With summer comes the dreaded swimsuit  and losing weight and exercising seem to always be near the top of the list as we look for more improved appearance and health benefits.  Women often look to fad diets that promise a quick fix, and end up drinking diet sodas and popping weight loss pills, which in turn, can lead to yo-yo dieting, having a negative impact on your long-term health.  There is still time!

Here are ten weight loss tips to help you achieve success!

1- Get your mind right. Adjust your attitude and make a decision to change your lifestyle.  Embracing a healthier lifestyle and knowing that you are achieving greater health benefits will urge you to stay on track.

2- Keep a food Journal. First, write down where you would like to be with your weight in 3 months, then 6 months, then 1 year. Then write everything down that you put into your mouth.  Keep track of your 8 glasses of water a day as well.

3- Exercise. The number one cause of weight gain is inactivity. Physical activity is the key to speeding up your metabolism and burning excess calories. Use your legs! Walk as often and as long as you can. Exercise increases your metabolism, so even when you’re at rest, you’ll be burning more calories. For exercise to help with weight loss, experts advise regular aerobic physical activity for at least 20-30 minutes a day, three to five times a week. If you’re a beginner, you can start slowly, but the more you can add to the duration, the better. Ideally, you should try to exercise 30-45 minutes, five days a week. In particular, walking may be a good choice. Buy a pedometer and keep track of the number of steps you take each day. Once you see how much you walk, try adding 1,000 steps each day, with an eventual goal of 10,000 steps or more.

4- Lose weight slowly (1-2 pounds per week). Slow and steady weight loss is important. It will be easier to keep it off.  The only way to so this is to adopt a plan that trains you to eat low-fat meals that are so simple it becomes a way of life.

5- Drink 64oz of pure water daily. Water is essential for everybody – it is also the key to losing weight.  By drinking more water, you are not only flushing out toxins, you are also teaching your body that it no longer needs to store water. You can boil water and sliced lemons, and drink this throughout the day to help with fluid retention. If you are still not sold on the merits of water, remember, pure water is a natural appetite suppressant.

6- Add a quality protein (whey or soy) with additional leucine. The protein will help control hunger and it is clinically proven that leucine, an amino acid, provides a key signal to help the body preserve lean body mass (muscle).  Many typical diets trigger the body in such a way that they cause weight to be lost from water and muscle, rather than from fat. On the other hand, when muscle is preserved, you lose weight from fat and the body’s ability to burn calories (metabolism) is not diminished.  You lose inches!  It’s a cinch!

7- Don’t cut out all the food you enjoy. Eat your favorite foods (in moderation).  Include about 100-200 calories per day of your favorite foods, whatever they may be. This will keep you from feeling deprived.

8-Get and enlist support. Having a support system is critical to long-term weight loss.   It’s helpful to share your highs and lows with others who can relate, so pick a buddy to lean on during your trying times.

9- Keep healthy foods on hand. Examples include fruits and vegetables, healthy snack bars, healthy meal bars, whole grains, dried beans, nonfat dairy and fish or lean poultry. Keep the right things at home.  Plan meals in advance and make a shopping list so you’re eating more meals at home.

10-Don’t ever give up! Falling off your diet once or twice does not mean the effort is hopeless.  Simply acknowledge that you over-ate, and get back on the plan.

For information on quality whey or soy protein with additional leucine for help with weight loss, which contains no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives, call 336-643-6494 or email mel2urhlth@aol.com.