7 Practical ways to start losing weight today

Another year has come to a closure and a lot of people will be filling their resolution lists. Losing weight tends to make it in that list whether being that you eaten a little bit more during the party season or whether your weight has always troubled you. Losing weight is not necessary hard; you need motivation and a good weight loss plan. In this post we outline 7 practical ways to start losing weight today.

1. Spring clean the cupboards

I am sure that through the festive season your cupboards managed to get full of everything eatable. This includes sweets, cakes, snacks, crisps, dried mixed nuts, fizzy drinks, alcohol and you name it is there, or what’s left of it. It usually takes ages to go through all that food and by Easter you may still find a box of chocolates hidden at the back.

With so many temptations hanging around at eye level it is almost impossible to keep to a diet. As they tend to say ‘out of sight out of mind’, so start by emptying your cupboards from all those foods which will not do any favours to your health or your weight. (see also: 5 foods to avoid while dieting)

2. Keep a diary

Keeping a ‘diet’ diary before and while you are on a weight loss regime will help you in many ways. First it will give you an insight to what you tend to eat and when. Recording your feelings also helps to find any emotional eating patterns which may later hinder your efforts. In addition, keeping a record of what you eat while on a weight loss regime can help you keep on track and you can always go back and compare, find little calorie disasters you may not known were there, or just simply find what works for you and what doesn’t.

3. Take measurements

Take all your vital statistics before you start your weight loss regime and then every couple of weeks. Setting a day in which you will be measuring your vitals may be helpful as it can create a solid program for you.

Now what do you need to measure: Your weight will be one but don’t depend only on it for your dear life. Weight can fluctuate especially for women who go through their menstrual cycle. Apart from that you may be losing fat but this may not reflect at the beginning on your weight as there may be a number of changes that take place on your body.

In addition to your weight, try to record your waist and hip circumference. To measure waist circumference use a tape measure.  Find your upper hip bone and place the tape measure flat around your abdomen (tummy) and measure around your waist. In the same manner measure the circumference of your hips at the widest point with your legs kept close together.

The important thing is not to find the exact correct point but to measure every time at the same point. This way you will be keeping an accurate record of any changes in your body. If every time you measure a different point naturally it would be misleading.

4. Find your type

By this I don’t mean your body type or blood type or any other types you may have read about weight loss dieting. What I mean is find your own diet type. Use your diary to get more information. So what do you like to eat? Are you always on the go? Do you need guidance, a strict regime or a flexible one? Are you good with taking specific foods out of your everyday diet or just cutting down on portions?

Picking up from the shelve any diet it will not necessarily do it for you. Yes ‘x’ diet may have worked with your best friend or family member or girl at work but does it suit you individually? Think of your lifestyle, your food preferences and how feasible something is to follow.

Yes there are good and bad diets in terms of health risks and by all means don’t ingest a tape worm just because it seems the most suitable for you. Do make sure the weight loss regimes you are looking at are safe and are based on scientific evidence.

5. Don’t despair

You done it all, got organised, and been following a diet regime for ‘x’ amount of time but nothing is happening. You have been there a few times and you are frustrated and just attack the next plate of chips and greasy food. Now hold your horses, and don’t despair. Go back to base and think what it that you are doing is. Ask yourself if the regime you are following is the right for you, are you realistic about what you are expecting and most of all are you actually doing it right. Last but not least are there other reasons which may be stopping you from losing weight.

It is important to check that there aren’t any medical reasons involved and I would actually suggest consulting a medical professional before you even start on a diet regime especially if obese. Making sure you are not putting your health in unnecessary risks is very important. In addition, some types of medication may hinder weight loss and even cause you to put on weight. Having appropriate advice is equally important.

Now when you are trying to lose weight keep in mind the following:

1. Depending on the diet regime you are on you may find that your weight loss may take time to kick in. In addition, you may find that there times in which weight loss reaches a plateau. There are ways to overcome these.

2. The diet regime you have chosen may be just another fad diet so it simply doesn’t do anything. Try something different, read what other people may have said about it or look if there is anything else.

