Millions of Americans have a constant struggle with weight – losing it, maintaining it, even a few who struggle to gain it.  The key to weight management is all wrapped up in a tiny little invisible thing called the calorie.

How many calories does this pie have in it?  How many calories did I eat today?  How many calories do I burn sitting at my desk chatting online?

If I walk a mile, will I burn enough calories to go out for drinks later?  Yes, its all about the calorie – calories eaten and calories burned every day.

How exactly are calories burned?  Well, calories are basically the measurement of how much heat, or energy, is required for your body to process the foods we eat.  So, are calories burned constantly in our bodies?

Yes, the good news is that everything your body does – every movement, every internal process, even breathing – requires a certain amount of energy, so we are always burning calories.  That being said, the number of calories burned by batting your eyelashes or picking up a fork are miniscule and are not going to help you lose or even maintain your weight.

Obviously, then, for most of us, losing weight requires a combination of reducing the number of calories we take in on a daily basis and increasing the number of calories burned by our daily activities.

If you are among the majority who work behind a desk, pushing papers and talking on the phone all day, and then are too tired to do more than a few remote-control curls in the evening, reducing your caloric intake may not be enough to reach your fitness goal.

Fortunately, there are some relatively easy ways to add to your physical activity (despite your busy schedule) and thus increase the calories burned throughout your workday.  Try taking a brisk walk on your lunch break.

At 10:30am, instead of hitting the vending machine, hit the street – walk to the corner to buy a paper or do some stretches in your office.  Wear a pedometer.  Just seeing the numbers flip on this tiny inexpensive device is psychological impetus to get moving – to walk to the other department rather than calling – just to see the numbers go up.  And with each step, you will also see a few more calories burned.