If you'd like to drop a few pounds, there's no need to spend big bucks on expensive programs or products. While weight loss depends on consuming fewer calories than you burn, there are a few secrets that can help you reach your goals without compromising your health.
Eating Enough
Though it sounds counter-intuitive, one of the secrets to weight loss is eating enough. If you don't give your body enough calories, it responds by slowing down your metabolism in order to prevent starvation, according to MayoClinic.com. The standard recommendation is no fewer than 1,200 calories, however, nutritionist Janis Jibrin -- quoted by Good Housekeeping magazine -- recommends never to go lower than 1,500 calories, so that you will have enough fuel to exercise.
Staying Hydrated
Drinking enough water can help you lose weight. This is because the body responds to mild dehydration by clamping down on your kidneys, pulling water out of your urine, according to University of Maryland Medical Center nutritionist Andrea Wenger Hess. This can lead to water weight gain. Drink at least eight cups of water a day, more if you're engaging in intense exercise.
Getting Enough Sleep
If you're not getting enough shut-eye, you may be compromising your weight-loss efforts. Sleep deprivation increases appetite by disrupting the balance of leptin and ghrelin, two body chemicals that control hunger at satiety, according to the American Council on Exercise, ACE. The ACE also reports that chronic sleep deprivation -- defined as less than seven hours per night -- is an increased risk for other health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Eating Your Favorite Foods
Though you need to be aware of your caloric intake, don't ban foods you truly enjoy. Banning foods you really love leads to feelings of deprivation and cravings, which can tempt you to abandon your goals, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. Instead, University of Maryland Medical Center assistant clinical professor of medicine Pamela Peeke recommends eating 100 to 200 calories a day of the high-calorie foods you really like.
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