25 Simple Weight Loss Tips

1. Keep a food diary. Research has shown that people who write down everything they eat will consume less food. A diary makes dieters accountable for portion sizes and mindless snacking.

2. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Keeping your body out of starvation mode will decrease the chance you will binge when faced with temptation.

3. Make a list before you head out to the grocery store and stick to it. Period.

4. This is old advice but good advice, nevertheless - don't go grocery shopping when you're hungry!

5. Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store. Fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products and fresh meats are generally featured on the outside walls of the store.

6. When eating out, formulate a plan before you go to the restaurant and don't waiver. You can find the menus of many restaurants on-line which will allow you to make sensible choices at home before experiencing the tantilizing sights and smells of the restaurant.

7. Restaurant portions are huge so ask for a doggie bag or box with your meal. This will allow you to turn one gigantic, diet-busting meal into two sensible meals.

8. Box up half of your restaurant food as soon as you are served so you're not tempted to overeat.

9. If your dining companions are so inclined, you could split an entree with one of them.

10. Another option for restaurant eating is to order an appetizer and a salad rather than an entree.

11. If you binge, don't despair. The scale may go up but getting back on track at your next meal will guarantee the gain is not permanent. Drink lots of water to flush out any water weight you're carrying due to excess salt consumption.

12. Use a salad sized plate rather than a large dinner plate. A smaller plate makes it easier to control your portions.

13. Fill half of your plate with vegetables and the remaining half with meat and a carbohydrate such as bread, potatoes or rice.

14. Drink a large glass of water before each meal to help give you that "full" feeling sooner.

15. Eat your meals sitting down and chew slowly. Put your fork down between bites.

16. Keep a portable and healthy snack with you at all times to help you resist temptations. Some suggested snacks are pretzels, a quarter-cup serving of nuts, a banana, an orange that has been peeled, sectioned and placed in a zip-lock bag or a piece of string cheese.

17. Get eight hours of sleep each night. Recent studies have shown that people who become sleep deprived tend to gain weight.

18. Limit your tv viewing time to one hour per day. You burn about the same number of calories watching tv as you do when you're sleeping. Get up and do something!

19. Whatever you're currently doing, do more. Park your car as far from the store as possible and walk those extra steps as you run errands. Make two trips up and down your basement steps rather than trying to carry everything at once. Vacuum your carpets and shake your rugs more often. Pick up sticks in your yard. Weed your flower beds frequently.

20. Take up a new hobby such as knitting which keeps your hands busy. It's impossible to eat while you knit one, pearl two.

21. Allow yourself a little bit of your favorite food from time to time so you don't feel deprived. Deprivation leads to binging.

22. Start reading labels carefully. You may find that the small package of chips you eat with a sandwich actually contains two servings, doubling the amount of calories you thought you were eating. Look to see how many calories come from fat. Check all the nutrition information to help you make healthier choices.

23. When you're tempted to snack, see if having a glass of water helps curb the urge. We often confuse thirst with hunger.

24. Stop eating when you're full. It sounds so simple but we usually stop eating when the food is gone rather than when our hunger is satisfied.

25. Dieting is a marathon, not a sprint, so set realistic goals. A five-pound weight loss in the first week of your diet is surely to be followed by a gain in the second week. Plan to lose one to two pounds per week for lasting results.