3. If you are simply DIYing your weight loss regime, are you actually consuming the amount of calories you need to lose weight? You may have cut down on calories and portions but you may be simply on a calorie balance which means that you just staying the same.

4. Keep in mind that your body takes about 2 weeks to adapt to any diet changes. Usually during the first week any weight lost does not include a significant measurable amount of fat.

5. Have you been realistic in your expectations or plans? Someone may have claimed that on that regime they lost 10lbs in the first week however, is this something realistic or is it just claims?

6. If you are keeping a diary go back and look what you are actually eating. Are you recording everything? The extra biscuit in the office, or picking a chip from the kids’ plate, or a spoonful of this and a pinch of that which you just tried earlier are still calories and food which you have consumed. You will be surprised what you may find.

6. Set realistic goals

Setting short term goals can help you keep in track with your weight loss. If you say I need to lose 100lbs sounds daunting and hard work. Moreover, losing a large amount of weight could take a long time possibly a few months. During that time you may have plateau times, ups and downs and so on, it is so easy to lose scope of what you are doing.

Set short term goals such as every 2 weeks. Keep your expectations and goals realistic. If you set your goals too high and to points which are physically impossible to reach then you will just be setting yourself to fail. There is nothing worse psychologically than having worked hard for 2 weeks and battled all temptations and then climb on the scale and be miles away from your goal. But then was that goal realistic?

7. Recognise every achievement

As mentioned above through a weight loss period you are likely to get ups and downs. As I already have said do not despair and also look at the bigger picture. If you lost 10lbs in ‘x’ amount of time and maybe gained 2lbs back or if you lost 2lbs instead of 5lbs don’t just punish yourself. Pat yourself in the back and say well done. Every little achievement you make is as good. See the positive things you concurred and build on them. Maybe you lost 1lb but managed to stop eating chips. Well done! Build on that and move for the next thing you can achieve. See also: Why I am not losing weight

Losing weight is not all about calories and weight.

5 Foods to avoid while dieting

In this article I am going to present 5 foods to avoid while dieting or at least reduce their consumption to a minimum in order to succeed in your weight lost and reach an optimum health. I am sure you are familiar with several foods which are detrimental for your health and I may cover some of them, but I hope I will introduce something new for you. All the following foods can have some harmful effects, so try to avoid all of them and start eating healthier today.

1.         Unfermented soy products

Many people who are committed to having a healthy life style have been convinced in believing that processed unfermented soy products are good for health. Soy is seen as miracle healthy food of 21st century.  The soy industry is a huge business and its popularity and success was the result of a massive investment in marketing.

So what’s wrong with soy and why it’s unfermented products havoc health?

Soy contains natural toxins (anti-nutrients) which interfere with enzymes needed for protein digestion. Soy also contains several substances which interfere with normal body functioning. Just to name few:

•           Hemagglutinin – causes red blood cells clot together, therefore disturb absorption and distribution of oxygen to tissues

•           Phytates – can prevent absorption of several minerals

•           Gointrogens – can interfere with thyroid function

Moreover, majority of soy on US market is genetically modified (GMO) (European soy should be “GMO  clean”, but there is no guarantee due to contamination through natural pollination). This form of soy is resistant to toxic herbicides Roundup; therefore it is loaded with this toxic pesticide. It also contains genes from bacteria that produce a protein which has never been part of the human food supply.

2.         Fructose

A few years back fructose was the healthy solution in place of sugar. Whether it was for weight loss purposes or health purposes (i.e. diabetes) it was used in plethora. These days fructose has fallen a little bit out of favour.

So why should include fructose in your foods to avoid while dieting shopping list?

Scientific theories suggest that in nature foods would not normally contain large amounts of fructose. Therefore the body is not accustomed in consuming too much of it.

One theory of how this happens suggests that fructose has a greater potential in turning into fat in the liver in comparison to glucose (ordinary sugar). In other words when you consume fructose it is more likely to be turned into fat and stored than if you were consuming ordinary sugar.

