Step1
With every goal in life there is a beginning point where you need to assess where you are right now and where you want to get to. It helps to track your progress by weighing yourself on a scale. Jot down today's date and your current weight. Once this is done, set a goal for a specific amount of weight that you would like to lose. There are many weight charts out in cyberspace that will help you know the correct weight for your body type. Most of us already have an ideal number in mind based on our past weights.
Step2
Stop beating yourself up and feeling bad about the weight that you have put on. You are a person of value regardless of what you weigh. You are just going to make the good person that you are a more physically fit and healthy person. It's time to put the past where it belongs and look ahead to a happy and healthy life. You will have some down days along the way, but the key to success is that when you make a mistake you just pick yourself right back up and remember to not take yourself so seriously.
Step3
This is where people get confused. How do I lose weight? Do I have to follow some plan like The Zone, South Beach, or Nutri System program. The answer is NOT AT ALL. Each of these diets have one thing in common, which is the ONLY thing you will need to remember to lose weight...CALORIE CONTROL. Throw all of those diets books away and understand that the only thing that matters is energy intake and energy expenditure. If you eat candy bars for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but still expend more energy than you consume, you will lose weight. What does this mean? Simple. You need to find out approximately how many calories your body needs in a day to maintain its current weight. You can do an online search and simply enter your personal data and you will get an approximation.
Step4
So now you know what you weight, you have a goal weight, and you know approximately how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. The next thing that you need to do is determine that amount of calories you would like to cut back to each day in order to reduce your weight. Despite what many advertisements say, this is not a fast process, but if you stick with it the results are long lasting. To lose one pound of body fat a week, you will need to reduce your caloric intake for maintenance by 500 calories. This does not have to be as difficult as you would think. One soda can contain 150 calories, or a bag of chips may have around 220 calories. It will be these little changes that you make throughout the day that will help you lose the weight. Instead of a regular soda, go for a diet and instantly remove 150 calories for your diet. With the chips, have baked versions that will give you that crunchy texture while cutting your calories in half. It does not matter the time of day that you eat...You can eat at night and lose weight if you keep those calories where they should be.
Step5
MOVEMENT...Some people refer to this as exercise, but I like to say 'movement' because too many people think of extreme phyical exertion when they hear "exercise." When I say movement, I mean that you should make an effort to move when you have the opportunity. For example, if you have a half hour lunch break, take 15 minutes of it and go for a walk either outside or inside a building. You can easily walk 1 mile in 15 minutes, which will burn approximately 100 calories. This does not seem like a lot initally, but it adds up quickly. It is these little changes each day that make the difference. The next step is to think about adding some higher intensity physical activity such as incline walking or jogging, or try something new....pick up a sport like tennis or basketball and join a club or grab a friend and learn how to play together. That 1 pound a week will now turn into 1.5 or 2 pounds...That's about 9 pounds a month with simple diet and movement changes!
Step6
Track your progress (I prefer weekly) on a scale. If you are losing that 1-2 pounds per week, keep going on that path. If you are not achieving that kind of weight loss take a look at your diet and exercise and decrease your caloric intake, or increase your activity level (or both) in order to lose that weight. Remember, losing weight is simple math: calories in versus calories out. As you lose weight, your body will need less calories to maintain itself, and you will need to adjust accordingly. Again, you can use any of the weight calculators online to see what your caloric needs are for your new body weight and then subtract 500 calories to lose 1 pound per week.
Step7
Don't worry so much. If you don't follow your diet properly for a day or two, or seven don't be so hard on yourself. Each day is a gift, and part of that gift is that you are given the chance to start over. Remember, LOOK AHEAD and envision yourself at your goal weight. Renew your spirit by knowing that you CAN do this.
Novice 
