Debbie Sipe wrote:When starting a new weight loss plan, you begin with lots of enthusiasm and expectations.However, as you continue making changes in your lifestyle, you may hit the occasional road block:

Perhaps the pounds aren’t dropping fast enough…or you’ve had trouble fitting a regular exercise routine into your already hectic schedule…maybe you’ve had a hard time giving up some of your favorite foods or struggled with portion control techniques.

Don’t Despair… Celebrate!

You’ve heard it before, possibly more times than you care to remember. To lose weight simply eat less and exercise more. The problem is there could be nothing further from the truth. The concept is true—eat less and exercise more—but there is nothing simple about weight loss! Don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise.

I could spend hours, no maybe days or weeks explaining why it is difficult. However, I imagine that isn’t necessary because you already know just how hard it can be. What’s worse is that losing the weight is only half the battle. Keeping the weight off can be even more difficult!

[singlepic=2,210,140,,left]However, there is a secret to successful weight loss. Unfortunately, many people who learn this secret fail to recognize its power. Instead they are like those who seek a get-rich-quick scheme. They are easy targets for the next clever marketer who promises to reveal how to lose weight fast without a proper diet or exercise!

1. The secret or single most important concept to keep in mind for successful long-term weight loss has been well proven. You must choose a healthy diet and lifestyle that you can maintain for the rest of your life. That’s it.

Did you know that the true meaning of a diet is simply what you eat? You are already on a diet of your own choosing whether you think of it that way or not.

The good news is that you have control over what you select for your diet. And every day offers you an opportunity to make small changes to improve. Small changes maintained over time can result in significant results—weight loss, looking better, feeling better, and reduced risk for illness and disease.

The remaining 9 tips will teach you what you need to keep in mind when making changes to your diet.

2. Choose to eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. The benefits of these choices are enormous! These foods are chock full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy phytochemicals.

Vitamins and minerals work overtime to keep your body functioning properly. Fiber adds bulk to the food you eat, gives you a sense of fullness and satisfaction, and keeps your digestive system working smoothly. Phytochemicals are the new kids on the block. They are the source of healthy antioxidants and other compounds that benefit us in a multitude of ways scientists have only begun to discover.

Add a small amount of lean meat and fish, and low-fat milk products to round out and balance your diet. But give emphasis to the fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.

3. Eat fewer refined carbohydrates. Yes, this means cutting back or eliminating sweets and refined breads and cereals. Instead choose to eat whole grains whenever possible. Look for whole grain listed first on the ingredient list and products with more than two grams of fiber per serving. Four or more grams per serving are better.

4. Drink lots of water! Six to eight glasses of water are best. Tea and a small amount of fruit juice can be a source of some of that water. Reduce or eliminate your consumption of additional fruit juice, sugary drinks, or alcoholic beverages.

5. Avoid highly processed foods with added sugars, artificial sweeteners or excessive fat. Many low-fat cookies, cakes, cookies, chips, crackers, and desserts are high in refined carbohydrates and calories and have little or no fiber.

6. Determine how many calories you actually need. Be realistic! Calculate your basal metabolic rate and calculate the additional energy (calories) you need for daily activities. Most women need a minimum of 1200 calories and men 1600 calories a day to prevent their metabolism from slowing down.

7. Keep a food diary to keep track of your food choices and count calories at least for a week or two. Putting in the time and effort to do this may not be fun. But the benefits are HUGE. You will likely gain some essential insight about your current food habits and what you need to do to change.

8. Learn what triggers you to overeat. Jot some notes in your food diary each time you reach for food. Were you actually hungry or were you eating just because the food was there and you could? Was the food a reward or means of soothing your anger or frustration after a difficult day?

The key here is having an understanding of what you are feeling before you eat. This gives you the option to make a different choice.

9. Get support! Whatever the challenge you might be facing, having family or friends who are supportive is a big help! However, be aware of those who may want you to stay just as you are and instead of helping actually sabotage your efforts.

10. Exercise! What can I say? Exercise matters! Be creative and find a form of exercise that you will like.

Take these suggestions to heart. Make one small change at a time. Added up the changes you make with your diet and lifestyle could mean significant weight loss and better health for years to come!

Debbie Sipe wrote:When starting a new weight loss plan, you begin with lots of enthusiasm and expectations.

However, as you continue making changes in your lifestyle, you may hit the occasional road block:

Perhaps the pounds aren’t dropping fast enough…or you’ve had trouble fitting a regular exercise routine into your already hectic schedule…maybe you’ve had a hard time giving up some of your favorite foods or struggled with portion control techniques.

Don’t Despair… Celebrate!

Instead getting discouraged, take a moment to congratulate yourself for starting your weight loss program, because in doing so you’ve already worked through the excuses.

And as you probably know by now, weight loss programs begin by shifting your beliefs and making behavioral changes.

Granted, it’s a lot of work!

So, if you’ve begun your weight loss program and need a little motivation to stick with it, read on… Not Too Fast

Many dieters struggle because they want their results faster. The American Dietetic Association recommends dropping just 1 to 2 pounds each week, so real and lasting weight loss isn’t something that happens in a matter of days, healthy weight loss takes time.

In fact, losing weight too rapidly can mean you’re losing lean tissue or water, not the dreaded fat. This will actually slow down your metabolism, making your struggle with weight loss even more difficult.

“Seeing” Success

You’ve likely heard of “thinking yourself thin.” Well there’s validity to using visualization to reach your goals. Picture yourself six months from now, and think of how great you’ll feel and look as a thinner version of you. If you have old pictures of yourself, taken when you were closer to your target weight, put them up where you can see them. Use them to remind yourself what you are working for.

Think of the habits you adopted that got you to your current weight, and begin eliminating them.

Focused Goals

Making a lot of changes at once can be overwhelming, so set small and realistic goals.

Your goals should fit easily into your lifestyle, like:

A) double your daily intake of fruits and vegetables B) walk thirty minutes at lunch time C) order the side salad instead of the French fries

As these new habits become part of your routine you’ll see results and won’t feel like you’re giving your life and entire overhaul.

Partner Up

Finally, find support. You can recruit a friend, family member, or co-worker to exercise with, to dine with, to talk to. There are also a number of online weight loss support communities and forums that connect folks with similar issues and goals. Dieters who have support experience more success in making changes, and have an easier time staying motivated.

Celebrate the milestones, whether it’s dropping 5 pounds, jogging a 10 minute mile, or fitting into your skinny jeans! Toot your own horn and enjoy the benefits of your weight loss plan.

Remember: What you set in motion, stays in motion.