How to lose weight

If you want to learn  then you are on the right page. We have gathered the top 50 ways to lose weight in a healthy manner without resorting to unhealthy diets or fad products. These tips range from lifestyle changes, to ways on how to control your hunger, how to minimize the calories you consume and how you can improve your activity and exercise levels.You can read the 50 easy ways to lose weight below but first let us explain the basics of healthy weight loss.

The weight loss equation

Despite of what you may have read so far about losing weight the basic rules of weight loss or the weight loss equation as we like to call it is simple. It is based on one simple fact: 1 pound of fat = 3500 calories. This means that if you consume an extra 3500 calories (through food) you will gain weight and if you manage to burn 3500 calories more (through diet, physical activity and exercise) than what you need - you will lose 1 pound. It may take weeks or even months (depending on your metabolism) to reach your target weight but the steps below will ensure that you will lose weight and keep it off.

The steps to lose weight are straightforward:

First you need to calculate your daily calorie requirements. This is the number of calories you need per day in order to maintain your current weight. To arrive at this number you should calculate your basal metabolic rate or BMR - (this is the number of calories your body needs for basic functions such as breathing and digestion) and then depending on your activity level you can find the number of calories to consume on a daily basis in order to stay on your weight.

The next step is to calculate the number of calories you actually consume on a daily basis and the number of calories you burn through exercise and activity. You can record the foods you eat and the activities you perform for a week and then calculate the daily average. Once you have this number ready you can apply the weight loss formula (daily calories – (calories consumed - calories burn)) to find out how many calories you should eat per day in order to lose weight.

For example: If your daily calorie needs are 1500 and you consume 2000 calories by eating and you only burn 200 calories, then each single day you consume 300 calories more than what you need (1500 – (2000 – 200)) = -300. As a result you will gain 1 pound every 12 days or about 3 pounds per month.

How to lose weight? In order to reverse the situation and start losing weight you need to reduce the calories from food and start burning more calories through exercise and activity. If for example you follow an 1800 calorie diet and burn 500 calories on a daily basis you will lose about 2 pounds per month. The equation becomes (1500 – (1800-500) =200 calories saving per day which is equivalent to 6000 calories per month or around 2 pounds. You can also read

 The 50 weight loss tips are very easy to adopt and they are simple things that you already know and things that you don’t know but can play their role in healthy weight loss. These clever ideas can help you jump start your weight loss efforts and give you a whole new perspective on how to lose weight. Go through the list, share it with your friends and enjoy your new self.

Exercise

1. Exercise Daily. By exercising daily you increase your metabolism, you keep your heart healthy and you increase your chances of reducing your weight.
2. Walking is one of the easiest ways to lose weight. Do not be afraid to walk. Every time you get a chance to walk see this as an opportunity to shed a few pounds.  Try to find ways to walk as much as you can. You can cleverly park your car away from your office so that you get a chance to walk from and to your work on a daily basis. While at work ignore the elevators and do some cardio exercises by using the stairs.
3. Physical activity. By being physically active throughout the day you can boost your metabolism and at the same time you burn a few extra caloriesso you will lose weight faster.
4. Set a minimum time for walking per day. Regardless of what diet or exercise routine you are following you should set a minimum time for walking per day. This can be 30 minutes split into 3 10 minute sessions, one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one late at night right after dinner.
5. Weight lifting and resistance training exercises. The best way to lose weight is through cardio exercises. Cardio are among the most efficient fat burning exercises. Weight lifting and resistance training exercises will help you build more muscle tissue instead of fat. The combination of cardio plus weight lifting exercises will generate the best possible outcome at the shortest time possible.
6. Muscles aid the body to burn more calories while at rest. If you can manage to build more muscles you will enjoy faster calorie burning since the process continuous during the period you rest.

