How To Lose Weight Loss Diet Nutrition Tips Guide

How To Lose Weight And Overcome Your Urges

By Myfawny Craighter

Registered dietician Deborah Rhodes says the secret of how to lose weight involves making positive behavioral modifications. "Too often, we focus on what to eliminate, when instead the approach should be positive -- what can be added to your diet to make it healthier," she explains.

For instance, we can focus on using more herbs in place of salt, more low-fat dairy products instead of drinks, new vegetables cooked in new ways, different varieties of beans, whole-grain breads and try incorporating at least one vegetarian meal a week.

Family meals should be a priority, she says, and they should be planned in advance.

Beware Of Attempts To Sabotage Your Weight Loss Program

One of the first rules of healthy weight loss is to review your options and fight your own natural urges to snack senselessly. "Whether you need to lose 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 50 pounds, there are probably some little subtle habits you’re doing, you’re not even aware of it, and they’re totally undermining, sabotaging your best attempts to lose weight," says health expert Elizabeth Somer.

In her books -- Food and Mood and The Eating Your Way To Happiness diet -- Somer advises that you make a pact with yourself to avoid eating anything that isn’t on a plate. "Every mouthful averages about 25 calories, so four mindless bites in a day, and you’ll gain a pound in a month," she explains. Portion control doesn’t come instinctively, but it’s an important part of how to lose weight naturally.

Healthy Food At Fast Food Restaurants

Many people trying to learn how to lose weight are dismayed to find out they’ve been making all the wrong decisions, even when they think they’re "being healthy."

For instance, the "healthy" selections at fast food chains or restaurants still add inches to our waistlines if we’re not careful about planning out the rest of our meals.

For example, the Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken at McDonald’s still has 430 calories and 20 grams of fat -- which is almost double that of a small fry, strawberry sundae or hamburger.

Fat Free Labels On Food Products

At the grocery store, we sometimes skim through products and take "fat-free" labels at face value, even though consumers regularly eat up to 50% more of these low-fat alternatives, thus negating their value.

Dr. Brian Wansink, Cornell food psychologist and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, says that we can lose weight naturally, but we have to overcome these natural urges to keep eating long after the nutritional party is over.

Dividing Your Plate

Nutritionist Elizabeth Somer says learning how to lose weight and overcome your urges can be done with the following natural weight loss information.

First, divide your plate up properly -- 1/4 for starch, 1/4 for protein and 1/2 for fruit and vegetables. "I’ve had clients lose up to 30 pounds, and all they did was include two servings of a colorful fruit or vegetable at every meal and at least one at every snack," Somer explains.

Limit Your Portion Sizes And Never Skip Breakfast

Next, use a small, crowded plate to limit your portion sizes without even realizing it. The same goes for drinking glasses: choose tall and thin over short and fat. Thirdly, buy smaller packages or store the extra portions in Tupperware containers immediately after cooking to avoid temptation.

Fourth, sip soup. "If you have a bowl of broth-based soup before a meal, it fills you up, and people tend to eat anywhere from 150 to 200 calories less at the meal," says Somer. With the water, fiber and protein in soup, you’re bound to lose weight naturally. The last bit of advice is simple: eat breakfast.

According to Somer, "We have hundreds of studies showing repeatedly that people that skip breakfast are much more likely to overeat later in the day."

This Article was about How To Lose Weight.

Please Note: All information given on this site is for general information purposes and is not to replace any medical opinion or medical diagnosis given by a qualified medical doctor, a dietitian/nutritional expert or any other medical expert, as individual circumstances may vary. Please see your medical doctor, before any action is taken to alleviate symptoms.

About the Author:
Myfawny Craighter is an author of articles on weight loss, diet, nutrition and eating disorders including Diet Information, Weight Loss Success, Body Fat, Fat Scales, Special Diets, Herbal Weight Loss, Eating Disorders, Binge Eating.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles coming soon.

Did You Know?

It is hard being overweight. First you have to pay more for clothing in bigger sizes. Then you have to pay more for your insurance because your are a health risk. Some jobs may not hire you because you are overweight. It may be discrimination but being overweight is dangerous.

You put your health at risk by not being healthy. And even worse...you may be teaching your children bad eating habits that will plague them for the rest of their lives. Natural weight loss is the real answer to losing weight. You can do it safely and without the yo-yo dieting.