A second theory supports that fructose is linked with appetite deregulation in the brain. Some fructose based sweeteners used in foods derive from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Moreover, some scientists have implicated HFCS as a possible contributor in excess energy consumption (eating too many calories).

However, let’s make it clear: don’t stop eating fruit. The amount of fructose contained in fruit does not really translate in high amounts unless your diet consists of just fruit.

3.        Trans-fats

Everybody needs some fat in their diet, however, the chemical structure of fat plays an important role in the way is processed in the body and the health implications it can have. Often people connect saturated fats with health risks and conditions, but if there is one fat to really watch is the trans-fat.

Why should you remove foods containing trans fats from your diet?

Well trans fats have been connected with a number of health risks. They are believed to increase the risk for coronary heart disease and components of the metabolic syndrome. In addition, studies suggest that trans fats may exacerbate diabetes as they can increase insulin resistance (in simple words the cells resist the effects of insulin and respond slower or not at all). These are some of the health risks, as the list goes on.

In brief it is suggested by studies that trans fats can cause more health problems than saturated fats. When it comes to trying to avoid trans fats it can be a mind field as most food labels do not list the amount of trans fats they contain. In general is best to try and avoid processed food, fast food, margarines, and deep fried food.

4.         Sugar

I think, these days, just about everybody is aware about the harmful effects of sugar in both the waistline and health. It does make me sad to say that sugar has to go as I do love cakes, chocolate, sweets, cheesecakes…the list goes on.

However, sugar does contain a lot of calories. If your aim is weight loss then sugar is your number 1 enemy and it is definitely one of the foods to avoid while dieting.

In addition, to the high calorific properties of sugar it can also increase health risks such as development of insulin resistance and diabetes. In simple words when sugar enters the system, your body produces a hormone called insulin which one of its roles is to signal to the cells to absorb sugar. Too much sugar and all the time can lead into producing too much insulin all the time. When the cells are chronically stimulated by insulin they can become kind of insensitive to it which can then lead to what is called insulin resistance and diabetes.

In addition sugar can make insulin to rise in the body sharply and fall sharply which amongst others it can make you feel hungry, irritable, and tired.

One point to remember, when we refer to sugar is not just the one you add to your coffee. Starchy foods such pasta, bread, cereal and pastries are mainly sugars. It is quite hard to remove all sugars, however not impossible. When it comes to bread, pasta and rice an alternative can be to opt for wholemeal. Moreover, you can replace the morning cereal with a protein based breakfast which can make you feel full for longer and can provide a better insulin response.

If you are experiencing any issues or health complaints with any of the above mentioned is always recommended to consult a health professional before making any changes to your diet.

5.         Farmed salmon

A quite high amount of salmon which is consumed in USA and Europe is farmed. A few studies have looked into the level of contaminants contained in farmed salmon and the health risks these can impose. The studies are more or less in agreement that the level of contaminants is higher in farmed salmon than in wild salmon; the question however is what does that mean in terms of health?

Some of the contaminants studies refer to are concentrations of dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB),3 polybrominated diphenyl ethers, and some pesticides. These names may not make much sense for a lot of people; however, the main argument about all these contaminants is mainly that they increase the risk of cancer amongst some other health issues.

Some studies have argued that the level of contaminants in farmed salmon depend on the region it has been raised. For example Chilean and South American farmed raised salmon is believed to contain less contaminant than European farmed raised salmon. A lot of these points, as well as the argument of whether the benefits of consuming salmon outweigh the risk, have not been fully explored and answered.

A solution to the issue could be to aim for either wild salmon or chose farmed salmon which could be less contaminated. In addition, why not try other oily fish which can taste as good and still contain all the necessary nutrients beneficial for health?

In summary the 5 foods to avoid while dieting are: unfermented soy products, fructose, trans-fats, sugar and farmed salmon.

Why I am not losing weight?

I have been able to lose 13.5 pounds. I am having trouble going below 200 pounds. I have been eating 1,000-1,100 calories daily and walking 2 to 2 1/2 miles per day. I do not understand why I am not losing weight. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you so much!!

