Top Ten Weight Loss Tips: What Really Works for Normal People

What do you need to do to lose weight? Take time to think through the process before you begin, and you'll have greater weight loss success.

1. Identify your Addictions - I know, I know. "Addictions" just sounds like such a harsh word. But I have to admit that for me, in my personal weight loss journey, this was a crucial step. I had to analyze my daily habits and see just what was keeping me heavier than I wanted to be. How did I do this? It was pretty simple. I just jotted down whatever I ate and drank for a few days in a row. In the back of my head, I already had an idea what things were keeping the extra pounds on. But getting it in the notebook helped me see really clearly that certain perpetual habits were loading on extra calories every day. For example, one of my worst habits was my morning routine: grab some fast food breakfast at McDonalds to eat in the car, then buy a venti mocha at Starbucks to get me through the morning. I was getting tons of fat and sugar calories, sabotaging my health, and spending way too much money! Definitely an unhealthy habit that had to go.

So the first step you need to take in your weight loss journey is to identify your addictions. What is holding you up, that just has to be done away with?

2. Replace the Addictions - The second step in weight loss is to replace your addictions. Why do I say "replace" instead of "abolish"? Simple. You're a real person, just like me. If you suddenly are deprived of something that was offering a great deal of comfort, and you don't replace it with something else, you'll likely get really depressed and just go back to the old addiction. So when you identify some bad habit that's just got to go, replace it with something you still enjoy...something healthier.

For example, when I realized how my bad morning habits were affecting my health and weight, I decided to replace them with something healthier. Every morning I would scramble a couple of eggs with cheese and eat a piece of fruit instead of my normal McDonald's breakfast, the cheese and sausage mcmuffin and hash browns. Then I would swing by Starbucks and pick up a small, skim drink (some kind that was still "yummy" to my taste buds) rather than the larger, full of fat version that packed so many more calories in! Even by just changing my morning habits, I made a big cut in my fat and calorie intake for each day, and helped to start reaching my weight loss goal!

3. Eat Lots of "Green" and "Yellow" - And no, we're not talking about candy here! If you want to lose weight, you've got to drastically increase your vegetable intake, particularly of the deep green and bright orange/yellow sort. That stuff is so good for you, and plus it's super filling with loading up your body with spare calories to store. For example, did you know that 1/3 a cup of spinach has 120% of your required Vitamin A intake for a day? Wow! Now I admit, vegies aren't always the tastiest thing, but you can experiment to find flavors you like. In fact, this is so important if you ever want to lose weight: try new things, and experiment. If you don't ever try new things, how will you stop eating the old things that are putting extra weight on you?

When I decided to start adding tons of vegies to my diet, I really wasn't the greatest cook. But I started trying out new flavors and combinations of spices. I discovered that one taste I liked was boiled spinach with a dash of salt and balsamic vinaigrette: sweet and tangy at the same time! And at a mere 60 calories per cup, I couldn't complain. And neither could my receding waistline.

So stock up on the vegies. Your skin will thank you. Your overall health will thank you. And you will be overjoyed to start fitting into clothes that were a little too tight, and to see the numbers on the bathroom scale decreasing week by week!

4. Develop a New Drinking Problem - Start drinking tons of water. First thing you do when you get up in the morning. Just walk out to the sink (or your Brita water filter) and drink two big glasses. Then go from there! You will have to visit the bathroom often, perhaps, but it's worth it! Water not only gives you a full feeling that pushes cravings away, but your body desperately needs it. Water revitalizes every cell of every organ of your body. It is crucial for good health and proper function of every part of your body.

There are practical ways to keep stocked up on water. Get yourself a nice water bottle that holds 20 or more ounces of water and carry it with you throughout the day. You'll drink more just having the water accessible. And when you have the chance to choose between soda and water, choose water. If you just love the sweet flavor, try various varieties of mineral water or vitamin water that are available at any grocery or convenience store. Trust me, getting in the water habit is one more thing you won't regret. And when your body is well stocked on water, you'll find yourself needing fewer other drinks that are chock full of sugar and calories, like Coke, hot chocolate and even orange juice.

5. Groove and Move - Some people are more sedentary than other people, just by preference. Maybe you love hiking and mountain trekking. Or maybe your favorite idea of fun is just to curl up on the couch and read a book. Whatever your preference, you can certainly find some kind of movement you enjoy. Think about it: the options are endless! Do you enjoy rollerblading? Hiking? Just getting outside on a beautiful day for a walk? How about kick-boxing? Downhill skiing? Swimming? Brake dancing with your blinds shut so the neighbors can't see? Whatever it is, if it gets your body moving, then do it! And do it regularly!