Diet

1. Eat in smaller plates. Several studies show that the amount of food you eat depends on the size of your plates. The bigger the plate the more food you will eat. There is a psychological connection between the size of the plate and the amount of food you eat regardless of how hungry you are.
2. Make smart food choices. Reducing your food servings will help you lose weight but being selective on the foods you eat will help you lose weight faster.
3. Remove the skin from chicken. By removing the skin from chicken you can save up to 100 calories per normal piece.
4. Do not forget your favorite foods. Many people tend to completely abandon their favorite foods from their diet especially when the foods carry a lot of calories. This is not recommended because eventually you will give up and eat those foods in larger quantities. You better keep them in your diet and have them as a ‘reward’ for achieving your weight loss goals.
5. Substitute full fat with low fat. Milk is essential for the body because of the vitamins and minerals it contains but this does not mean that you need to drink full fat milk. Instead switch to low-fat milk and save tens of calories per day. If you do some simple calculations of the calories you can save per day you will realize that this is very important if you want to lose weight. You can also do the same with sugar soft drinks and diet soft drinks.
6. Do not take cream with your coffee. Many people follow a diet to lose weight but they drink their coffee sweet with milk and cream. This literally can destroy your efforts especially when you drink 5-6 coffee drinks per day. Instead try to get used to black coffee with no sugar. Once you get into the habit of drinking black coffee you will also realize that it tastes better.
7. Fiber is your weight loss friend. Fiber is very important in your weight loss diet for many reasons. First it can keep you full for longer periods, second it cleans your insides and last but not least it can boost your metabolism which means faster weight loss.
8. Hot and spicy foods increase your metabolism. It is a proven fact that hot and spicy foods can increase your metabolism. This is because they accelerate the body’s thermal rate thus giving a boost to the fat burning process.
9. Learn how to exercise correctly. Sometimes it is not enough to exercise but it is important to learn how to perform the exercises correctly. There are thousands of on-line videos demonstrating the proper way to do exercising so get into the habit of exercising smart and not hard.
10. Create a plan and stick to it. Having a weight loss plan is essential. You need to have a vision on what you want to achieve and express this vision into a detail plan with milestones and specific targets. Try to make your plan as specific as possible. Clearly identify how many pounds you want to lose and when. For example you can state that ‘my target is to lose 10 pounds’ by the end of the year.
11. Protein is vital for a healthy body. You need to take-in protein with every meal because protein can help your muscles growth and can keep your stomach full for longer periods. Great sources of protein are lean meat, low fat yogurt, eggs, nuts and peanut butter.
12. Do not use cooking oil or butter for fried foods. Fried foods should be eliminated from your diet but in the case that you have to eat fried food then make sure that you use a cooking spray for the pan instead of a tablespoon of butter or margarine. This simple change can save you up to 100 calories per normal serving.
13. Watch your cholesterol. Taking care of your cholesterol levels is not only good for your health but is also important for your efforts to lose weight. As a rule of thumb limit the consumption of full fat foods like liver, organ meats and full fat dairy products. Instead prefer lean meat (for example lean turkey) and fish.
14. Eat slowly and stop when you are full. It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to receive the signal from the stomach that you are full. If you eat fast the message does not reach the brain and you will end up eating more food quantities than you really need. What you should do instead is eat slowly and chew your food very well and stop eating when you are feeling that you are no longer hungry.
15. Fruits everywhere. You should know by now that fruits and vegetables are great for your diet. You can cleverly keep a ball of fresh fruits and vegetables on your kitchen table or fridge so that they are easily accessible by all family members. To make your basket more attractive to kids put fruits with bright colors such as strawberries, apples, raspberries and bananas.
16. Follow a balanced diet. There is only one best diet for weight loss and this is the balanced diet. A balanced diet does not completely exclude any food type from your meals but promotes the consumption of carbohydrates, protein and fats. All these nutrients are essential for a healthy body.  The proper percentage is: 35% protein, 45% carbs and 20% fats. Any diet that substantially changes these figures is unhealthy and should only be followed after the guidance of a certified doctor or professional dietitian.
17. Stay away from buffet. Take this advice literally and try to avoid being near a buffet either when you are in a party or a restaurant. Being near a huge selection of nice looking but fatty foods will certainly do no good for your weight loss efforts. Better keep a distance and eat your normal food portions than being carried away by the buffet temptation.
18. Do not compare food serving sizes. When in a party or a gathering do not compare what you eat with what other people eat. Each individual has different calorie needs depending on the age, sex and activity levels so what is suitable for one person may be too much for another. Stay within your limits and focus on your daily calorie targets.
19. Take salad as a starter. One of the main reasons why you should have a starter before your main meals is to control your hunger so that you will feel satisfied sooner.  A fresh green salad is a perfect choice because the fiber from vegetables will reduce your appetite. This kind of salad is very easy to prepare even at home. What you need to ensure is that you do not take any dressing which will add a substantial amount of calories to your salad.
20. Eat at specified intervals. Do not eat only when you are hungry but try to eat at set intervals throughout the day and if possible at the same time. By following this pattern you will avoid overeating during your main meals and also your body will be in a better position to digest the food and burn the extra calories.
21. Prefer to eat fresh fruits than drinking fresh juices. If you can choose between eating a fresh fruit and drinking a fresh juice then go for the first. Eating a fruit will give you more vitamins and minerals and you get to lose a few calories from chewing. One the other hand just drinking the juice will only add calories to your diet and less vitamins and minerals.
22. Personalize your diet. A diet is one of the tools you can utilize to get slimmer. The perfect diet for you is one that fits your lifestyle and caters for your own needs and requirements. A diet that works for a friend will not necessarily work for you and vice versa. Spend some time finding the diet that can work for you and stick to it for a couple of months before deciding to change it. Whatever you do stay on one weight loss plan and don’t mix your strategies.

