Losing weight and getting into better shape involves a few important steps. People have to watch what they eat. Fast food restaurants offer high-calorie foods that are very unhealthy. Even a harmless looking salad becomes potentially unhealthy with the addition of calorie and fat laden dressings. Eating sensibly helps us to achieve a healthier lifestyle, as does getting enough exercise. When trying to lose weight, the important thing to remember is that people have to burn more calories than they are consuming. If people are trying to lose weight through diet and exercise, knowing the calories burned helps them keep track of how much harder they have to work to reach their desired results. Sad but true, it is hard to burn calories at a substantial rate unless the exercise is very intense aerobics. Combining aerobic exercise with strength training is another way to burn a lot of calories and build muscle, too.