Sometimes losing weight can be a lot harder than you’d expect. With these weight loss tips for success, you’ll blast fat and keep it off!

In the quest for the stereotypical beautiful body, there seem to be endless diets, routines, and weight loss meal plans everywhere you look.

While many of these may be effective, at least for the short term, a large number of them fail to achieve the desired results. There are, however, a few tried and tested practices that will produce the desired results for long-term weight loss. What follows are some tips and techniques that will continually produce results.

The best way to look at dieting is by using an inside-out approach, rather than outside in. This means that the changes on your outside, or the physical appearance of your body, is only a reflection of the changes that occur on the inside and the way you feel about yourself.

The food you eat must be enjoyable and you should never feel that you’re depriving your body. If you keep this in mind, your confidence and self-esteem will increase and your body will burn fat effectively.

And, once you reach your weight-loss goals, you’ll pride yourself in being an inspiration to those around you, helping your friends and family also achieve their goals.

Weight Loss Tips &  Myths To Consider

The biggest tip to remember is to be conscious of what you’re eating. Snacking on obviously unhealthy treats throughout the day is an addictive habit that is a quick road to mysterious and unwanted weight gain. There are a few other dieting myths to consider.

One myth you’ve probably heard is that you should severely drop calories when you want to lose weight. The fact is that you must eat quality foods, not less, if you want to lose weight!

The truth is that any person who exercises and wants to lose weight and body fat must have more protein in their diets.

Then there’s the myth that to lose weight and body fat, you can just reduce the number of meals you eat each day. The fact is that eating frequent, evenly spaced meals throughout the day provides your body with everything it needs to lower body fat.

Finally, there’s the myth that all calories are created the same. So, the myth goes, that to lose weight, all you need to do is cut the number of calories you eat every day. The fact is that you need to focus on the types of calories you consume each day. It truly isn’t just the number of calories you consume that’s important.

This Is What Happens To Most Dieters

Extensive research into the success rate of diets has confirmed that more than 95% of all dieters return to their original weight. And, they actually gain an average of 10 pounds! It’s quite amazing!

This goes to show that dieting, in the common use of the word (calorie cutting, fad quick-fix diets, etc.) doesn’t work.

It’s better to work with the body, rather than against it and think of nourishing your body, rather than depriving it. By denying your body’s wish for food and good nutrition, you are actually in opposition with yourself.

This is why a restrictive diet can signal the body’s battle for survival. All you really have to do is get into tune with your body’s real need for the nutrients of food.

What Is Metabolism?

Before thinking about designing a weight loss plan, it’s important to first understand the internal regulator. This is called the metabolism. Metabolism is what dictates the rate our bodies hold onto and/or release fat. It is the technical term for all of the complex chemical processes within the body that determine the growth and replacement of the body tissues, as well as the production of body heat and energy needed for fat burning, muscle activity and other vital functions. It’s your body’s way of converting the foods you eat into energy.

Even the slightest increase in the metabolic rate can have a massive, lasting effect on your ability to burn body fat for fuel, instead of storing it as fat. Think of your body as having a thermostat you can turn up or down by changing certain lifestyle factors. These factors include such things as activity levels, exercise and the food you eat.

So increasing your metabolic rate must be the main focus of your effort to lose body fat, successfully and for the long term. This can be achieved relatively easily by feeding the body, instead of starving it!

Many people still like to follow a formula when it comes to monitoring calories. If you are one of those people there are some simple guidelines to follow.

If your activity level is sedentary (you only workout once or twice a week), then your daily calorie intake formula for weight loss would be your bodyweight in pounds times 10 to 12 calories.

If you have a moderate activity level (you workout three or four times a week), then the formula would be your bodyweight in pounds times 12 to 14 calories.

If you are very active (you workout five to seven times a week), then your daily calorie intake should be your bodyweight in pounds times 14 to 16 calories.

Weight Loss Tips For Your Diet Plan… 

#1 Eat A Good Breakfast!

If weight loss is your goal, do not miss the most important meal of the day: Breakfast! 

Why? 

Because your metabolism will slow down to conserve energy and you’ll be storing as much fat as possible. But this is what many people do every single day when they skip breakfast. It’s is a huge mistake!

Without breakfast, your body goes into starvation mode. Your metabolism slows down and you’re likely to overeat unhealthy foods later in the day. Many think that skipping breakfast will help weight loss, but it’s actually the exact opposite. They are slowing their brains and physical energy, increasing fat storage and raising cortisol.

Eating breakfast every day is one of the main habits found in all weight loss success stories. Breakfast eaters are more likely to have a structured eating plan and are less likely to overeat or snack between meals.

