The process of weight loss can be one of the most challenging journeys, and like all worthwhile ventures it is important to know what works and what doesn’t work. There are 5 weight loss tips that will help you shed the pounds and improve your health.

1. Eat at least 35 grams of fiber a day.

Fiber helps to reduce the absorption of calories from the food you eat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture proved that eating 36-50 grams of fiber a day left 130 unused calories in the stool. What does that mean exactly? That means that fiber literally pulled the fat out of the body. I know that may sound far fetched, but the research appears to back up this concept. Researchers at the University of Kiel in Germany determined that for every gram of fiber you eat, you eliminate between 8-12 calories. If you do the math, using a conservative number of 7, you could potentially eliminate 245 calories eating 35 grams of fiber a day. Pretty cool, huh? For more information on this concept read “The Fiber 35 Diet”.

2. Get 1000 mg. of Calcium From Food a Day.

Research shows that those people who get 1000-12000 grams of calcium a day from food lose more weight than those who don’t get enough calcium in their diet. Michael Zemmel, Ph.D wrote, “The Calcium Key: The Revolutionary Diet Discovery That Will Help You Lose Weight Faster”. Zemmel conducted a study with mice in which they were all fed a high fat diet so they would gain weight. Then they were divided into four groups. The first group was allowed to eat whatever they wanted. The second group had a low calcium, low calorie diet, and the third group had a low calorie diet but they were given calcium supplements. The fourth group had a low calorie diet, and they also received calcium, but the calcium came from non-fat milk. Results showed that high calcium groups lost the most weight and their amount of fat decreased the most. The group that received their calcium from milk, rather than supplements, lost the most weight and fat. To conclude, you will lose some weight if you take calcium supplements, but you will really see results if you get your calcium from dairy products such as yogurt, low fat milk and low fat cheese.

3. Eat smaller portions.
We are so conditioned to eat everything on our plate that we rarely think about whether we are actually hungry and need the food. Begin to think consciously about your level of hunger and start eating smaller portions during meals. While you are eating ask yourself if you are genuinely hungry. If the answer is no, put your fork down and set aside your leftovers for later. The food isn’t going anywhere. Learn to delay gratification and you will find that eating smaller portions will inevitably make you smaller as well!

4. Don’t Eliminate Your Favorite Foods.

People tend to become martyrs when on a diet. Some people almost seem to believe that a diet isn’t a diet unless they suffer. Weight loss should not be torture and you should not have to cut out “all chocolate” or decide you won’t eat ice cream for a whole year. Cutting out all of your favorite foods will have the opposite effect that you intended because you will suddenly start to crave every food you can’t have. The mind is a powerful thing; tell yourself that you can have your favorite food occasionally and it won’t have the same power over you.

5. Have the Right Mindset.

Don’t get caught in all or nothing thinking such as, “If I can’t follow my diet 100%, then I might as well quit”. It’s obvious why this thought pattern can be so detrimental. The idea that one has to be perfect is an unattainable goal. Understand that you will make mistakes and if you don’t give up you will learn from those mistakes. Don’t allow yourself to be short sighted. Some people think that because they are busy they can put their health on hold. Remind yourself of your priorities and remember that if your health fails, you won’t be able to participate in all the things that keep you busy now. If you follow these five principles you will find that your body will shrink and your overall health will improve.

The idiot-proof diet is all about calorie shifting. That is, in this diet, you shift your food intake throughout the day instead of eating just 3 meals a day. The diet is popular because it’s actually very easy to follow and there are hardly any restrictions when it comes to the types of food you can eat.

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The Idiot-Proof Diet

The idiot-proof diet is all about calorie shifting. That is, in this diet, you shift your food intake throughout the day instead of eating just 3 meals a day. The diet is popular because it’s actually very easy to follow and there are hardly any restrictions when it comes to the types of food you can eat.

The ‘calorie shifting’ model takes place because you eat every two and half hours. The theory is that because your body is consuming calories (energy) constantly throughout the day, it’s always in ‘burning calories’ mode instead of the ‘saving calories’ mode.

When you sign up for the diet, you get access to a diet handbook, an 11-day diet-plan and a diet calculator. You get to pick what foods you like to eat so don’t think that you’ll be tarving in this diet!

NutriSystem

The NutriSystem way of dieting is all about proper meal planning. People love this diet because it takes away the burden of trying to figure out what to eat during their dieting phase. You see, a lot of people actually get confused as to what they can eat when they want to lose weight. That’s not really surprising because there’s so much information out there and for every yay sayer, there is a nay sayer so it’s really tough to know what to eat.

