How to successfully lose weight

If you have gone online, you will have mostly likely seen numerous sites that have promised that they have the secret to losing weight. They often claim that their method is can even speed up your weight loss success. However, the reality of fast weight loss, weight loss in day or even weeks, just isn't real. Successful and long term weight loss involves making some lifestyle changes, in order to take off the pounds and most importantly keep them off. It is important to understand that while these methods may take longer, they are much more likely to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Best of all you will not only be able to lose weight, but will develop a healthier lifestyle, that can pay dividends in the years to come. Here is what you need to know about how to successfully lose weight-

• You have to cut calories-Low fat, low carb, low this and that can all affect how you eat, however, the bottom line is that you have to take in less calories then you expend. However, it is important that you have a realistic goal, when it comes to weight loss. Dropping your calories a drastic amount, will only result in your body going into starvation mode, and no weight loss occurring.Nutritional experts advise that reducing your daily caloric intake, by 500 calories a day can help you to lose about 1 pound per week. When you do this in conjunction with increased physical activity, you are much more likely to be successful when you are trying to lose weight.
• Cut out any drink that is sweet-Nutritional and weight loss experts consider this a non-negotiable rule. If you drink flavored and sweetened milk, water, coffee, sweet tea or soda, you are only consuming liquid calories. You need to immediately switch to drinking sugar free drinks, along with plenty of milk (low fat) and plain water. Studies have proven that when adults cut out sweetened drinks they had a much greater weight loss, then other adults who simply cut their calories from food. Scientists have theorized that the reason for this is that when you have maxed out on liquid calories there is no way for your body to tell you when to stop, like it does when you are eating real food.
• Get moving-There are two different reasons for this. Not only does physical activity improve your overall health, but it directly results in burning calories. Best of all this caloric burn doesn't just happen while you are engaged in the physical activity, but for some time after you have finished. Fitness experts recommend that everyone engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity at least 5-6 days a week. However, it is important to understand that a brisk 30-45 minute walk only burns between 100-200 calories. This means that you can't assume that you are burning massive amounts of calories, just because you are regularly exercising. You will still need to cut out several hundred more calories from your diet, in order to reach your weight loss goal.
• Think about what you eat-Mindless eating is the number one reason that people become overweight. In order to lose weight you will need to focus on what you are putting in your mouth, as well as how much. Studies have found that those people, who centered their diets on fruits and veggies, lost significantly more weight, then other dieters. Best of all, when you focus your diet on healthier, lower caloric food, you can have more filling portions. Simply replace the higher fat foods in your diet, with low calorie foods, that contain few calories and lots of nutrients.