Your body is at its metabolic peak in the morning, so the calories you consume early in the day are less likely to be stored as body fat. Skipping breakfast has also been shown to have a negative effect on mood and mental performance. When you start your morning with a balanced breakfast (no refined carbs), you’ve set yourself up for success all day!

#2 Create A Junk-Free Zone!

It’s hard to do the right thing in the wrong environment. Be prepared and set yourself up for success. This means taking control of your home and kitchen. Throw out all the food and drinks in your kitchen that you know to be unhealthy. Remove the temptation. Make your home a junk-free zone.

With only quality food options in your home, you’ll find it easier to make the right choices. People who make the right food choices don’t have extra willpower or discipline.

They set themselves up for success. You can do this by cleaning out all the foods that are not going to move you in the right direction and replacing the bad foods with the right foods to help you to lose weight.

#3 Don’t Just Think It. Ink It!

Plan, prepare and succeed! Meals take up time and you should know exactly what you’ll be eating every day from the moment you get up. It’s one of the biggest secrets to the most successful dieters. Although it may seem tiresome at first, writing down your meal schedule and times you intend to eat allows for some structure. When left to chance, hunger takes control, with no care for health, energy or fat loss.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. This is true for your nutrition, as well as your life. When you allow yourself to be in a reactive or emotional relationship with your eating, you are setting yourself up for one failure after another. No amount of willpower can prevent this. Eating correctly can either take a massive amount of effort and discipline, or some forward planning.

When you eat on a regular schedule and plan ahead, you’ll eat better food and remain in control and free to choose to eat well. If not, you may choose to eat in reaction to cravings. Chances are, you’ll be out of control.

This leads to binges on empty calorie dense foods. Don’t become a victim! It’s a simple tip, but so effective: Make it a daily habit to write down your plan for tomorrow. It will bring consistency to your calorie intake and you’ll be in control.

Before you finish each day, look forward and plan your meals. Don’t wait until the next day’s hunger tells you what to eat. You really can plan for your weight loss success.

#4 Build Each Meal With Protein

I think that everyone is now aware of the importance of eating quality protein. It increases your metabolism, keeps you filled up and provides the building blocks for every cell in your body. Protein also supports your immune system and promotes stable blood sugars – all great for fat loss. Therefore, protein should be at the heart of every meal.

It’s also the most thermogenic macronutrient. This means it’s less likely than carbs or fats to be stored as body fat. Your body has to work hard to break down protein, which means there’s a boost to your metabolism. As an added bonus, up to 30% of its calories are lost during this process. When eaten as part of a balanced meal, protein slows the release of carbs, producing a good insulin response.

So how would protein fit into every meal? Well, for breakfast, it might be cottage cheese, whey protein or egg whites. For lunch and dinner, you could choose fish, chicken, beef or turkey. Also, when planning or cooking your meal, start with your protein choice first and work from there. When eating your meal, enjoy at least some of your protein first.

#5 Do Not Cut Food Groups!

While protein is the staple of the meal, it’s important that you do not cut out any of the other macronutrients. This is why many typical diets fail.

I’m sure you’ve heard of many diets where one food group is completely out of balance (like low fat, low carb, high protein, no carbs, etc). The list is endless. These are not long-term strategies. They are the typical quick fix diet. So what’s the right answer? Eat sensible, nutritious meals with the correct balance of proteins, carbs and fats.

#6 Eat After You Exercise!

Exercise is great. It will help the body burn fat. But exercise itself, is actually wearing your body down. It’s the recovery and good nourishment right after your exercise that fuels your body, recovery and fat loss.

Sometimes you don’t feel hungry after a workout. Have you ever thought to skip your post-workout meal as part of a weight-loss strategy? Wrong idea! Regardless of how you feel right after you exercise, it’s the perfect time to refuel your body with high-quality food. The sooner you feed your body, the better.

Most experts agree that the first 30 to 45 minutes after your training are the most vital to reap the full benefit of your hard work. As I mentioned, following exercise, your body has a higher metabolic rate. Starving yourself following training puts you into a catabolic state, breaking your body down. You’ll actually be more likely to hold on to the body fat if you don’t eat!

Conclusion

When considering any diet plan, remember that eating the right nutrient-rich foods will provide your body and mind with what it actually needs. What is that? For one thing, you want an increased metabolism (the rate your body burns body fat). You also want an improved ability to grow muscles, so you can tone, tighten and sculpt your body.

Of course, the right foods can also help produce improved mental clarity and concentration by releasing endorphins, balanced hormones and possibly improved overall mood and quality of sleep. That’s not to mention improved resistance to infections by strengthening your immune system and fighting off free radicals and controlled blood sugar.

Dieting can simply be defined as giving yourself the best possible intake of nutrients that will allow your body to burn fat and lose weight as healthily as possible. But, that’s if you choose the right foods and build a proper meal plan.

By Keith Cormican, RD