It is really difficult to stay healthy and lose weight when we are always being served by massive-portion-sized food, and so many great choices of food selection we don’t even know how to stop. How many of us even said that we will just have one night of a splurge, then go back on our diet the next day? If you have tried to lose weight and failed, you are not alone. There are so many people out there who have tried to go on a diet, but failed. Some may go and lose some weight for some time, but will eventually gain back the weight they lost even after a couple of months. However, there are plenty of ways to avoid common pitfalls, and finally achieve lasting weight loss success.

Stay Healthy and Lose Weight

Just like an acrobat, your weight is a balancing act. If you eat more calories than you burn, then you will gain weight. But, if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight. Commonly, we make losing weight as a difficult procedure that needs extreme measures. The truth is, you can lose weight without feeling miserable about what you are doing. All you have to do is to stay focused, be committed to your goals, and develop new eating habits and preferences that will let you become satisfied at the end of the day. However, this is where we commonly fail since we just think of how we will look good in a swimsuit tomorrow and not care again about how we will look the next day.

Think about long-term goals, and not short-ones. A lifestyle change should be your goal, and not just because you will go on a vacation that you need to go on a diet. If you are really serious about your health and shedding pounds, your goal should be about permanent weight loss or lifestyle change. There are so many popular diets that can help you start this process, but permanent changes in the way you eat, exercise, and work should also be given consideration.

Go slowly with your pace. Losing weight too fast can take a lot of pressure on you and on your body. This will make you feel sluggish, drained and sick since you are actually dropping a lot of weight very quickly. Instead, aim to lose one to two pounds a week to make certain that your health can keep up with it.

Create your own motivation. Short-term goals do not actually work since you will still gain back the weight that you have lost after your short-term goals have been achieved. Instead, create motivation from the benefits of being healthier and leaner such as how you will feel more confident when you become sexier, or when you become healthier for your children’s sake.

Track your progress. It is not enough to know what you are eating and when you will eat them. To track down your progress, better keep a food journal and weigh yourself regularly. Keeping track of each pound and inch you lose will give you the incentive of seeing the results in black and white and how it actually happens. This will also keep your motivation up and running.

Eat Healthfully and Lose Weight

While losing weight, it is not necessary to starve yourself just to achieve your goals. Keep in mind that your goal is to stay healthy while losing weight. There are actually a variety of food that you may not have considered while in your regimen.

Fresh fruits. Your choices do not just revolve around apples and bananas. There are so many great choices of fruits that you can consume every day. Don’t forget to try new exotic fruits, you also have not tried before, especially when your favorite fresh fruits are not yet in season. If you are going to try canned fruits, be cautious about them since they may contain added sugars or syrups. Choose canned varieties of fruits that are packed in water or in their own juice.

Fresh vegetables. Some people hate vegetables, and they will try to avoid eating them as much as they can. If you are serious about changing your lifestyle, eating fresh vegetables is a must. Eating vegetables will allow you to stay stronger and focused while shedding off extra fat. You can try something new with vegetables such as grilling or steaming them with herbs to make them more interesting.

Calcium-rich foods. Calcium-rich foods do not just include a glass of low-fat or fat-free milk. You can also include yogurt without the added sugar to your list.

Components of a Healthy Diet

To maintain your body and lose weight, it is also necessary to know exactly what is a healthy diet and the components that are needed to achieve it.

Calories. Calories are the amount of energy released when you are breaking down food. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats provide calories. The more calories a food has, the more energy you will get from your body. The problem with calories is when your body stores extra calories, which in then turns to fat.

Proteins. Proteins are nutrients that are necessary to maintain and repair our body tissue, such as the skin, internal organs, and muscle. They are made up of substances called amino acids, which are important to our health. Proteins are usually found in all types of food. However, fish, meat, poultry, eggs, cheese and other foods from animal sources contain complete proteins. Your daily diet must contain enough protein to fill up these amino acids. Other protein food sources also include soy, nuts, seeds, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains.