When it comes to weight loss basics, it's calories that count. Weight loss comes down to burning more calories than you take in. You can do that by reducing extra calories from food and beverages and/or increasing calories burned through physical activity. Fad diets may promise you that counting carbohydrates or eating a mountain of grapefruits will make the pounds drop off. But haven’t you been down that road before? Get back to weight loss basics. Your weight is a balancing act, and calories control the balance.