Top 10 Habits That Can Help You Lose Weight

Weight control is all about making small changes that you can live with forever. As you incorporate these minor adjustments into your lifestyle, you'll begin to see how they can add up to big calorie savings and weight loss. Here are my top 10 habits to help you turn your dream of weight loss into a reality:

1. Evaluate your eating habits. Are you eating late at night, nibbling while cooking, finishing the kids' meals? Take a look around, and it will be easy to identify a few behaviors you can change that will add up to big calorie savings.

2. If you fail to plan, plan to fail. You need a strategy for your meals and snacks. Pack healthful snacks for the times of day that you know you are typically hungry and can easily stray from your eating plan.

3. Always shop with a full belly. It's a recipe for disaster to go into the grocery store when you are hungry. Shop from a prepared list so impulse buying is kept to a minimum. Eating right starts with stocking healthy food in your pantry and refrigerator.

4. Eat regular meals. Figure out the frequency of your meals that works best in your life and stick to it. Regular meals help prevent bingeing.

5. Eat your food sitting down at a table, and from a plate. Food eaten out of packages and while standing is forgettable. You can wind up eating lots more than if you sit down and consciously enjoy your meals.

6. Serve food onto individual plates, and leave the extras back at the stove. Bowls of food on the table beg to be eaten, and it takes incredible will power not to dig in for seconds. Remember, it takes about 20 minutes for your mind to get the signal from your belly that you are full.

7. Eat slowly, chew every bite, and savor the taste of the food. Try resting your fork between bites and drinking plenty of water with your meals.

8. Don't eat after dinner. This is where lots of folks pack on the extra pounds. If you are hungry, try satisfying your urge with a non-caloric beverage or a piece of hard candy. Brushing your teeth after dinner helps reduce the temptation to eat again.

9. If you snack during the day, treat the snack like a mini-meal. The most nutritious snacks contain complex carbohydrates and a small amount of protein and fat.

10. Start your day with breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. After a long night's rest, your body needs the fuel to get your metabolism going and give you energy for the rest of the day.

Source: WebMD

Best Diet Tips Ever -- 22 Ways to Stay on Track

Best Diet Tips Ever -- 22 Ways to Stay on Track 

 

Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.
Before you tear into that bag of potato chips, drink a glass of water first. People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger, so you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really all you needed. If plain water doesn't cut it, try drinking flavored sparkling water or brewing a cup of fruit-infused herbal tea. 

Tip No. 2: Be choosy about nighttime snacks.
Mindless eating occurs most frequently after dinner, when you finally sit down and relax. Snacking in front of the TV is one of the easiest ways to throw your diet off course. Either close down the kitchen after a certain hour, or allow yourself a low-calorie snack, like a 100-calorie pack of cookies or a half-cup scoop of low-fat ice cream. 

Tip No. 3: Enjoy your favorite foods.
Instead of cutting out your favorite foods altogether, be a slim shopper. Buy one fresh bakery cookie instead of a box, or a small portion of candy from the bulk bins instead of a whole bag. You can still enjoy your favorite foods -- the key is moderation.

Tip No. 4: Eat several mini-meals during the day.
If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you'll lose weight. But when you're hungry all the time, eating fewer calories can be a challenge. "Studies show people who eat 4-5 meals or snacks per day are better able to control their appetite and weight," says obesity researcher Rebecca Reeves, DrPH, RD. She recommends dividing your daily calories into smaller meals or snacks and enjoying most of them earlier in the day -- dinner should be the last time you eat. 

Tip No. 5: Eat protein at every meal.
Protein is the ultimate fill-me-up food -- it's more satisfying than carbs or fats and keeps you feeling full for longer. It also helps preserve muscle mass and encourages fat burning. So be sure to incorporate healthy proteins like seafood, lean meat, egg whites, yogurt, cheese, soy, nuts, or beans into your meals and snacks. 

Tip No. 6: Spice it up.
Add spices or chilies to your food for a flavor boost that can help you feel satisfied. "Food that is loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste buds and be more satisfying, so you won’t eat as much," says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Malena Perdomo, RD. When you need something sweet, suck on a red-hot fireball candy. It's sweet, spicy, and low in calories. 

