How many calories make a pound?

One pound of body fat is equal to about 3,500 calories. In general, if someone consumes 500 calories less per day, he loses about 1 pound in a week.

Sometimes it is not quite as simple as purely doing the math. Each body is different and responds to calorie intake and exercise differently. If a person burns more calories than he consumes, he can expect to lose weight.

Cutting calories can be as simple as replacing snacks that are high in calories and low in nutrition with lower-calorie choices. Another helpful strategy is to watch portion sizes carefully and stop eating when full.