Fewer calories in, more calories out.

Eating less is the top priority; more exercise is second.

Unsaturated fats, healthy diet,

Most of us could stand to lose a few pounds. Stated more bluntly, nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese.Losing weight is simple, but not easy: take in fewer food calories than you burn through physical activity. Cutting intake by 250 calories a day (eliminating one can of sugared soda or a 2-ounce bag of potato chips, for example), and burning an extra 250 calories a day (by walking an extra two miles, for instance), could help you shed a pound a week. Do that for a year, and you’ll lose more than 50 pounds.

Exercise alone won’t help you lose weight nearly as much as eating less. That’s why portion control is a key to weight loss. One hint: trick yourself into eating smaller portions by using smaller plates, bowls, or utensils.

Exercising more and eating less will enhance your weight-loss success. Unfortunately, the 30 minutes of daily exercise that will improve your overall health isn’t enough to help you lose weight or maintain what you’ve lost.

For weight loss, you need at least 60 minutes of vigorous daily activity. In terms of walking, that means five to six miles at a brisk pace. Briefer sessions of intense activity, such as tennis, can burn the same number of calories as longer bouts of less-vigorous activity.