Tip No. 7: Stock your kitchen with healthy, convenient foods.
Having ready-to-eat snacks and meals-in-minutes on hand sets you up for success. You'll be less likely to hit the drive-through or order a pizza if you can throw together a healthy meal in five or 10 minutes. Here are some essentials to keep on hand: frozen vegetables, whole-grain pasta, reduced-fat cheese, canned tomatoes, canned beans, pre-cooked grilled chicken breast, whole grain tortillas or pitas, and bags of salad greens. 

Tip No. 8: Order children's portions at restaurants.
Ordering a child-size entree is a great way to cut calories and keep your portions reasonable. This has become such a popular trend that most servers won't bat an eye when you order off the kids' menu. Another trick is to use smaller plates. This helps the portions look like more, and if your mind is satisfied, your stomach likely will be, too. 

Tip No. 9: Swap a cup of pasta for a cup of vegetables.
Simply by eating less pasta or bread and more veggies, you could lose a dress or pants size in a year. "You can save from 100-200 calories if you reduce the portion of starch on your plate and increase the amount of vegetables," says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Tip No. 10: Always eat breakfast.
It seems like an easy diet win: Skip breakfast and you'll lose weight. Yet many studies show the opposite can be true. Not eating breakfast can make you hungry later, leading to too much nibbling and binge eating at lunch and dinner. To lose weight -- and keep it off -- always make time for a healthy morning meal, like high-fiber cereal, low-fat milk, and fruit. 

Tip No. 11: Include fiber in your diet.
Fiber aids digestion, prevents constipation, and lowers cholesterol -- and can help with weight loss. Most Americans get only half the fiber they need. To reap fiber's benefits, most women should get about 25 grams daily, while men need about 38 grams -- or 14 grams per 1,000 calories. Good fiber sources include oatmeal, beans, whole grain foods, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. 

Tip No. 12: Clean the cupboards of fattening foods.
If you have chips in the pantry and ice cream in the freezer, you're making weight loss harder than it has to be. Reduce temptation by purging the cupboards of fattening foods. Want an occasional treat? Make sure you have to leave the house to get it -- preferably by walking.

Tip No. 13: Lose weight slowly.
If you're losing weight but not as fast as you'd like, don't get discouraged. Dropping pounds takes time, just like gaining them did. Experts suggest setting a realistic weight loss goal of about one to two pounds a week. If you set your expectations too high, you may give up when you don’t lose weight fast enough. Remember, you start seeing health benefits when you've lost just 5%-10% of your body weight. 

Tip No. 14: Weigh yourself once a week.
People who weigh themselves regularly tend to have more weight loss success. But most experts suggest weighing yourself only once a week, so you're not derailed by daily fluctuations. When you weigh yourself, follow these tips: Weigh yourself at the same time of day, on the same day of the week, on the same scale, and in the same clothes. 

Tip No. 15: Get enough sleep.
When you're sleep deprived, your body overproduces the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin but under-produces the hormone leptin, which tells you when you're full. Getting enough sleep may make you feel rested and full and keep you from doing unnecessary snacking.

Tip No. 16: Understand portion sizes.
We're so used to super-sizing when we eat out that it's easy to carry that mind-set home. To right-size your diet, use a kitchen scale and measuring cups to measure your meals for a week or two. Use smaller plates and glasses to downsize your portions. Split restaurant servings in half -- making two meals out of one big one. Portion out snack servings instead of eating them directly from the container. 

Tip No. 17: Eat more fruits and vegetables.
The best "diet" is one where you get to eat more food, not less. If you eat more fruits and vegetables, you shouldn't feel as hungry because these nutrient-rich foods are also high in fiber and water, which can give you a feeling of fullness. Snacking can be a good thing as long as you choose smart snacks. 

Tip No. 18: Limit alcohol to weekends.
Alcohol contains empty calories: a five-ounce glass of wine has 125, a bottle of beer about 153. Because our bodies don't use those calories well, they usually get converted directly into fat. If you enjoy an occasional drink, consider a compromise. Enjoy your favorite alcoholic beverage on weekends only, with just one drink for women per day, two for men.

Tip No. 19: Chew sugarless gum.
The next time you want to grab a fattening snack, reach for some sugar-free gum instead. Chewing some types of gum gives you fresh breath and can also help manage hunger, control snack cravings, and aid in weight loss. (Keep in mind, however, that excess sorbitol, a sugar alcohol sometimes used in low calorie gums, can have an laxative effect in some people.) Although gum might make you eat less, it doesn't mean you can stop eating right. A good diet and exercise are still important. 

