8 Tips to Help You Lose Weight Easier

Many of us fear the scale. We have tried and tried to lose those excess pounds and seem to accomplish nothing. We diet and workout but only seem to end up frustrated and hungry. It can leave most of us feeling out of control and powerless. Well, it is time to take back our power and regain control by following these eight easy tips to successfully complete our weight loss journey.

1. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables. They contain vitamins, antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients that you need to stay healthy and fuel your workouts. They are low in calories and make you feel full. This helps keep your caloric intake lower, plus adds in a ton of fiber, which helps you lose weight quicker.
2. Watch your portion control. Many of us do not eat the correctly sized portions. If you go out to eat, you are definitely getting larger portions than you should. Most restaurants serve very large portions, but you could always take some leftovers home and eat them later. You do not have to eat the entire plate in one sitting. At home, you can pay more attention to the serving size on the label and follow it. It can be easier to portion your meals if you stay away from eating out and have more meals at home.
3. Avoid skipping meals. Most of us think that if we avoid eating we can lose weight. However, this could give us the opposite effect. You want to balance your caloric intake and blood sugar throughout the day, so skipping meals is not the best idea, especially breakfast. It will throw your system off balance and wreck your weight loss plans.
4. Do not cut out all your favorites. It can be hard to quit anything cold turkey, and food is no exception. You should allow yourself to partake in some of your favorite foods but remember do not overdo it. You can enjoy your favorite foods with a little moderation, and when many people try to cut them out entirely, they just set themselves up for failure. We are more prone to cheat on our diet and give up on our weight loss goals if we try to cut out everything we like.
5. Understand food labels. The labels on food can be extremely helpful but also misleading. You need to know how to read them. Many foods like to grab our attention by putting low fat or no carbs on the label; however, many foods that claim to be low in fat or low carb may be higher in calories. Many companies love to put out products that are labeled as the original and then another that is suppose to be a diet version of this product . You need to remember that just because the company says it is diet does not mean it is proven to help you lose weight. You need to look at everything on the label and make sure you understand the entire nutritional information.
6. Watch what you drink. It is easy to focus on our food intake and forget about what we drink. However, with all the sugary, calorie filled drinks out there, they can really add a lot to your caloric and fat intake. Milkshakes, specialty coffee drinks, sweet tea and sodas are notorious for adding unnecessary calories to your daily caloric intake. The best option is to always stick with water. It will keep you full and hydrated without adding any unnecessary calories to your diet.
7. Keep a food journal. Many people swear by keeping a food journal. It gives you a way to see what you are really eating in a day and makes you take responsibility for what you ate. There is no way to sneak anything past yourself if you have a written record. You will also benefit from being able to see how to manipulate your diet to squeeze in healthier options.
8. Exercise. You can change your diet all you want, but you still will not be able to tone your body unless you exercise. You have to strengthen your muscles in order to tone, and this means you have to do some sort of physical activity. Exercising not only helps you lose weight, but it helps you to change your body shape.

It can seem impossible for most of us to stick with our weight loss goals. Just remember that being difficult does not mean it is impossible. It is up to us to determine what will work best for us in order to stick to our weight loss goals. With a little hard work and determination, we can achieve our goals.

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