Thank you for your question. In theory with what you are doing you should be losing weight, however, there could be a couple of reasons for weight loss to have slowed down. I have listed a few things for you in order to answer your question.

1^st I would advise to check with your doctor for any hormonal problems such as thyroid dysfunction and possible underlying diabetes. Excess weight can be connected with hormonal imbalances or possible first stages of type 2 diabetes. If you haven’t had all these checked I would highly recommend it. Such issues can slow down weight loss or they could be the reason you cannot lose any more weight. In such case your doctor will be able to advise you in terms of treatment and appropriate diet.

2^nd Make a diary of the foods and drinks you eat for about a week. It could be little things which you may not have accounted for such as fizzy drinks (coke, lemonade), sugary milky coffees, alcohol etc. which can carry a lot of extra calories. From your diary you can see if indeed there are things which were adding to your calorie intake and you can adjust your diet accordingly.

3^rd You have lost quite a lot of weight so far. Was that done over a long period of time or quite quick? Sometimes the heavier we are (especially passed the overweight range) the more difficult it is to lose that little bit of extra weight. It could be that your body reached a plateau and is straggling to gain the momentum it needs. Some research has shown that for some people with a lot of excess weight is best to follow a very low calorie diet. But before you consider following a radical diet have a check with your doctor (1^st point as well as if it would be safe for yourself). Very low calorie diets can be hard to follow and can put considerable strain to the body. In addition, if you do follow a very low calorie diet, make sure that:

• Consult your doctor and make sure is safe, appropriate and that there are no underlying medical issues.
• You have a varied nutrient intake. Aim for a diet that has a higher protein intake and lower carbohydrate intake. Keep some carbs for your walking.
• Don’t follow it for very long period. Use a very low calorie diet to help your body gain momentum in losing weight and not as a very long term prospective.
• Account that you are doing some walking and should have an appropriate calorie intake for it.
• If you do lose some more weight increase your physical activity/exercise and slightly increase your calories to have enough energy for exercise.
• If you do opt for as low as 500 kcal a day best not to do any high intensity exercise.

4^th Make sure you do not skip meals. I understand that you do consume an average of 1000kcal per day, however, if you have breakfast and nothing else all day for 10 hrs until the night you could be slowing down your metabolism. You would still use some of your own reserves for fuel but your body will try to hang on to as much as it can as it feels that is starving through the day. It is best to have all 3 meals through the day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). You can try to delay breakfast in the morning to increase fat burning but do have it. Also have a protein based breakfast which helps in felling full for longer. Moreover, you could add green tea to your diet which has been linked with increasing metabolism and aiding weight loss. However, don’t expect that you will lose loads of weight with just drinking green tea. It just helps in combination with everything else to increase weight loss.

5^th Try splitting your ‘walking’ into 2 sessions instead of one. Some studies suggest that by having 2 sessions of exercise can increase metabolism. It may be helpful to add some resistance exercises as well. Don’t have to go to the gym just adding a couple of exercises for 10 min such as bicep curls could help. I would not recommend lifting heavy weights or doing squats as it can put extra strain to your knees and back and lead to injury. Light weights, and to your ability. In general just try to keep physically active through the day with things such as cleaning the house, walk to the shops instead of taking the bus etc. However, if you do follow a very low calorie diet do not increase your exercise.

I hope these few steps help to put you in the right direction. If you have any further questions please do contact me again.

Answer provided by Hara Hagikalfa. You can ASK YOUR QUESTION and get your personalized anwer.

Tips on how to lose weight in a week naturally

It is possible to lose weight in a week; there is not doubt about that. What is of question is how much weight you can lose in a week using natural ways. Many experts suggest that the maximum healthy amount of weight you can lose in one week is 2 pounds. Taking that as a guide, below you can find some tips on how to lose weight in a week naturally and healthy.

1. You can lose weight by eating

The above statement is true. The correct way to lose weight is by eating. What you need to take care of is what type of foods to eat and in what quantities. As a general rule you should avoid processed food, canned food, fried food and junk food. In your daily diet you should include whole fresh foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods and generally anything that is low in calories, fats and sugars and contains no preservatives. To find these foods you have to do a bit of research before you go to the grocery shop but for sure that are plenty of healthy choices.

