Even popular Hollywood actors struggle with weight loss sometimes. Blockbuster star Matt Damon lost a whopping 60 pounds for his new film, Courage Under Fire.

So many of us desire to lose weight, whether it's 10 vanity pounds or the substantial amount Matt Damon lost. Let's look at the methods used by this Hollywood star and see how you, too, can shed those unwanted pounds.

Matt Damon says, "I ate nothing but chicken." when asked how he slimmed down. In order to transform from his usual 190 pounds to a slight 139 pounds, Damon adhered to a strict fat-burning diet. He also ran thirteen miles a day! This is very extreme, even for Hollywood standards.

Although Damon did follow a diet and exercise plan, his methods of chicken-only meals and daily half marathons are not sustainable for most of us.

What can we learn from Matt Damon's weight loss, and how can we apply it to our own health and fitness goals? Well, first, Damon ate less than his body needed to fuel his daily life and activity level. Energy in food is measured in calories. Calories also are how we measure how much energy our bodies need to live, do our usual activity, and exercise.

Eating more calories than your body needs leads to an energy surplus - that is stored in your body as fat, the fuel that your body saves until needed.

To lose weight, you need to make your body use that stored energy - the fat. Estimate how many calories you use each day, and eat fewer calories than that amount. Your body will burn the fat to make up the difference, and slowly but surely, you will lose the weight.

Bear in mind that any extreme diet can be unhealthy. Eating only chicken breast may result in losing weight, but if you aren't filling your plate with a balanced variety of food, you will miss out on vital nutrients your body needs for health. Consult a doctor before beginning any diet.