Lifestyle and Motivation

1. Sleep at least 7 hours per day. Research indicates that people who sleep less than 7 hours per day tend to accumulate more weight than people who sleep normally. There is a scientific logic behind this and has to do with hormones released during sleep.
2. Throw away junk food from your kitchen and fridge. They say that ‘Prevention is always the best cure’, and this is true for healthy weight loss as well. Instead of being tempted you better save yourself from the trouble and remove any junk food, sweets, full fat foods and drinks from your kitchen and fridge. Instead replace those foods with fresh fruits and vegetables.
3. Water is vital for weight loss success. Do not underestimate the power of water in losing weight. Water has 0 calories, it can give you a feeling of fullness thus you will eat less, it helps you flush toxins from your skin and body and keeps your body organs hydrated and in good condition. 6-8 glasses of water per day are enough for the average person. Start and end your day with a glass of fresh cold water and do not forget that our body is 75% water and we need to continuously re-fill our reserves.
4. Cold temperatures are better than warm. The body needs to burn more energy when in cold temperatures to keep the body warm and at normal temperature levels. This has a positive impact in the overall fat burning process. It may not be the most efficient way to lose weight but it is a factor that helps.
5. Brush your teeth after dinner. A lot of people have the tendency to snack when watching TV at night. This is not a good choice because the calories consumed are more difficult to burn since there is minimum body activity at night. A nice trick is to brush your teeth after dinner so that you lose the desire for snacks. You can also make it a habit to drink a glass of water after dinner to keep your stomach full.
6. Professionals are there to help you. If you are trying to lose weight for some time but you cannot get the results you want maybe it’s time to get some professional help. Personal trainers, dietitians, life coaches are there to help you go through the process and by-pass your obstacles. You may have to pay some money for their services but it’s a life investment that worth’s every penny.
7. Dine out with care. Dining out frequently can have a negative impact on your weight loss efforts. When eating out you usually eat more and you have no control on how the food is prepared. If you really have to eat out for business or leisure then prefer Chinese cuisine or Mediterranean cuisine that promotes healthy eating.
8. There are no miracles in weight loss. Stay away from products that promise fast weight loss results with minimum effort. Miracles do not happen when it comes to losing weight. If a product, diet or pill is too good to be true then it is probably a fake. There is only one way to lose weight and this is through a balanced diet and regular exercise.
9. Positive thinking = weight loss. You will not be able to lose weight if you do not keep a positive attitude. Change your mindset and approach weight loss as a major step for a better and healthier life. Visualize your success and do not let obstacles and problems block your happiness. Positive thinking is the first and most important step in archiving your goals. Stay away from negative influences (including people in your environment that do not share the same views) and be optimistic. There is absolutely no reason that you cannot meet your targets.
10. Always read the food labels. The food labels are not there to fill up the space on food packaging but they contain useful information about the item. Among other things by reading the food label you can see the number of calories, fats and sugar. These figures are important for people who want to lose weight because they can be used as a guide on what foods to eat and what foods to avoid.
11. Find your weight loss buddy. Recent research shows that people who have a ‘weight loss buddy’ have more chances in losing weight than people who try alone. A weight loss buddy is anyone that shares the same goals with you as far as weight loss is concerned. You can remind each other of your targets and get motivation when problems arise.