Tip No. 20: Keep a food diary.
A simple pen and paper can dramatically boost your weight loss. Studies show the act of writing down what you eat and drink tends to make you more aware of what, when, and how much you're consuming -- leading you to ultimately take in fewer calories. One study found that people who kept a food diary six days a week lost about twice as much as those who only kept a diary one day a week or less. 

Tip No. 21: Celebrate success (but not with food).
You lost five pounds this month and walked every other day? Time to celebrate! Rewarding weight loss success really can encourage more success, so revel in your achievements. Buy a CD, take in a movie, and set a prize for the next milestone. Just don't celebrate with a sundae or deep dish pizza. 

Tip No. 22: Get help from family and friends.
Getting support can help you reach your weight loss goals. So tell family and friends about your efforts to lead a healthy lifestyle. Maybe they'll join you in exercising, eating right, and losing weight. When you feel like giving up, they'll help you, keep you honest, and cheer you on -- making the whole experience a lot easier.

 

Source: WebMD

Weight Loss 101 - How to Lose Weight

commons.wikimedia.org  / weight loss pyramid

Losing weight can be a challenge and keeping it off after you've lost it is often just as difficult. When it comes to weight loss, especially fat loss, there needs to be a combination of the right diet along with resistance training. There are many things that can help you and hurt you when it comes to weight loss, but here are 10 tips on how to lose weight fast that can help just about anyone.

 

1. Do NOT starve yourself - Many people think weight loss is strictly about creating a calorie deficit. This is true to some degree, but in order to lose weight and keep it off, you need to nourish your body with the right foods. When you put yourself through extreme, low calorie diets, your body goes into "starvation" mode and begins to store excess fat and slow your metabolism. It does this because it thinks you are going to STARVE if it continues to burn calories at a normal pace.

2. Limit your starchy carbs - Starchy carbs like white rice, white bread, tortillas, chips, etc make losing fat difficult. Help yourself by packing your diet with non-starchy carbs like vegetables! Brown rice and wheat bread are OK too, but don't overdo it.

3. Consume more protein, fiber and water - Protein provides your muscles with the nourishment it needs to grow and stay healthy. Weight loss doesn't do much good if you're just losing muscle! Fiber has numerous benefits, and ironically, most people don't eat enough fiber! Fiber helps you feel fuller, controls blood sugar, reduces the risk of stroke, improves skin, increases heart health, and more! Check out this article to learn more about the benefits of fiber.

4. Get a good night's sleep - Your body does most of it's growing and repairing during sleep, not while you're at the gym or exercising outside. Without a good 7-9 hours of sleep every night, you'll be stuck wondering how to lose weight. Allow your body the time it needs to get healthier. Go to bed!

5. Start a High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) program - Countless studies have proven that HIIT is more effective in a shorter amount of time than steady state cardio. If you're trying to lose weight for a wedding, reunion or just because, High Intensity Interval Training is the fastest way.

6. Limit your sweets - Obviously if you're wondering how to lose weight, eating cookies, candy and cake isn't the way to do it. However, the real key is to watch out for hidden sugars in places like juice, high sugar fruits, and yogurt. Avoid anything with a high sugar content. Some classic sugar risks are pop, candy, dried fruit, fruit yogurt, granola bars and cereal. Be sure to check the nutrition facts before you mow down on a "healthy" snack.

7. Don't avoid weight lifting - People often avoid lifting weights because they're so worried about their weight going up. Building muscle is a good thing, and an essential thing when it comes to how to lose weight and keep it off. Muscle naturally burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn throughout the day. You will see a drastic difference in how you look (which is typically what people care about when it comes to exercise) if you start focusing on building muscle and lowering your body fat percentage, rather than just looking at your weight.

8. Try to keep your stress LOW - Stress raises Cortisol levels which can increase hunger and cravings for things you shouldn't be eating! Try some de-stressing activities like yoga or tai chi. Even things like a hot shower, reading, and meditation will help.

9. Consider working with a personal trainer - Personal trainers will ensure that you have an effective and efficient workout. They also work hard to provide the right motivation and encouragement while monitoring your form to keep you injury free. If you're new to weight lifting or exercising, this is a very important step towards getting healthier and losing weight.

