Many of the images we see in our current popular culture highlight slim, healthy figures as the ideal body type, prompting many people to commit to losing those extra, unwanted pounds. While the process of shedding excess weight can seem overwhelming at times, losing weight is not as hard as it seems. There's no super secret formula, you simply need to be aware of how many calories you are consuming and how many calories you need to effectively burn in order to reach and maintain your goal weight.