12. Food advertisements are made to sell. Do not get fooled from food advertisements. These types of ads have only one purpose and this is to sell more products. Do not believe anything they say because they are not liable to any organization. Before buying a food item you saw in TV make sure that you check the food label for the number of calories and fat percentage.
13. Eat only on the dinner table. Many families tend to eat snacks while watching TV or while in the car going on a long trip. Over abusing this may negatively impact your efforts to lose weight and in addition it is a bad habit for your kids. Set some rules that food is only served on the kitchen table and at specified times and set the good example for your kids and other family members.
14. If you are not a celebrity then you can’t have a celebrity body. This may sound harsh but you should not compare yourself with celebrities. Celebrities have all the money, time and resources to get the body they want and look fit and healthy. Normal people have limited time to exercise and they cannot spend huge amounts of money just to look good. Be realistic on what you want to achieve and appreciate your body and looks.
15. Enjoy the journey. Losing weight is a like a big journey and you need to enjoy every moment. Don’t be miserable because you have a couple or more pounds but enjoy the journey to a healthier you.
16. The mirror never lies. Losing weight and psychology are strongly related and various studies have shown that people who have the right psychology are able to lose weight easier. This is where the mirror can play a role. Try to eat in front of a mirror so that you see yourself eating. Looking yourself eating will remind you of your targets and this psychological reaction will make you eat less. Many people have tried this and it works especially when you have no-one else to remind you of your weight loss goals.
17. More stress – more weight gain. Stress is the number one factor for many health problems including weight loss. People get stressed for many reasons and they turn to food (usually fat food and sweets) for comfort. If you can manage to control the stress levels in your life you will be able to improve your quality of life and in turn your weight and looks.
18. Weigh and measure your body once a week. People who are in the process of losing weight are very anxious to get results and they usually weigh and measure their body daily to see if they have improved or not. This is not necessary and can do more harm than good. You only need to weigh once per week and keep the results in your weight loss journal. Once a month monitor your progress and take corrective actions.
19. Be prepared to handle failure. Although there is no reason why you cannot lose weight, you should be prepared to handle failure as well. There is no reason to panic if you are getting weight instead of losing and this is no excuse to stop your efforts. What you should do instead is analyze the reasons that lead to weight gain and take corrective actions. Have in mind that what goes up goes down as well so expect to have anomalies in the process.
20. Understand the basic weight loss principles. If you want to succeed in any project you, need to be educated and informed on how the project works and understand the factors that will lead to successful completion. This is true for a weight loss as well. Learning how to lose weight means you need to understand the basic weight loss principles. For example you need to know that one 1 pound = 3500 calories and that in order to lose weight you need to spend more calories than consumed.
21. Keep a journal. A journal can serve many purposes but the most important is for tracking your progress. Common items to include in a journal are: the foods consumed and their calories, your daily calorie targets, the type and duration of exercises performed and the calories burned. There are many free calorie calculators on-line that can help you organize you journal and even have it all the time with you on your phone  or through the Internet.
22. Enough theory, it’s time to get into practice and start losing weight today. Continue reading our step-by-step guide 7 steps how to lose weight and start losing weight now!