10. Pick a time you can exercise at consistently - Exercising requires a habit. The easiest way to stick to your work out is to find a time that works for you almost every day. Don't try to just wing it whenever you're available. Block off 30-60 minutes on your work out days and stick to those times. Make it a routine.

If you're always wondering how to lose weight fast, this is a great place to start. There are many things that contribute to weight loss, and every person is different, however, if you stick to these guidelines, you will see results.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8488437

Enhance Your Weight Loss

Half knowledge is always more harmful than none at all. With a lot of information available all over for weight watchers and losers, it is important to make sure you are not victim of myths and negative information about weight loss. Many people who have lost weight (and gained it later) or others who have had successful weight loss stories post their experiences online. But it is necessary to ensure what you follow is healthy and will not adversely affect you.

Here are a few things you must consider seriously when wanting to lose weight:

1. Never skip breakfast: sure you may lose a few pounds, but this is unhealthy. When you skip breakfast, you unconsciously tend to supplement the lost calories by over eating during lunch, or choosing the wrong foods. You may also end up binging. This tends to increase in weight, rather than loss of it. When you start your day with a healthy hearty breakfast, you tend to stay fuller for longer. You blood sugar levels will be stable and you will resist unhealthy eating. Always keep in mind "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper".


2. Choose a low calorie diet: see a weight loss coach for an integrated low calorie diet. The juices, soups, steamed veggies, are pseudo low calorie foods. Juices have high glycemic index as they include fruits that have stripped off their fiber which in turn lowers the nutrition levels. Choose whole fruits over packaged fruit drinks. Steamed veggies can make you feel sick due to the blandness. Not only is this an unsustainable diet, it leads to unstable weight loss where, once you stop, you may end up gaining more than you lost. A diet plan should include low calorie foods from all nutrition types: carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and also fat. The body needs an adequate amount of each of these to function optimally, and hence a good balanced diet contains the right amounts of all of these.


3. Exercise: not eating too much through the day is no excuse for not exercising. Your body needs physical activity to lose weight and fat, and to tone up the muscles. It is important to exercise as it not only helps you burn calories, it will improve blood sugar and make you feel more energetic due to the aerobic reactions it will trigger in your body. While exercise is important, results will be more effective if exercise is teamed with a good balanced diet. The right combination of exercise and a healthy diet will increase metabolism, reduce acidity, bloating, lethargy, and anxiety.

Weighing yourself everyday: weight is subject to water retention and weighing in daily will give an accurate picture of the weight lost. What is more important is to monitor the fat percentage. Daily weigh in may only record the water loss and not the fat loss and may prove to be faulty. Hence, weigh in weekly to get accurate numbers and monitor weight loss.

Not only is this an unsustainable diet, it leads to unstable weight loss where, once you stop, you may end up gaining more than you lost. A diet plan should include low calorie foods from all nutrition types: carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and also fat.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8586582

Successful Weight Loss and the Motivated Mind

Successful weight loss or, more properly, successful fat loss, is not a matter of calories or exercise. What it takes to successfully lose weight is a motivated mind. Everything else, from following healthy nutrition to working out regularly, stems entirely from your mindset.

Now you may be thinking 'But I've wanted to lose weight forever and it's not happening!' That's not a motivated mind - that's wishful thinking or dreaming about success. If your mind was truly motivated to help you lose weight, it would already be happening.

You see, when your mind is truly motivated you focus on your goals in a much more effective way. Simply put, you take action - massive targeted action directly aimed at achieving your weight loss goals. You choose healthier meals, you limit your overall caloric intake and you hit the gym or go for a run each and every day.

You don't have to obsess over it and have it take over every waking minute - in fact, you probably spend more time beating yourself up for being overweight or obese than you need to use to lose weight. If you're truly motivated, your subconscious mind will lead you to the right decisions without even thinking about it most times. You'll eat when your body is hungry, and only eat enough to satisfy that hunger. You'll choose the bottle of water over the soda or fruit juice at lunch. You'll choose healthy complex carbs and green vegetables for supper instead of pasta or pizza. And you'll push yourself that extra few reps in the gym or that extra mile on your runs.

