The three major ways we burn calories are the resting metabolic rate - RMR, the thermic effect of eating food, and physical activity. The RMR defines the number of calories we burn by doing the virtually nothing but breathing, digesting, and moving blood through the body; that is, those activities that are vital to keeping us alive. The RMR accounts for about 65% of our daily calories expended. The thermic effect of our digestive processes accounts for about 10% of the daily calories burned. The rest is up to us. If the amount of calories consumed is greater than the sum of calories burned by these three activities, the excess will ultimately get stored as fat. What physical activities do you enjoy? It's important to have an idea of how we feel after eating. Think back on those feelings from past meals. Since it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to register an adequate food intake, we need to be able to monitor how much and how quickly we eat. On a scale of 1 to 5, calculate your hunger level five minutes after you begin a meal, then again 10 minutes after you began, and once again after you've finished the meal. The key is to consciously monitor your satiety. The body mass index is an estimate of body fat. It is a calculation based on a ratio of a person's height to his or her weight. If the BMI is less than 18.5, that person is considered to be underweight. Normal runs between 18.5 – 24.9; overweight runs from 25 – 29.9; and a person is considered to be obese if his or her BMI is 30 or more. To calculate your BMI, simply take your weight divided by your height divided by your height again times 703. For example, a person who weighs 159 lbs and is 5'8" (68 inches) tall would have a BMI of 159/68/68 * 703 = 24.17. Your basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories your body requires to complete its basic functions, like keeping your heart beating and regulating your internal temperature. Knowing this rate is the key to calculating the number of calories you need to consume daily in order to maintain your desired weight. It is estimated that the body burns about 10 calories per day per pound. A survey by the National Weight Control Registry found that people who exercise 90 minutes per day were most likely to keep the weight off. "WHAT!" you exclaim. "I don't have 90 minutes per day to exercise". But wait! You probably do. We don’t have to do 90 minutes all at once, and we need to give ourselves credit for some of the activities we do that we've never thought of as exercise. Some examples of exercise that most folks don't think of as exercise are housecleaning ( vacuuming, mopping, unloading the dishwasher), walking up and down stairs, washing the dog, walking to and from the parking lot at the grocery store or at your workplace, walking while shopping, and properly lifting moderately heavy objects. Take a few minutes to think about what all you do in the way of movement during the day. It adds up! But if you are overweight, you still need to do more and for longer periods.