Daily Bite: Quick Tips for Losing Weight and Keeping it Off

There are many popular diets to help you lose weight, but what is the real secret? The answer is simple. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight, and if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. The types of foods you eat are important, as well as how much you eat. 

Living a healthy lifestyle is the foundation for losing weight and keeping it off. This is not a short-term proposition; your lifestyle and behavior changes need to transform and last a lifetime.

Getting Started

Here are some simple tips to get you on the road to losing weight and maintaining your fit body:

• Enlist a friend and work the buddy system for support.
• Set a goal; keep a journal with your daily, monthly, yearly aspirations.
• Count calories. 
• Eat 5 to 6 small meals a day.
• Stop eating before you feel full.
• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Increase your protein and fiber intake. 
• Decrease your carbohydrate intake. Avoid junk food and fried foods.
• Eat breakfast everyday to rev up your metabolism and give you energy.
• Stay hydrated with water. Avoid soda and sugary drinks.
• Exercise; take a brisk walk everyday. 
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Be patient. Weight loss is a process, not a race. 

Crucial Maintenance

• Get weighed everyday to stay on track.
• Enjoy a treat once in awhile. 
• If you feel hungry and it is not mealtime, drink water or have a piece of fresh fruit.
• Don't go food shopping when you are hungry.
• Continue to exercise everyday.

The New You

Once you see and feel the results of your weight management efforts, it will energize you to maintain the weight loss. Be sensible, and pay attention to what you eat (and to any fluctuations in your weight). If you start to see the scale tipping back upward, take positive steps to get it back under control. Maintain the lifestyle and behavior changes that helped you lose weight initially. Most of all, enjoy the new you!