So how do you achieve this motivated mind? Avoid worrying about the past or your current physical condition. Concentrate entirely on your future and who you'll be after the weight loss. Don't accept even the mildest chance that you'll fail to lose the weight you want - know that you'll do whatever it takes to burn all the fat you want to. Cruise through the magazines and online resources to find photos of what you want to look like - especially look for photos of people who have similar features to your own... Hair colour, overall build, etc. If you're handy with photo editing software, even superimpose your face onto some of the digital photos.

Next, put the best of those photos where you'll see them every day... Tape a couple to your bedroom door so you see them first thing every morning and last thing every night. Tape one or two to the bathroom mirror so you see them at various points through the day. And take 2 or 3 of the ones you like best, the strongest and/or sexiest of them, and put them on your refrigerator door so you see them every time you go to open the fridge. Put the rest of the digital photos onto a page and print it out, then put that page and the magazine shots into an album or some type of cover. When you feel your mindset slipping, pull it out and look through them again. In fact, look through them at least once a day and picture yourself in that shape, having achieved your weight loss goals, and visualize how your life will be different then...

You know you'll feel better then, feel better about yourself, have more confidence and have more energy on a daily basis. It's worth putting in the effort to keep a motivated mind working for you through all of this, and letting it guide you to successful weight loss. You deserve to be happier, healthier and more energetic - and your motivated mind is the key!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8630308

Gluten Confirmed To Cause Weight Gain

By PF Louis, Natural News

The case against gluten seems to have been closed with recent research from a Brazilian research team that published a report in the January 2013 Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. It seems to have put an exclamation point on the wheat belly controversy.

The Study

---

Lacking scientific data confirming the mechanics of how gluten may or may not affect obesity, the study was set up to examine the differences in specific genetic and biochemical markers between rats fed gluten and rats that were kept gluten free.

The "wheat belly" syndrome and how it leads to other health issues was the purpose of their research. The research team chose biological markers that could indicate the onset of obesity and metabolic syndrome, precursors to diabetes and cardiac issues.

Both groups of rats were fed high fat diets. But one group was gluten free and the other group's diet was 4.5 percent gluten. Even without tracing their predetermined markers, it was obvious the gluten free mice exhibited weight loss without any trace of lipid (fat) excretion.

An Analysis Of The Study

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Sayer Ji of GreenmedInfo.com proposed this analysis: "... the weight gain associated with wheat consumption has little to do with caloric content per se; rather, the gluten proteins ... disrupt endocrine and exocrine processes within the body, as well as directly modulating nuclear gene expression ... to alter mamalian metabolism in the direction of weight gain."

This study report, according to Sayer Ji proves that the major factor of obesity is gluten, not calories. Considering that both groups of mice were fed high fat diets and the gluten free mice lost weight without excreting lipids also implies that fat free diets for losing weight are bogus. This has been suspected by other nutritional experts who've abandoned matrix thinking.

Sayer Ji recommends that those who are overweight, pre-diabetic, experiencing metabolic syndrome, or suffering from irritable bowel syndrome try avoiding gluten grains, especially wheat, to determine from experience if gluten is the underlying cause.

There is evidence that gluten can be a factor in gut and psychology syndrome (GAPS) and even autism. (http://www.naturalnews.com/033094_gut_health_brain.html)

So How Did Wheat, "The Staff of Life," Become A Weed of Disease?

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Wheat is not the same today. It has been agriculturally hybrid, not genetically lab engineered over some decades to resist fungus, grow more quickly, and be more pliable for industrial bread baking. As a consequence, 50-60 years ago wheat containing only five percent gluten has become 50 percent gluten today.

Agricultural resources used the hybrid process for wheat to accommodate the baking industry's mechanical requirements of pliable proteins, leading to the 10-fold increase of wheat's gluten.

The processed food industry's concern for production efficiency and perception of consumer demands has focused on the bottom line with the usual disregard to negative health consequences.

Slightly different high speed methods of baking evolved over time. By artificially bleaching flour and adding "improvers" with often toxic additives and mixing the dough violently, loaves of bread could be baked, cooled, and packaged within a few, short hours. Cheap, unhealthy foods for many with massive profits for a few.

This is beginning to change with measures that seem to offset gluten's damage for some. For example, Whole Foods has their own bakery providing fresh breads daily without bromides, which can displace the thyroid gland's iodine contents and create hypothyroidism.