2. Eater smaller food portions

Many tips for weight loss are based around this principle. In order to lose weight you need to start eating fewer calories than you do now. This is also one of the most difficult things to accomplish in the whole weight loss process. Let’s see in more details some aspects of this process.

• One pound is about 3500 calories. This means that to lose one pound you need to burn 3500 calories more of what you consume.
• There are two ways to create this deficit. You can burn more calories through exercise and you can also consume fewer calories by following a balanced diet.
• Reduction of daily calorie intake should be done gradually and slowly. You cannot dramatically reduce the calories you consume to a very low number because this at the end will create the opposite results and may also lead to other problems. A healthy amount of calorie reduction is between 250 – 500 calories per day.

So, now that we have seen the basics of weight loss, you can start thinking about your diet and what changes you can make in order to start the calorie saving process. These changes should include the replacement of certain foods that are high in calories and fat with food items that are lighter and healthier. Your target is to save around 300 calories per day. This means 300X7=2100 calories per week and 4X2100=8400 calories per month, which is equivalent to 2 pounds.

3. Learn to identify when you are really hungry

Many people tend to confuse hunger with other feelings and they consume many calories which are not really necessary. For example a lot of people have a desire to eat whenever they are stressed or when they have something in their minds that bothers them. It is really important that you control this situation and be in position to identify when you are really hungry and when you want to eat something because you have stress, because you feel thirsty or because of habit. A very nice trick is to drink water whenever you want to put something in your mouth. This action will reduce the amount of calories you consume and gradually you will be able to tell when you are feeling hungry and when not.

The above 3 tips cannot give you the complete answer on what you have to do to lose weight in a week but they can give you a very good idea on the changes you need to do in your lifestyle in order to lose weight permanently in the long run.

Fastest Way to Lose Weight

Last update: 14/06/2011 Reviewed by: Alex Chris

What is the fastest way to lose weight? Well, you have to follow a plan and stick to it. The first order of business then is to drink lots of water. Why does this work? Water suppresses one’s cravings and therefore the appetite. Also, it tones muscles, reduces cholesterol and aids in digestion and liver functioning. Not only that, water cleanses out the system and speeds up the metabolic rate so one can burn calories more proficiently. If you’re about 130 pounds, usually drinking eight glasses of water is enough for you to adequately burn calories and lose weight quickly.

Detoxing the System

Of course, drinking water in and of itself is not enough for you to lose weight fast. You also have to eat the right ‘stuff’ in order to see any measurable reduction in your overall weight. Some of the foods that assist in immediate results when it comes to losing weight also help detox the system of any contaminants and pollutants. If you cleanse the system, your digestive tract and liver functions at levels that help speed up your metabolism and burn calories. Thus, if you eat foods that cleanse your system and are lower in calories, you will resultantly be not only thinner but more energetic too. If you’re more energetic, it only stands to reason that you’ll also burn calories more swiftly as well. So, what are the foods that are helpful in this regard?

Cleansing Foods

Eat strawberries and raspberries. They contain elegiac acid. This substance is effective in ridding the body of any contaminants. Eating grapes help the arteries to function with precision while cranberries assist in flushing out the kidneys. Lemons are helpful in cleansing the liver.

Ways to Burn Fat

Eat low fat dairy products, such as some cheeses, yoghurt or skim milk to burn fat in the abdominal area. These calcium-rich products help reduce the amount of absorbed fat in this region of the body. If you add to your fiber intake you will also lose weight at a much swifter rate. By doubling your consumption, you will feel fuller and at the same time cleanse the system so you can burn calories with greater efficiency.

Don’t Hold the Hot Sauce

If you like any type of hot food, you’re in luck. Capsaicin, which is found in chili peppers, speeds up the metabolic rate and increases your ability to burn calories by roughly ten percent.

An Excellent Diet Drink

A good beverage to add to your diet, besides water, is green tea. By drinking around 5 cups per day, you can boost your metabolic rate as well as burn as much as eighty calories in a single day.

