The billions spent annually on get-fit-quick schemes provide proof that people are looking for a pill or plan that will magically peel off the pounds. Actually, there is a secret to losing weight and keeping it off, but it's not magic — it's science!

It all boils down to calories in and calories out. To gain a pound, you have to eat 3,500 extra calories beyond what your body needs to function. To lose a pound, you have to burn 3,500 extra calories. The problem? It's a whole lot easier to eat calories than it is to burn them off! For example, it only takes minutes to munch a 240-calorie candy bar, but you'll have to walk two-and-one-half miles to burn it off! So it's really the combination of limiting your calorie intake and turning up your metabolism with exercise that's the key to a healthy weight. While that's not magic, the great news is that there's nothing to buy — you've already got everything you need to succeed!