Lose Weight and Get Rid of Fat Once and For All

The process of weight loss can be one of the most challenging journeys, and like all worthwhile ventures it is important to know what works and what doesn't work. There are 5 weight loss tips that will help you shed the pounds and improve your health.

1. Eat at least 35 grams of fiber a day. Fiber helps to reduce the absorption of calories from the food you eat. The U.S. Department of Agriculture proved that eating 36-50 grams of fiber a day left 130 unused calories in the stool. What does that mean exactly? That means that fiber literally pulled the fat out of the body. I know that may sound far fetched, but the research appears to back up this concept. Researchers at the University of Kiel in Germany determined that for every gram of fiber you eat, you eliminate between 8-12 calories. If you do the math, using a conservative number of 7, you could potentially eliminate 245 calories eating 35 grams of fiber a day. Pretty cool, huh? For more information on this concept read “The Fiber 35 Diet”.

2. Get 1000 mg. of Calcium From Food a Day. Research shows that those people who get 1000-12000 grams of calcium a day from food lose more weight than those who don't get enough calcium in their diet. Michael Zemmel, Ph.D wrote, “The Calcium Key: The Revolutionary Diet Discovery That Will Help You Lose Weight Faster”. Zemmel conducted a study with mice in which they were all fed a high fat diet so they would gain weight. Then they were divided into four groups. The first group was allowed to eat whatever they wanted. The second group had a low calcium, low calorie diet, and the third group had a low calorie diet but they were given calcium supplements. The fourth group had a low calorie diet, and they also received calcium, but the calcium came from non-fat milk. Results showed that high calcium groups lost the most weight and their amount of fat decreased the most. The group that received their calcium from milk, rather than supplements, lost the most weight and fat. To conclude, you will lose some weight if you take calcium supplements, but you will really see results if you get your calcium from dairy products such as yogurt, low fat milk and low fat cheese.

3. Eat smaller portions. We are so conditioned to eat everything on our plate that we rarely think about whether we are actually hungry and need the food. Begin to think consciously about your level of hunger and start eating smaller portions during meals. While you are eating ask yourself if you are genuinely hungry. If the answer is no, put your fork down and set aside your leftovers for later. The food isn't going anywhere. Learn to delay gratification and you will find that eating smaller portions will inevitably make you smaller as well!

4. Don't Eliminate Your Favorite Foods. People tend to become martyrs when on a diet. Some people almost seem to believe that a diet isn't a diet unless they suffer. Weight loss should not be torture and you should not have to cut out “all chocolate” or decide you won't eat ice cream for a whole year. Cutting out all of your favorite foods will have the opposite effect that you intended because you will suddenly start to crave every food you can't have. The mind is a powerful thing; tell yourself that you can have your favorite food occasionally and it won't have the same power over you.

5. Have the Right Mindset. Don't get caught in all or nothing thinking such as, “If I can’t follow my diet 100%, then I might as well quit”. It’s obvious why this thought pattern can be so detrimental. The idea that one has to be perfect is an unattainable goal. Understand that you will make mistakes and if you don't give up you will learn from those mistakes. Don't allow yourself to be short sighted. Some people think that because they are busy they can put their health on hold. Remind yourself of your priorities and remember that if your health fails, you won’t be able to participate in all the things that keep you busy now. If you follow these five principles you will find that your body will shrink and your overall health will improve.

About the Author:
Jeanine has a health blog, Health Outlook and she enjoys writing health articles and sharing her health knowledge with others.