However, with NurtiSystem, they do all the meal planning and portion controlling for you. You just need to sign up to any of their diet programs (e.g., Women’s Program, Men’s Program, Vegetarian Program, etc.) and order a multi-day (usually for 28 days) diet program.

After you choose your diet program, a menu is presented to you and you simply choose what you want to eat. The meals are then delivered to your doorstep at various intervals during your diet program.

The South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is popular because the name alone conjures bikini-clad bodies! Add to that the fact that it was founded by a cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston, then you have a sort of ‘doctor recommended, doctor approved’ seal on the diet as well.

At first glance, the South Beach Diet looks a lot like the Atkins Diet in the sense that it restricts carbohydrates during the initial phase of the program (there are 3 phases). The first phase (14 days) encourages ‘normal eating’ in the sense that you can pretty much eat whatever you want but you must NOT eat bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, or baked goods. Fruit is also not allowed. No sugar. No alcohol.

The second phase allows you to SLOWLY introduce these items back into your diet but at lesser levels that you consumed them before of course. The third phase is more about general maintenance.

Weight Watchers

Probably one of the longest running diet programs out there is Weight Watchers. It believes in the overall approach where food, exercise, behavior and support are addressed.

Weight Watchers is known for advocating a point system for foods. Using this system, one calculates the calorie intake of the foods he or she eats. The number of points you can have in a day varies depending on your weight. The beauty of the program is that there are no gut-wrenching food restrictions so you never feel deprived of anything. However, the point system teaches you how to balance your meals so that even if you indulge on one food item, you don’t go overboard and consume too much in a day.

Guilty and frustrated from cheating on your diet plan? These diet plan saving tips will keep you on track!

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It’s nine thirty at night and you have followed your new diet plan perfectly to a tee all day. A pizza advertisement comes on the commercial break of your favorite show and you notice it is close to your next mealtime.
Up to the kitchen you go to eat your next meal. When in the fridge pulling out your nicelyprepared diet plan meal, you notice some left over Fettuccini Alfredo your wife or roommate brought home. Sure looks good you think as you catch a little bit of saliva about to drip on your shirt!

“Just a little taste won’t hurt my diet plan,” you justify…

“ I’ve stuck to my diet plan all day……”

A little taste and before you know it you tell yourself the extra carbs and calories will be a good boost to your workout tomorrow!

An hour later your gut is stretching and Indigestion plagues you from cheating on your diet plan!!

“I should have stuck to my diet plan!” is going through your head as you lay down to have nightmares of a fat ass! “Tomorrow I’ll stick to my diet plan “, you chant in your head!But you fall from your diet plan only a day or two later!

The occasional stray from your diet plan can really add up!And billboards,tv’s, radios and people are everywhere pushing fast foods and junk to sabotage your diet plan!

Here are five diet plan saving tips to arm yourself against the onslaught of the Cheating War!

Diet Plan Tip #1 – Eat Slowly – Take your time when you sit down to eat.

The chances you will stuff yourself or overeat diminish and you will reach the point of satiety much more quickly if you eat slowly!

The more you are satisfied with what you have eaten the less likely you will continue to think of food. That chocolate Black Forest cake won’t be as tempting either!

Diet Plan Tip #2 – Have Delicious Meals That Fit Your Meal Plan Prepared Ahead Of Time.

Having meals prepared ahead of time makes it convenient to eat according to a plan and on schedule.

You can make it more convenient to stick to your diet plan than it is to eat that bag of candy by having your diet plan meals prepared and available when it is time to eat– and when you gethungry.

Diet Plan Tip #3 – Get Used To Eating For Your Purpose Instead Of For Your Taste Buds.

Satisfying your taste buds when you get the urge to gorge down a Big Mac will never develop a healthy, lean, muscular physique! Keep in mind you are eating to develop a lean, healthy muscular physique every time you open your mouth! The temporary taste satisfaction of a jelly-filled donut will be gone real fast but the empty calories you just devoured can defeat a whole day’s worth of bodybuilding effort!

Diet Plan Tip #4 – Be creative with your cooking to make sticking to your diet enjoyable.

Ideally, with proper preparation and some reciperesearch you can create delicious mouth watering meals that meet your diet plan criteria. Learn to cook. Employ spices from other parts of the world. India and China are twocountries with interesting choices to really spice up your diet plan. When you don’t have to force feed yourself with your nose plugged the chances are much higher you can stick to your diet plan more easily!

Diet Plan Tip #5 – Drink Water.

Drinking water between meals can help to reduce your hunger pains temporarily by giving a sense of fullness. For those of you that sabotage your diet plan munching here and there,keeping a water bottle with you wherever you go can really help.Just sip away when its oral satisfaction rather than hunger driving you.