For me, joining the local YMCA proved to be helpful in getting active. I liked being able to hop on the treadmill and read a book, using the handy book holders the Y provided. Then, the plethora of weight and resistance training machines made it easy to work my various muscle groups. Of course, gym memberships aren't for everyone: some people find them uncomfrotable, stifling, or expensive. But find something active that works for you. If you're a normal person (and most of us are), you need to at least somewhat enjoy something to keep it going. And since you want to lose the weight and keep it off, and become healthier overall, finding an activity you can enjoy and continue in is key!

6. Get a Buddy - Sometimes this is easier said than done. But think about it. Do you have a family member or friend who is a little heavy and has ever mentioned, even in an offhand way, the desire to lose weight? If so, go talk to this person and just tell them that you're planning to lose some weight. See if they want to join you, and talk about ways you can encourage one another in reaching your goals. There's nothing as encouraging as having a friend to help you along in the journey!

7. Identify "Bad" vs. "Good" foods - How well do you really know what's healthy for you? I found that when it comes to making food choices, a little education can go a long way. I looked through my cupboards and fridge, writing everything down, then went online to research whether or not I was eating as healthfully as I could. Boy, did I learn something! Researching the foods that were a regular part of my diet helped my identify which ones were "empty" calories (basmati rice, white pasta just to name a couple) and which ones I could stand to eat a lot more of (like tuna and dark green leaf lettuce). Based on what I read, I felt more informed in making eating decisions.

8. Replace "Bad" with "Good" food - This is a slightly different twist on the earlier advice on replacing bad addictions/habits with good. Since some food replacements are a matter of expense, and since you might be preparing food for a family rather than just one or two people, you can't always just reupholster your whole eating program at home. But you can make some changes without too much extra expense, changes that will affect your health, vibrancy and weight for the better.

For example, replace white breads with whole grain, simple carbs with more complex ones, red meat with fish. Even if you don't replace ALL your bad foods with good foods, make purposeful changes. For example, decide to have fish one night a week rather than red meat. Weight loss is a journey, where every step counts. So take one step in the right direction!

9. Prepare for Emergency Situations - They happen all the time. Once you start a weight-loss journey in earnest, you'll see just what I mean. Every day, sometimes every hour it seems, something will try to sabotage your attempts to eat more healthfully and lose weight! The best way to avoid these pitfalls is to think through them and have an emergency plan. For example, if you know that someone brings doughnuts to work every morning and you're used to grabbing one just to have something to eat, bring with a "first aid" supply kit to replace the doughnuts. Exactly what healthy replacement snack you will use depends on what you like, but figure out something with higher nutritional content, less fat and fewer calories, and then enjoy that!

Another emergency situation commonly faced is the restaurant. Especially if you work, there are always social eating obligations: coffee with a friend, lunch with the firm, or whatever. In any case, firmly plant in your mind the fact that you can make healthy eating choices no matter where you are! There are few places nowadays that do not serve low carb or lower calorie options. Even if they do not have a special section on the menu for such items, think through ingredients in your mind and choose items that are grilled or baked rather than those that are fried or that are served in rich, creamy sauces.

Of course, as a normal person, you probably will feel cheated if you never even get chicken alfredo or whatever you favorite "naughty" dish is. So every once in a while, splurge. But plan your splurge ahead of time. Before you go out to eat, think about it and decide either "I am going to be careful what I eat here," or "This is going to be the one time this week that I let myself indulge in something I just looooove." And even when you do decide to indulge, do so in moderation. If you take slow bites and savor the flavor, you'll be amazed how satisfying even one stuffed pasta pillow can be. Really, I'm serious!

10. You Are Beautiful - Why do I say this? I say it last, and certainly not least, because it's so easy to forget. But it is true, and when you forget it and become discouraged, you are almost assured to fail in reaching your weight loss goals. Maybe I'm just speaking to women here (most men I know don't long to be beautiful), but women need to be reminded: even if you are overweight, you have a beautiful feminine body that has awesome curves and that is totally YOU! So love the body you are in and just start taking care of it. Aim to have better health and to eat better so that you can live a more comfortable and vibrant life. But realize that all along the way, from the beginning of the journey to the end, you are you--and you are beautiful. People will tell you along the way "You look great!" But you need to remember that you are far more than meets they eye. Beyond just the body, you are also a soul. And you have aspired to many dreams - some of them far greater than just trying to lose some weight - that make you the amazing, beautiful person you are!

So, take these tips and run with them as well as you can. I hope they prove helpful to you as they have to me, but as you go along your way, never forget who you are on the inside. An inner purpose and sense of worth will fuel your aspirations, both for losing weight and for doing greater things, better than anything else!