Tips For Weight Loss At Home

In order to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume each day. While a gym membership, access to a personal trainer and the ability to hire a nutritionist make weight loss easier, you can lose weight entirely on your own. Making even small changes to your diet and exercise routine will improve your results and help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking water aids in weight loss, so drink plenty of fluids to stay on track. The body has difficulty distinguishing between hunger and thirst. If you do not drink enough water, you may eat more food than necessary, making it difficult to lose weight. A study conducted by Dr. Brenda Davy of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University showed that participants who drank water before meals ate 75 fewer calories, on average, during that meal. This study, titled Water Consumption Reduces Energy Intake at a Breakfast Meal in Obese Older Adults, appeared in the July 2008 issue of "Journal of the American Dietetic Association."

Buy Healthful Snacks

Filling your cupboards and refrigerator with potato chips, processed foods and other unhealthy snacks increases the temptation to stray from your diet and overeat. Set yourself up for success by buying fresh fruits, raw vegetables and other low-fat, low-calorie snacks. Good options include air-popped popcorn, celery sticks, carrot sticks, apples, watermelon and oranges.

Start Walking

Walking offers an easy way to ease into exercise and start burning calories. This low-impact exercise improves endurance and increases your physical fitness. Other benefits of walking include reduced blood pressure, increased levels of healthy cholesterol, lower levels of bad cholesterol, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and improved mood. The Mayo Clinic recommends walking for 30 to 60 minutes each day on most days of the week.

Improvise for Exercise

You do not need expensive gym equipment to start an exercise routine. Improvise with items you already have in your home to increase your strength and burn calories. Instead of buying free weights, fill a one-gallon water jug and use it as a weight. Use the wall for resistance when performing resistance exercise. Run up and down the steps of your home instead of investing in a stair stepper.

Eat Smaller Meals

Eating smaller meals helps to reduce the number of calories and the amounts of fat, sodium and cholesterol you consume each day. Measure your portions with a food scale to keep track of how much you eat at each meal. Use a smaller dinner plate to reduce the amount of food you eat. The Small Plate Movement recommends eating off of a 10-in. plate for your largest meal each day.

Swap Flavor for Calories

Butter and cream sauces add fat and calories to chicken, fish and other dishes. Swap out the extra calories for added flavor by substituting herbs and sodium-free seasonings for butter, margarine and other sauces. Add garlic powder, rosemary, chives, parsley and other seasonings to your favorite dishes.