Summarize this article:

. Many people eat more calories than their bodies can use. When this happens, your body will store those calories for later as fat. An important first step in getting rid of unwanted fat, then, is to stop eating more than your body needs.  A simple way to figure out roughly how much you should be eating to reach your target weight is as follows: start with your desired weight in pounds, and multiply it by 12. Subtract 2 for every year older than 20 you are (most people's metabolism begins to slow down around then). Add 10 percent to the amount your body needs to maintain daily life functions. The final number is roughly the number of calories you should eat per day.  For example, if you are a 34-year-old man and want to get your weight down to 145, you'd do these calculations: 145 (desired weight) X12=1740. 2X14 (years older than 20)=28. 1740-28=1712. 1712X1.1 (for daily functions)=1883.2. You should be eating about 1883 calories per day. Keep in mind that this is only a rough estimate. If you are an active person who exercises a lot, you may be able to eat more. If you live a fairly sedentary life, even this amount may be too much. . Once you know how much you should be eating, you can start reading food labels and tracking your calories. You can reduce your caloric intake in two ways: eating less and eating better. Chances are, you'll need to do both. Below are some strategies for decreasing your overall food intake.  Use smaller plates. You can't put as much food on a smaller plate. When you've finished what's on the plate, wait 20 minutes before going back for more--it takes roughly that long for your brain to realize you are actually full. Use blue plates. Believe it or not, some people believe the color blue suppresses your appetite. If you snack between meals, eat snacks that take longer to consume, like peanuts in the shell. Or, eat with your non-dominant hand. Research shows this slows down snacking and can promote weight loss.  Many have argued that it is better to eat several small meals throughout the day, rather than three large ones, as this gives the body a chance to process calories in small doses. Recent scholarship suggests, however, that this approach may actually make it harder to burn fat. The "grazing" approach keeps your insulin levels high, and in doing so may actually make it harder for your body to burn up fat cells. Steer clear of foods that are high in sugar, including high-fructose corn syrup. Sweet and starchy foods are loaded with calories.  Sprinkling some cinnamon in your coffee or morning oatmeal is a good way to stabilize your blood sugar, which may reduce sugar cravings. Replace high-calorie snacks like potato chips with lower calorie alternatives. Dill pickles, for example, make a great alternative to chips if you are craving a salty snack. A slice of pickle only contains one calorie! There are several foods that actually promote weight loss by helping your body process fats or fending off cravings for more fattening cuisine.  Eat spicy food. Recent research suggests that eating chili peppers can lead your body to create "brown" fat cells, which actually burn energy, rather than the "white" fat cells that store energy and are produced by eating carbohydrate-rich foods.  Eat healthy fats. People trying to lose weight often feel that they need to cut all fat out of their diets. The truth is, your cells need fats to be healthy, and fats help your body know when you've had enough to eat. So don't avoid all fat. Instead, avoid saturated fat, and instead try to eat foods rich in healthy fats, like avocados, walnuts, and olive oil.  Eat calcium. When your body gets low on calcium, it sends hormonal signals telling it to store fat. Eating foods that are high in calcium, like low-fat Greek yogurt, will help to prevent this.   Eat more vitamin C. High levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress, also result in fat retention. Eating foods high in vitamin C, like oranges and kale, helps prevent cortisol spikes. It's great for your immune system, too! If you're dehydrated, your body may feel more hunger, leading to more food cravings. Water also takes up room in your stomach. Have a big glass with every meal, and you may not want to eat as much.
Determine how much you should be eating Eat less Reduce high-calorie foods. Eat foods that facilitate weight loss. Drink plenty of water.