More Meals and Smaller Portions

Keep in mind as well that it is best to eat more meals and smaller portions. That way, you burn calories more effectively as well as stave off any hunger pangs. Pick fruits such as bananas, apples, cherries, blueberries, cantaloupes and watermelon for optimum weight loss. Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, cabbage, legumes, spinach, pumpkin, tomatoes, black beans, onions, and collard greens are also excellent foods to eat for quickly reducing one’s weight.

Select Grains

Choose grains such as whole wheat breads and rolls, whole grain cereals, oatmeal and barley to give any excess weight a quick “heave-ho.” Or, choose skinless chicken breasts, pork chops, tuna and salmon to burn fat and reduce weight at a quick rate.

Choice for Snacks

For snacks, good choices are popcorn (without butter of course), nuts, seeds, trail mix, applesauce, raisins, pretzels and granola bars.

Maintain a Schedule

When trying to find out the fastest way to lose weight, it’s also important to plan your meals. Write down a daily schedule as to when you’ll eat and what food you’ll be eating as well. By doing so, you can maintain a type of diary to make sure you’re keeping on track with regards to your weight loss plan. A good schedule might include breakfast at 7 a.m., a nutritious snack, such as an apple at 10 a.m., lunch at noon, another healthy snack at 3 p.m. with dinner scheduled around 6 p.m. As you can see, by following this type of schedule, you can eat a number of low-calorie, fat-burning foods throughout the day without feeling deprived.

Consume Beverages Separate from your Meals

Don’t consume water or tea with your meals. By doing so, your foods will be better digested. Drink a cup of warm tea about ½ hour after you eat.

To Lose Weight Quickly – Choose a “Blue” Food

An interesting note – certain colors affect our perception of what we eat. For example, any foods that are colored blue, purple or black normally suppress the appetites of most people while foods colored red stimulate the appetite. Therefore, it might be helpful for some people to design a diet where they add some foods colored blue in order to help them in their weight loss efforts. Much of what we enjoy eating then has a good deal to do with the color of the food.

Stay with the Program

In any event, the above information can assist you if you want to lose weight fast. By referring to it as you plan your diet, you can be assured you’ll see results in a short manner of time.

How to lose weight naturally

There are many way to lose weight but the most important thing to do it to find those ways in order to lose weight naturally. This is because if you manage to lose weight naturally then most probably you will not easily gain the lost weight once you stop your weight loss efforts. This article is about how to lose weight naturally using very easy to follow weight loss tips and techniques.

How to lose weight naturally #1- Be careful on what you buy from grocery stores and supermarkets

Supermarkets and grocery stores  are designed so as to make you purchase items you may not need. Have you ever wondered why core items such as milk and eggs are positioned way in the back of the store. They are designed such a way as to make you walk through the entire store before picking up those items. While navigating through the store you pass by hundreds of other items. Most people have the habit to see and buy many things they think they need and even worse they will make impulse buys which include a lot of unhealthy items like sweets (candy, cake, donuts) and salty foods (chips, crackers). When you visit a store try and concentrate on shopping items that you really need and match your diet needs. Usually these items are located in the outer corners which include the sections of meat, poultry and fish. While browsing through the store, look around you and for a moment stop and think how the store is setup and the number of unhealthy food choices they have available for you to help you destroy your weight loss efforts.

How to lose weight naturally #2 – Food portion size

Being able to manage the portion size is extremely important when it comes to weight loss. With all of the extra large size portions out there, it’s very difficult to know what the correct portion size is. As a rule of thumb you can satisfy your protein needs when eating meat, poultry or fish by choosing a portion size that is about the size of a deck of cards. When eating out in a restaurant, if the portion looks too large then it probably it is large and more than what you need to eat. You can simply eat only a small portion of it and ask to take the rest home to eat in  another meal. By managing your portion sizes, you will be able to teach your mind and stomach into the proper amount of food you should eat . This is very important for creating new eating habits and following a healthy diet plan.

