How to Lose Weight...and Keep it Off

Many of the fad diets out there that advertise quick weight loss do work...but not for long. These diets often require you to restrict your calories to an unhealthy extent, to remove carbohydrates from your diet that your body needs to function, or to avoid sweets. Sure, you can lose weight if you only consume 500 calories a day and eat all veggies and protein; however, these are not enough calories to keep your body healthy and these are also unhealthy goals to sustain long-term. I will admit that avoiding sweets is the best way to lose weight, especially around your belly, and it is not actually an unhealthy goal. However, it's a goal that many of us cannot stick with for long because sweets are just too good!

These types of fad diets, therefore, often (usually, actually) fail. If you completely restrict yourself, your body is going to crave carbs and sweets. When you finally feel happy about your weight loss and treat yourself, you may binge and gain the weight back...and more.

The best way to lose weight is not always the quickest way. If you follow some of these basic tips, you will find yourself losing weight easily. These small adjustments are not difficult and are much easier to sustain long-term than fad diets.

• Eat Breakfast - Many of us have heard nutritionists assert the need to eat breakfast, but some do not know why. Eating a 300-400 calorie meal first thing in the morning will jump-start your metabolism. Even better, if you try to have a small healthy snack every few hours, your metabolism is going all day long, and you are burning more calories even at rest.
  
• Treat Yourself - Learn to treat yourself once in a while. When you completely cut something you love out of your diet, you might end up binging on it later. Let yourself have that piece of cake....but try and keep the portion small.
  
• Make Small Substitutions - Let's say you are a huge cereal fan: you love Frosted Flakes and Cinnamon Toast Crunch with whole milk. There cereals are super high in sugar. So, try substituting. Try regular cornflakes with skim milk and splenda. It's not the same, but you get used to it, and you still feel full, unlike with a fad diet where you avoid carbs. Love fruity popsicles? Try freezing some grapes and having them for dessert.
  
• Avoid Soda - Sodas and juices are high in sugar and calories. Let's say you drink two sodas a day and can switch those out with water, coffee, unsweetened tea, or green tea. You can save yourself an average of 300 calories a day!
• Drink Green Tea - Green tea, in particular, has been proven to boost your metabolism. There are also drinks out there like Enviga, which claim they burn calories and only have 5-10 calories in them.
  
• Chew Gum - If you are one of those people who needs to eat out of boredom or habit, try chewing some gum. The action will keep you busy, and you might even trick your body into feeling satisfied.
  
• Drink Water - Not only is water great for your skin and good for eliminating body toxins, it can also help you feel full. Try drinking at least 8 ounces of water before you eat lunch or dinner, and you will feel less hungry than you otherwise would.
  
• Eat Slowly - It takes your body about 20 minutes to feel full after you start eating. So, enjoy your meal and eat slowly. You will, in the end, eat less by waiting for your body to feel the effects of the food you just put into it.

None of these weight loss tips are going to make you lose weight rapidly like many of the fad diets you see out there. Overall, though, these are small changes you can make to your daily habits to make your diet healthy for the rest of your life, and you will begin to notice changes to your body, which will last.