count calories. Dieting for weight loss comes down to simple addition — you have to burn more calories than you're taking in Figure out the calories in the items you regularly eat, and add it up at the end of each day; or, download a food tracking app and be sure to enter what you've eaten after each meal.
• Figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Even if you're not exercising, you're still burning calories every day just by being alive. Knowing how much wiggle room you have can help you plan your diet accordingly. See How to Calculate How Many Calories You Need to Eat to Lose Weight for more help.
• Aim to lose one pound per week. This is a safe pace for losing weight, and it shouldn't force you to starve yourself to keep up. One pound equals 3500 calories, so that means you need a 500-calorie deficit every day of the week.