It's all about finding every little opportunity to cut/ burn calories. To lose one pound in a week, you have to have a 3500 calorie difference. Meaning you could cut 2000 calories/week out of your diet and then exercise/move to burn the remaining 1500. Or vice versa. When you consider that vigorous jogging, elliptical machine activity, or swimming burns 600+ calories/ hour you realize it doesn't take much. Say you do 30 min of jogging 3x a week and then lift weights for 20 minutes 3x/week. You'll burn over 1000 calories just doing that. Instead of parking close by, park further out. Instead of just plopping on the couch to watch TV, watch TV while you iron, fold clothes, or do jumping jacks.
Nutritionally speaking, you can find little ways to cut calories. Order things w/o cheese, butter, sour cream, sauces. Instead of fried, get grilled or baked. Cut back on the butter drenched dinner rolls. Get wraps instead of sandwiches. Try diet soda instead of regular. Unsweet tea instead of sweet. Water w/ every meal, in addition to whatever else you drink. I'm not saying deprive yourself and live off 500 calories per day. If you're working out regularly there's no way you can sustain yourself off of less than 1800. It's the little things that can add up.
I'm in the process of losing 10 lbs, so I'm with you in spirit!
