1200 calories a day. Problem is that typical American woman eats an average of 3800 calories a day---many more calories than she needs.

If you eat just 500 extra calories a day--the equivalent of a Snickers bar and a medium Coke--you'll be getting 3500 more calories a week than you need. That adds up to a new pound of fat on the scales.