Tips For Losing Weight And Staying Slim



Weight loss really comes down to numbers. When your caloric intake is higher than the calories you burn, weight gain is imminent. Burning more than you take in is the key to losing. Of course, that isn't the whole story, so read on.

I worked with a slim fellow once who told me he only ate twice a day. He had a huge breakfast, a moderate lunch and no dinner at all. This sounds impossible for most of us to follow, but the logic is sound. Ideally, to lose weight, you should eat an enormous breakfast, a middle-sized lunch and a very light dinner. This is because taking your calories early in the day, gives you the most time to burn them off. Whereas, if you start noshing after you get home from work and continue until bedtime, your body will have no chance during your sleeping hours to metabolize what you've eaten.

Treating yourself can actually be an important part of any weight loss diet. Making hard and fast rules about food, such as telling yourself that you'll never eat chocolate cake ever again, can actually make you obsess about food. This leads to stress and overeating, both of which can ruin your weight loss plan. Try to give yourself a small treat everyday, or a slightly larger one at the end of the week for making your goals.

You may be tempted, when trying to lose weight, to cut fat out entirely. But it's important to remember that fat has a high satiety value in foods, so a little will go a long way. Case in point: baked potato chips may have no fat, but because of that, they don't trigger your satiety level as quickly as regular or even the "fat-free" Olestra chips do. So, you're tempted to eat the whole bag. Better, for example, to eat a small amount of high-quality, high-fat food - let's say, a small high-end dark chocolate bar - then to gorge on large quantities of low- or non-fat foods. You'll be more satisfied without having to say "No" to treats.

Weight loss is impossible without water. Many times your body can trigger a hunger response to thirst. If you drink a big glass of water before you eat you will know if you are really hungry or if you are just dehydrated. Keep a drink for yourself on hand at all times.

A great way to help you lose weight is to try following a raw food diet. Eating nothing but raw foods such as fruits and vegetables, is a great way to insure you're getting fresh, quality nutrition. By eating raw foods you'll also be much healthier in general.

If you want to lose weight, try to eat all carbohydrates and fatty foods before 5pm. At night your metabolism goes down and as you sleep you don't burn that many calories. Keeping carbs and fatty foods confined to morning and afternoon hours ensures peak fat burning while you're awake and moving around.

Before sitting down to a meal, have a glass or two of water. This creates a feeling of being a little full, and you won't eat as much. Water is a good way to make sure you don't gorge yourself, and it's also a good way to clean your system.

Mentally see yourself at the weight you want to be. This helps train your brain into thinking that is the way you are. If you can get your brain on-board, your body will follow. Cut out pictures of the size you want to be and post them so you can see what you are aiming for.

Give yourself a reward. Sometimes, you can have a snack without it affecting your overall diet program. Doing so does not mean you fell off the diet wagon. This supplies affirmation for your successes in your weight loss strategy. That being said, try not to give constant rewards. You want to have your diet become your everyday routine so that you can maintain proper health.

If you struggle with cravings at home, create emergency health packs. These bags should consist of healthy foods that will calm your cravings and reduce your appetite. Emergency health packs will go a long way in helping you resist eating junk food, increasing your chances of losing weight, and keeping it off.

A great tip when you are trying to lose weight is to brush and floss your teeth. The mere act of tooth brushing signals that you are finished eating for now. Also, you are not going to want to mess up your minty fresh mouth by eating something else right away.

If you are struggling to hit the target weight that you desire, join a support group. In a support group, you will be around several people who are in the same situation as you, who can help motivate you until you reach your goals. This will help you a lot mentally and physically.

Don't feel guilty if you love to eat your favorite snack foods. All food can be unhealthy if eaten 7 Best Weight Loss Specialists for Effective Results too much. If you really love these foods all you have to do is reduce the amount you eat or, give yourself a daily limit as to how much you can eat.

When following any weight loss plan, make yourself some low-calorie snack bags such as a bag of sliced carrots, a bag of juicy grapes or a bag with 25 pretzel sticks. Not only will these snacks be handy and quickly accessed, these low-calorie snacks will give you a feeling of fullness and stave off hunger. They can also keep you from hitting the vending machines at work for those high-calorie, junk food selections.

While coffee itself has almost zero calories, when you go to a coffee shop they often add hundreds of calories through sugar, creams, and other flavorings. Some coffee places now offer low calorie options but the best choice is always to avoid these extras and simply drink a black coffee.

One method to help you lose those unwanted pounds is to keep raw food handy. Most raw fruits and vegetables are both diet-friendly and healthy. By keeping things like sliced carrots, cauliflower, broccoli and apples, prepared and easy to grab, you can quickly take the edge off of your appetite and not succumb to handy junk food, such as candy, which is high in calories.

The best way to avoid junk food is to make sure you do not have it in your house. When you start your weight loss program, you should get rid of everything that is unhealthy in your house. Make sure to sit your family down and have a talk about what foods are healthy and which ones aren't.

Being able to lose weight successfully is a realistic and manageable goal, in spite of your lifestyle or regime. By listening to these tips, you will have the tools you need to succeed in losing weight. So what are you waiting for? Go out and start right now!