Other local bakeries may provide sprouted grain and real sourdough breads, which even some celiac sufferers manage to consume without adverse reactions.

If you wish to cut out wheat products completely, beware of gluten free products as most contain high glycemic substitutes and GMO corn or soy. For healthy gluten free recipe check out the Hungry For Change book which includes 120 delicious recipes.

Source Link: http://www.naturalnews.com/038699_gluten_weight_gain_wheat_belly.html

Does Your Body Really Need Sugar?

Sugar is found in almost every processed food these days, to the point where it takes a conscious
consumer just to avoid it.

Sugar is even in foods like:

  *Ketchup
  *Salad dressings
  *Store-bought breads
  *Sauces
  *Almost all beverages

Remember this: your body doesn't need or want sugar at all; and sugar in excess, is extremely
dangerous.

"But I thought your brain runs on sugar?" you say. And you're right, but it's glucose your brain uses...  

Glucose is the sugar your body makes from the foods you eat, or even from burning its own stored
fat. Glucose is vital to your health, but these days, no one is lacking in glucose... just the opposite!   

Unlike natural sugar found in food, vegetables and dairy products, refined sugar does not contain any
vitamins, minerals, enzymes or fiber - it's just a quick hit of carbohydrates than elevates your blood sugar levels, triggers an insulin spike, puts your body in fat storage mode and causes a stress response which further activates your FAT Programs.  

Here Are Common Sweeteners to Avoid:
  *Refined sugars
  *Honey
  *High-fructose corn syrup

Here are Some Sugars that I think Are Better Choices:
  *Stevia
  *Coconut Palm sugar (however, consider the environmental impact here)
  *Xylitol

I hope this is helpful...

In health,

Jon
Gabriel Method

p.s. Xylitol is my personal favorite sweetener. It's unique in that it has less calories than sugar and doesn't cause the blood sugar spike that most sweeteners do.

Xylitol can be found in most health food stores or purchased online. You can buy it from Amazon here: List of Xylitol Products

Source: Gabriel Method

1 Weird Old Tip To Lose Fat

25 Weight Loss Tips

Sometimes simple tips and steps can add up to big weight loss or fitness gains! Implement several of these tips to start achieving the results you want!

1. Concentrate on nutrition - Especially if you are just trying to get back in shape. Concentrate on cleaning up your nutrition first! 75% of weight loss happens in the kitchen, the remaining 25% happens in the gym!

2. Realistic subgoals are key - While your overall goal could be big, it will take time to achieve. Small goals or subgoals are attainable in a shorter time-frame, giving you the goal attaining satisfaction you crave! For example: if your overall goal is to lose 25 lbs, have subgoals of losing 3 pounds in a week and losing 10 pounds in a month. Check those bad-boys off as you attain them one-by-one; instant satisfaction and motivation!

3. Log your exercise days - Have a monthly calendar and every time you miss a day, shade that square bright red. Three glaringly red days in a row will tell you to get your butt in gear! Don't get three strikes!

4. Eat on a smaller plate - Using smaller plates can cut down on your total caloric consumption! Recent research found that large packaging and dish size can lead to overeating even if the food didn't necessarily taste good!

5. Make your workouts cost you! - Really can't get motivated? Make it hurt your wallet if you miss a workout. Accomplish this by either hiring a trainer, paid class, hiring a workout consultant, or online training. This will make you get that workout in; no one wants to waste money!

13 Quick Weight-Loss Tips That Nutrition Pros Swear By

The key to lasting weight loss?

Losing the weight quickly. Here's why: It may give you a psychological boost that helps you stick to your new habits; in studies, fast weight loss led to more pounds off overall plus longer-term success in keeping it off. However, “anyone can do a cleanse or an extreme plan,” says Lisa Lillien, founder of HungryGirl.com and author of the new book The Hungry Girl Diet. “But the minute you stop, you gain the weight back and haven’t learned anything.” We interviewed top nutrition and fitness experts to get their best advice for quick and safe weight loss.

Close your kitchen for 12 hours.

That should be the time between your last bite at night and first in the morning, says Lauren Slayton, RD, author of The Little Book of Thin. If you finish dinner at 7:30, that means no eating until 7:30 the next morning. Need motivation? “Tell yourself, ‘Go to sleep now, wake up wow,’” says Slayton.

