10 Weightloss Tips for Long Term Success

1) Before You Begin a Weight Loss Plan, Consult Your Doctor:

Your doctor will help you understand important weight loss markers such as your Body Mass Index (BMI), HDL and LDL cholesterol levels and blood pressure. All of these important metrics should be measured regularly during your weight loss efforts. Your doctor will also help you evaluate potential health risks that may effect your ability to lose weight.

2) Have a Plan:

One of the primary reasons people don't lose weight is the lack of a plan. For most people, eating is second nature but diet and exercise are not. This means that most people just go about their day reinforcing activities (over eating, lack of sleep) that don't contribute to weight loss and avoiding activities (diet and exercise) that help weight loss efforts.

Making a realistic plan that includes weight loss friendly activities that fit your lifestyle is crucial. Begin by identifying 1-2 behaviors that make it difficult for you to lose weight and 1-2 behaviors that help you lose weight. Put each behavior on a schedule with times and places and start reminding yourself each day about the negative or positive benefits of each behavior. If you are able to stick with planned activities that support your weight loss efforts, before long you will have established habits that will contribute to your long term success.

3) Reduce Your Meal Portions:

Excessive portion sizes provide your body with calories it usually doesn't need. When you cook meals at home, try not to eat while you cook. If you pick while you cook and then eat a full meal, you'll most likely be over eating by the time your meal is finished. Also, try using a smaller plate, so that you can't pile on your first serving.

If you are eating out, remember that most restaurants provide serving sizes 3-4 times what your body actually needs. If you don't want to waste your food, just quit eating when your plate is half full and ask for a take out box before everyone else is finished eating and pack your food away so that you aren't tempted to finish off the plate.

4) Drink a Large Glass of Water and Eat an Apple Before Each Meal:

Drinking a large glass of water and eating an apple 15 minutes before each meal will help you feel full. Apples only contain 80 calories and provide 3-4 grams of fiber. The volume of the water and the apple will help you feel full and the fiber will help slow your digestion so that your blood sugar levels are do not spike.

5) Avoid High Sugar Drinks:

It is easy to forget how many calories a high sugar drink contains. A 16 oz. Coke™ has 200 calories, a Virgin Pina Colada has 200-300 Calories and an alcoholic Pina Colada has more calories than a Big Mac.

It is easy to drink several Cokes or several mixed drinks at dinner and not think about the diet busting effects of a high sugar high calorie beverage.

6) Add a Weight Lifting Routine to Your Exercise Plan:

Muscle burns 3 times as many calories than fat. Additionally, if you add even a moderate weight lifting regimen to your diet and exercise plan, you get other benefits such as stronger bones and connective tissue, increased lean muscle mass, improved body composition and a stronger body as you age.

7) Make Sure You Eat a Healthy Breakfast:

Several recent studies indicate that eating breakfast will help you reduce your total daily caloric intake by stabilizing your blood sugar levels, which may keep you from binging.

8) Plan Smaller, More Frequent Meals:

Eating a snack or a small meal jump starts your metabolism. The process of digestion burns calories. When you have 5-6 small meals a day versus 2-3 large meals, you turn your calorie burning mechanisms on and burn more of the total calories you consume.

9) Add More Protein To Your Diet:

Protein increases the production of the hormone glucagon. Glucagon directs your body to move fat into the bloodstream and use it for energy rather than just store it, Workman says. Not eating enough protein also causes your body to break down muscle mass to get the protein it needs. When your muscle mass breaks down, you burn less calories.

10) Keep an Upbeat Attitude:

The road to healthy weight loss is a marathon not a sprint, so don't get depressed or discouraged by a lack of short term results. If you stick with your plan and continue to build healthy habits, your hard work will return results over time. Keeping a positive attitude will help you stay in the battle over the long haul.