Calorie Counting

To be honest I always thought calorie counting was tedious and an inefficient way to loose weight. After researching it some more I came to discover it is one of the most effective ways to loose weight fast especially if  balanced with exercise.
Here is a fabulous website I have been using. It is free and really easy to use. It gives you recommended caloric intake but I would recommend for active people, those who have special situations such as pregnancy or breast feeding should consume a 2000 calories. Those who just go about their day and do small activities and want to shed those pounds, go for 1500. Do not go any lower. Your body needs these calories for energy and normal function.
Remember, it will take a while for your body to get use to eating fewer calories. Find healthy alternatives to snacking and slowly lower that caloric intake to the desired amount. Also remember to keep a good balanced diet while you are lowering the calories. Don't sacrifice your daily intake of fruits because you chowed down on some Doritos. A balanced diet is more important than the amount of calories you consume. That includes over consuming in a specific food group.
http://www.everydayhealth.com
ENJOY!