Lose Weight Healthfully

Weight loss can be a challenging undertaking. You have to change so much about your daily routine that it can be a little bit stressful at times. The billion dollar diet industry has plenty of diet pills that promise weight loss success, and it seems like every week there is a new celebrity diet book with a new plan for weight loss.

But when it comes down to it, weight loss is a simple equation that everyone knows--eat less and move more. It really is that simple, but when applied to real life it's not simple at all. Let's look at some proven ways to lose weight healthfully--without the quick fix of pills or surgery.

Here are some tips to help you on the path to lose weight healthfully:

1. Keep a food/exercise diary
Keep a diary or log of everything that you eat, the portion size, where and when you ate and how you felt. Keep track of your exercise as well, and also log the days you skip your workouts and why.

2. Don't skip breakfast
Eating a healthy, high protein breakfast literally breaks the fast of the six to eight hours since dinner the night before. It gives you energy for the day, and eating a good breakfast can help to prevent you from making poor food choices during the day.

3. Don't skip meals
Skipping meals slows your metabolism and can actually cause you to gain weight by making you want to eat even more at your next meal.

4. Pack your own lunch
When you prepare your own lunch you have total control of the ingredients, and the portion size. Restaurant foods tend to be very high in salt, fats and sugar. Packing your lunch will help you to stick to your plan and save you money in the process.

5. Eat healthy snacks
Healthy snacking can help you to reach your weight loss goals. A light snack between breakfast and lunch and one in the mid afternoon can help prevent dips in your blood sugar levels, keep your metabolism on an even keel and prevent hunger that can send you searching for unhealthy foods to quiet your stomach.

6. Fill you plate with fresh, colorful vegetables and fruits
Use a smaller plate to keep your portions small and fill 3/4 of the plate with nutrient-dense vegetables and whole grains and 1/4 lean protein.

7. Avoid diet soda because it spikes your blood sugar.
Be mindful in general about liquid calories, which are empty yet don't fill you up.

8. Don't sabotage yourself
Avoid situations where you will be presented with temptations that you are not prepared to resist.

9. Do something different when cravings strike

* have a cup of green or herbal tea

* drink a large glass of ice water with lemon

* brush your teeth

* chew a piece of sugarless gum

10. Build in (non-food) rewards when you reach milestones
You know what motivates you the best--a new dress or a special tie. Decide how you will reward yourself when you reach certain weight loss milestones and celebrate your success.

Finally, don't beat yourself up when you slip, but get back on track very quickly. If you are ready to try the last weight loss program you will ever need, visit, secretstoslimness.com to find a video-based program that will help you to lose weight healthfully.