Stockybyte/Thinkstock

Heading to the kitchen? Pour a glass of water.

If it’s a cliché diet trick, it’s for good reason. “People confuse hunger with thirst, especially when they’re trying to stick to a weight-loss plan and may expect to feel hungry,” notes Lillien. When you find yourself walking toward the kitchen, get a glass of water instead of food.

Any time you reach for something to eat, ask these two questions:

“One, am I hungry? And two, what am I hungry for?" says Jennipher Walters, a certified personal trainer, co-founder of Fit Bottomed Girls LLC, and author of The Fit Bottomed Girls Anti-Diet. "You could be procrastinating, or bored, or stressed. Or maybe you just really need a hug. Distract yourself for five to 10 minutes, a buffer time to decide if you’re really hungry.” That can have a big impact on quick weight loss.

Photodisc/Thinkstock

Eat an appetizer.

Choose wisely: Walters recommends beginning dinner with a broth-based soup or a salad. “It fills you up and elongates the meal, which prevents you from scarfing down your food,” she says. To avoid eating too quickly, keep your entrée and sides off the table until you're done.

Shrink your portions, except...

Supersize your veggies, pleads Tosca Reno, author of The Eat-Clean Diet series. “Two sprigs of asparagus is not enough,” she says. One of the biggest mistakes Reno sees clients make is eating too much of everything else. If you eat proper portions of just two food groups—carbs and meat—you will accelerate weight loss and improve your health. Tip: Pasta should be the size of your fist; meat should be about 3 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards or bar of soap.

iStock/Thinkstock

Find new favorites.

Don't deprive yourself; deprivation is not a great place to start, says Walters. “If you want to stop drinking soda, don’t just cut it out—find something else with bubbliness, like seltzer or flavored water, to replace it.”

iStock/Thinkstock

Set a time for treats.

If you know you have something indulgent to look forward to—a piece of high-quality dark chocolate, say, after dinner—it may be easier to turn down other temptations, such as office birthday cake, says Walters.

Digital Vision/Thinkstock

Track your food.

Often after working out, notes Lillien, people tend to overcompensate (“I just did Spinning, I can order the French toast at brunch!”) and eat more calories than they burn. That's less likely to happen if you write down what you eat. "It’s just about being more aware so you make better food choices,” she says.

iStock/Thinkstock

Balance your breakfast.

“A lot of people think that a low-fat yogurt and fruit is a healthy breakfast, but it’s not that satiating, so you will be hungry again soon,” says Walters.  She recommends a morning meal that includes a balance of protein, fat, fiber, and veggies, such as a veggie egg scramble with avocado or cheese, or oatmeal with fruit and nuts.

Digital Vision/Thinkstock

Toss your trigger foods.

“Everyone has foods that make them want to keep eating more,” says Lillien. When craving starchy picks like chips and pasta, she continues, “instead, I use tofu shirataki noodles made from tofu and yam flour—the whole bag has 40 calories.” Reno advises clients to get “hidden foods” out of the house so you don't have that crutch when you feel a need to binge. “Chances are you’re eating too much of them,” she says.

iStock/Thinkstock

Watch for added sugars.

“Sugar is an addictive ingredient,” says Reno. “The more you eat it, the more you want. When you decrease your intake, your body will keep asking for it, but after two or three days, you’ll be amazed by how your body responds.” If you don’t feel like reading food labels, just try switching from processed choices (say, an energy bar) to whole ones (like an apple).

iStock/Thinkstock

Stop drinking your calories already.

It’s not just soda. Healthy-sounding juice, iced tea, and other beverages can be big calorie bombs. But cut them out, and you'll watch the number on the scale start to drop instead. “Sometimes a bottle of iced tea or juice has 2.5 servings,” says Lillien. “Read labels and you’ll see it’s just not worth it.”

Switch up your exercise.

If you’re stuck in an elliptical rut, ditch the low-key cardio for some circuit training or interval training, says Walters. “In circuit training, you’re doing strength training and cardio at the same time, which gets your metabolism up and burns fat,” she says. A good interval workout—where you alternate short bursts of all-out effort with less-strenuous recovery zones—“is super effective and challenging—it will shake you and your body out of your comfort zone,” says Walters.

 

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