What it takes

It takes burning roughly 3,500 calories worth of energy to work off one pound of fat. The most effective way to torch this many calories is, as you probably expect me to say, to start exercising.

Because increased physical activity burns additional calories and, over time, can increase your metabolic rate, implementing a consistent exercise program into a somewhat sedentary lifestyle may be the weight loss solution you're looking for. Even if you work out as few as three times a week and burn approximately 600 calories during each workout, you're still burning 1,800 calories a week, which translates in a loss of one pound every two weeks.

To really rev up this weight loss process, you should also follow a healthy diet. Be mindful of your caloric intake, as most people tend to think that they consume far fewer calories than they actually do. Before long, with this combination of regular exercise and healthy diet, you'll see and feel your body changing for the fitter.