Losing Weight Without All the Failing Diets

Do you need to lose some of that belly fat? Of course you've heard this before if you are trying to lose some weight, but you haven't heard it and actually believed it, have you? This time you can. You can basically eat much of the same things you are eating, only actually you will be eating the reduced calorie alternative of the same food. Pay attention to the food that you buy, check the labels on the package and compare regular foods to less calorie foods. Be aware of what you are eating, and what you buy from the grocery store, and make your decision based on your awareness.

Here are some facts to consider: EATING FOR ANY REASON IS OKAY. Some of the diets may strongly suggest that you eat ONLY when you are hungry. Okay, well I'm hungry most of the day, now what? If you feel you are hungry and you wish to eat, then DO SO. Otherwise you are depriving yourself of your natural hunger. STRICT PORTIONS? What does that mean? If you aren't full, eat until you are. With low-calorie food choices, such as frozen fudge bars, you can eat as much as you like until you are full, and still be on track in your weight-loss plan. YOU ARE NOT ON A DIET. Instead you will be making satisfying food choices for yourself and your family. And those choices BEGIN when you shop for food.

Beverages do count. If you drink more than 1 soda a day, you are taking in about 100 calories that DO NOT fill you up, and they certainly aren't healthy for you. If you have to have a soda, get diet soda, or the 0 calorie sodas. You should EAT your calories, not DRINK them. Otherwise, you are wasting them. Avoid high fructose corn syrup fruit drinks. If you are craving a particular fruit taste, such as orange, try eating one instead of drinking orange juice. It contains as little as 30 calories and is filled with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and also fills you up. Don't get me wrong, while orange juice is healthy for you, it has about 120 calories, and won't fill you up at all.

Think the Special K "cereal diet" works? With 210 calories per HALF CUP, certainly nutritious, it is NOT a good weight-loss choice. Who eats half a cup of cereal in the morning, and who actually measures their cereal? I recommend these cereals: Cheerios, Kellogg's All Bran, Origanal Shredded Wheat, Fiber One, and Wheaties. Thinking about bagels? Try 400 calories easily for bagels. When choosing breads, consider buying whole grain, multigrain regular breads or light breads.

Don't feel like cooking tonight? Choose the vegatable-focused frozen meals in the 150- to 350-calories-per-package range. Weight watchers is fine.

MMMM. CANDY. My favorite. I've yet to control myself on the candy. Hard candy is better than soft candy, period. Four Snackwell's reduced fat cookies- 200 calories, 10 butterscotch candies- 200 calories. The point? You could easily eat more cookies than butterscotch candies at one time. You can suck on the candy canes, sour balls, and butterscotch candies long enough that your brain gets the "satisfaction message" longer. Recommended candies: any hard candies.

How do you choose meat? Well one 4 ounce beef burger has 360 calories, compared to 4 veggie burgers with the same amount of calories, all 4 together. I myself DO NOT like soy meat, but if it means I will lose weight, I'm game. I limit my "real meat" to one burger about every 2 weeks, you know I have to wean myself off them. And if you're thinking about fish, please don't fry it. Smoke or bake the fish, and if you wish to add flavor, season it, don't marinate it with oils.

If you pay attention to what you buy, you don't have to pay too much attention to what you eat, considering that you bought low-calorie, healthy foods. Feel free to "treat" yourself for eating low-calorie, healthy foods by going out for ice cream at your favorite ice cream parlor. Don't waste money you don't have on fad diets or weight loss programs, that only allow you to lose the weight while you are on them, but gain the weight back when you are finished with the diet. Buy healthy foods and you won't need any diet at all!