We're all serious about earning and keeping enough money around to survive, if not thrive. Why not give your body the same attention you give to your bank account?

Here's the basic idea: Know how many calories you can "spend" each day, and before you eat something, ask yourself if you can afford it.

It's important to realize there's no food deprivation involved here -- only CHOICES. Every day you get a whole new amount of calories to spend (equal to your daily calorie burn). It's a gift. How will you "spend" those calories? How much will you "save" for later?

If you spend as many calories as you earn (burn), you break even ... your fat balance stays the same. If you spend less than you earn, just like money, you start accumulating what you really want: wealth (fat loss).

This approach gives you both flexibility and awareness, because you realize you are in full control of how you choose to spend your calories, yet you have to choose wisely.

Clearly, some food is too expensive (too many calories) compared to the enjoyment you'll get out of it -- maybe you'd rather spend those calories elsewhere.

Best Buy: There are foods that give you a lot more value for your calorie "money" - the low-calorie dense food that fills you up quicker and keeps you more full for a longer time, which makes your calorie budget go a long way.

Tips:

Don't buy "junk" and end up with buyer's remorse.
Count everything... it's all too easy to nickel and dime yourself out of weight loss
You don't want to work overtime, or have to pay off debt (fat gain)

Get a Raise or Bonus: You can add to your bank account by exercising. It gives you a little cushion if you want to spend extra; or, better, look at it as hard-earned money that is very easily wasted on food you don't need.

Loan Balance Analogy: One way to think of the Energy Balance Principle is like a credit card or a loan. If you make charges (eat) and then pay off that balance through metabolic burn, it stays at zero (weight maintenance). If you keep spending without paying it off, fat (debt) accumulates. If you pay off more than your balance, you have some wiggle room for future charges. (Okay, it's not a perfect analogy... but it may help).