When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, year after year the No. 1 spot is most likely occupied by “lose weight.” Its persistence probably has something to do with the fact that most people have trouble actually succeeding.

There is a simple reason for this. Everyone understands they have to burn more calories than they take in, said John Jakicic, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh and a researcher in the field of exercise and long-term weight control. But “most people don’t know how many calories they burn a day,” he said. “They have no clue.”

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