In general, you should eat until you are satisfied, not until you feel full. Whenever you eat at a restaurant, it is not necessary for you to clean the plate. Especially, since the portions served at restaurants exceed the recommended serving size. You should limit lean protein to about 3 ounces (the size of your palm or a deck of card.) If you order a salad, make sure you don't ruin it with too much salad dressing.
The Equation
Daily exercise will increase the amount of calories you burn each day. Whenever you eat fewer calories than you burn, BAM! - you'll burn excess stored fat. This is a scientifically proven fact that never fails.
How to use The Equation to your Advantage
Calories in: The first thing you need to do is regulate how many calories you consume. If you are attempting to lose fat, consuming 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day is as low as you'll want to go. If you go below 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day, your body will think it is starving and your metabolism will slow down. Set a goal to eat 500 calories per day less than you burn; this will result in losing 1 pound per week since 3,500 calories equals 1 pound. You should start with a diet consuming 1,200 to 2,000 calories per day, depending on your goal.
The only time you'll need to add calories is when you feel the need for additional energy. Remember, food is fuel. Note: This is a general guideline for the people reading this post. For more specific details about your personal caloric intake needs, I recommend you contact a Registered Dietician.)
Calories out: The second thing you need to do is determine approximately how many calories your body needs each day to function. You can search the internet and found calculators which use your body weight and lifestyle to determine the number of calories you should consume each day. Once you've determined the recommended number of calories you need each day, you can use this formula to calculate your daily calorie deficit:
Calories burned minus Calories eaten equals Calorie deficit.
Example: 2,000 calories burned - 1,500 calories eaten = 500 calorie deficit
Once you've determined the estimated number of calories your body needs, make sure you consume less than that to force your body to burn up its stored fat. You lose fat by forcing your body to use its stored fat as "energy."
Here are few of examples of what your weight loss will look like with different calorie deficits:
450 calories = lose 1/8 pound each day, 11 lbs of fat in 90 days
900 calories = lose 1/4 pound each day, 22 lbs of fat in 90 days
1,100 calories = lose 1/3 pound each day, 30 lbs of fat in 90 days
1,600 calories = lose 1/2 pound each day, 45 lbs of fat in 90 days
The Calories Deficit method has been used repeatedly with success. This is a good method to use if you have a specific weight loss goal in mind. The key is to be very disciplined about your calorie intake.
Get more tips like this in my support group at Coach Marcus and Friends: Health, Fitness, and Weight Loss Support Group
