Top ten tips for effective weight loss

We all know that if you burn more calories than you consume on a regular basis, you'll lose weight. The opposite is also true. To ensure that you are eating fewer calories and moving around more, write down everything you eat and keep track of your exercise. You can calculate your approximate balance at a great website I used daily until I had established successful habits. At caloriesperhour.com there are easy-to-use calculators to tell you the caloric value of what you've eaten during the day and also estimate how many calories your daily run burned off.

Being armed with intention and knowledge isn't enough to guarantee success. If you aren't prepared, you will revert to your old eating habits out of convenience. Plan out a menu for the week and create a shopping list to support it. When you get to the grocery store, don't buy anything that isn't on the list. Don't buy tempting treats. If they aren't in your house, you won't eat them. Each evening, prepare your meals and snacks for the next work day so you can easily pack them up before heading out the door. Same goes for your work out clothes. Have the gym bag ready and next to the door so you can grab it as you head out.

Learn and follow proper serving guidelines. When I started my journey to a better healthstyle, I was shocked to learn the actual portion size for a chicken breast. The average fresh breast available on the market is about six ounces after cooking. Recommended serving size is three ounces, coming in at 142 calories. Over the course of a year, by eating only half a chicken breast instead of a whole one would pay off for your weight loss plans. The calories you would avoid would equal about nine pounds.

Select meats with the smallest amount of fat. Where practical, trim fat from meats before cooking. A chicken breast is an excellent choice. A three ounce serving averages 142 calories made up of 27 grams of protein and only three grams of fat. Fat is more than twice as dense in calories as protein or carbohydrates. You avoid nine calories for every gram of fat you eliminate from your meal. Lean beef and even pork can be part of your diet. A three ounce serving of beef top round comes in at 195 calories. Top round provides about 26 grams of protein, but about three times the fat as a chicken breast. A three ounce serving of pork tenderloin comes in just between the two in fat content, containing only five grams. The tenderloin packs just 147 calories and 24 grams of protein.

While reducing calories is an important key to weight loss, it doesn't have to mean eating less and walking around hungry. Fruits and vegetables are high in volume but low in calories. Six full ounces of broccoli is only 63 calories. A five ounce apple is close to 72 calories. Fruits and vegetables also provide fiber to help regulate digestive function. Three and a half cups of Italian blend salad pre-mixed from a bag, has only 15 calories. A salad provides enough volume to fill you up, but doesn't pack on the pounds.

Our hectic lifestyles often prevent us from taking the time to exercise. Calorie and portion control are just part of the weight loss equation. You have to get your body moving to burn stored body fat. Even walking several times a week can help you strike the right balance. For many who want to lose weight, regular activity isn't a part of their life. This requires new habits to be established. Find an active hobby that interests you. That way, you will look forward to your workouts instead of dreading them. If you can make exercise part of your daily life, it will be easier to maintain your new healthstyle once it is established.

Nothing is easy if you go it alone. Having a cheerleader will make it easier to stick to your plan. Accountability also makes you feel more compelled to make good food choices and maintain your commitment to regular activity. When you struggle, you also have someone to talk it over with. Talking through cravings or frustrations can help you overcome them.

Your body needs water for regular body functions. Water is crucial for metabolism. If you don't get enough, your body can't efficiently burn calories. Digestion and waste elimination are also slowed when you aren't properly hydrated. We have all heard the advice that we should drink at least eight, eight-ounce glasses each day. If you are a little overweight, you need extra water. Add a glass for every 25 pounds of extra body weight you are carrying.

Recent studies suggest that lack of sleep may cause irregularities in hunger hormones. Surveys indicate that the less sleep someone gets, the more likely they are to be overweight. Adequate rest will also allow you to have the energy to exercise regularly. Sleep deprivation effects mood and may contribute to poor food choice. Getting adequate rest could help you stick to your plan.

Permanent change takes time. Studies indicate that the more gradual weight loss is, the more likely it is to be permanent. Fad diets may produce rapid results initially, but many followers of popular plans find that they gain the weight back in a few months, and sometimes gain even more. Slow and steady wins the race. Think of your pursuit of a slimmer and healthier you as a journey not a destination. Embrace the process and discover a healthstyle for life.