How to lose weight naturally #3 – Eat foods that contain low calories

Although there are no ‘negative calorie foods’, there are some foods that contain a few calories and as a result the calories needed by the body to do the digestion are more than the calories in the food itself. For example, 100 grams of broccoli has 25 calories and the body requires 80 calories to digest it so as a result we have a net loss of 55 calories! Other foods which are very low in calories and require lots of calories for their digestion include asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, lettuce and zucchini. These are some nice and healthy foods to include in your weight loss diet.

How to lose weight naturally #4 – Build more muscles

Muscle mass is the most active tissue in our body and it is responsible for burning calories throughout the day. If you can increase your muscle tissue by 1 extra pound, this will help you burn about 50 extra calories a day! It is of great importance to include some form of physical exercise into your overall weight loss plan.

How to lose weight naturally #5 – Set clear and precise weight loss goals

Having precise weight loss goals is very important in the process to lose weight naturally. By setting your weight loss goals, you will have a plan to follow so you can make those changes in your lifestyle which will eventually develop into healthy habits to last a lifetime. Concentrate on both short term and long term goals. You can initially set a weekly goal of losing 1 pound of fat. This is the healthiest amount of weight you can lose per week without causing any other health problems. To reach this 1 pound of fat loss per week, focus on making a 500 calorie deficit in the overall calories you consume every day. An easy way to create this 500 calorie deficit is through exercise or through your diet. Try to use a combination of both exercise and diet for the best results!

How to lose weight naturally #6 – Losing weight is a process that needs patience

It is a fact that it didn’t take you 2 weeks to gain those extra 20 pounds, so it definitely will not take you only 2 weeks to lose them! Focus on a solid weight loss/diet plan and stick to it for at least 8-12 weeks. When you begin, you should expect your body to resist the change to some degree. Stick to your plan and don’t be discouraged if you’re not losing weight very quickly. With patience and persistence your body will eventually become a fat burning machine. Be patient and the results will come!

How to lose weight naturally #7 – The mirror always tells the truth

When you are engaged in a weight loss process you want to have progress and you need the results to be visible. You can use the mirror to check your progress. Just wear your underwear or swimsuit and stand in front of the mirror. Take a close look at your trouble areas which tend to concentrate big amounts of body fat like the hips and thighs (for women) and the abdomen (for men). Sometimes the scale may not indicate any weight loss, but you may have added lean muscle to your body, and this will be shown in the mirror.

How to lose weight naturally #8 – Fat loss

When you want to lose weight naturally you probably work very hard in exercising and following to a healthy diet, so you need to make sure that you monitor your body fat levels. You need to make sure that you are losing body fat and not hard earned muscle tissue. Visit a professional to examine and analyze your body fat levels with either hydrostatic weighting (underwater) or with bio electrical impedance (sensors). These will provide you with a very accurate measure of your body fat percentage and will provide immediate feedback to your overall weight loss plan.

How to lose weight naturally #9 – Keep a weight loss journal

One of the most important aspects of weight loss is keeping a journal. Weight loss journals will allow you to keep a detail record and track everything you eat or drink. By keeping a weight loss journal you can immediate get a complete picture of your eating habits. Your journal will keep record of how many meals you eat everyday, the portion of your meals and when you eat each meal.

Except recording all of the foods you eat, your weight loss journal can include your feelings, thoughts and reactions with each meal. You can record such things like were you actually hungry when you ate your last meal or just bored? Did you eat because you were happy, in a bad mood or frustrated? Did you feel stressed or rushed during a meal? Also, you can record your feelings after you ate your meal. Did you feel tired and lethargic? These are very important things to document when keeping your weight loss journal. You will be amazed how much you can learn by recording those dietary events and using this tool is crucial for a successful and healthy weight loss!

How to lose weight naturally #10 – Always consider what you eat

When you want to eat or drink something, think for a moment if the food/drink will help you meet your weight loss goals or if it is setting you back. By considering what you are consuming, you will have a clearer picture of your dietary habits and you will be able to make those changes in your diet that will eventually help you to lose weight naturally.