Diet & Fat Loss Tips

There are numerous diet systems and weight loss gimmicks on the market, but ultimately, to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you consume. According to James Anderson from Colorado State University, about 50 million Americans begin a weight loss diet each year, but only around 5 percent achieve sustainable weight loss. Referring to a list of weight loss tips can help support your efforts and contribute to success in losing weight and keeping it off.

Eat Low-Energy-Dense Foods

The best way to create the calorie deficit needed to reduce body fat is through a combination of dietary changes and exercise. However, it is not necessary to eat less. If you start each meal with a large salad or bowl of vegetable soup, your total calorie intake is likely to be about 12 percent less than with higher calorie choices. Low-energy-dense foods such as fruits, salads and fresh vegetables can be eaten in large quantities, as they contain very few calories. To consume the 200 calories provided by 1.8 oz. of Cheddar cheese, you would need to eat a whole pound of baby carrots.

Get Moving

Exercising will help you achieve your weight loss goals, but if you do not like the idea of joining a sports club or going to the gym, you will be pleased to hear that simply moving more throughout the day can also have a positive impact on your waistline. Research by the Mayo Clinic's Dr. James Levine found that subjects who performed some everyday tasks manually burned around 100 to 200 extra calories. Leave the car at home when you're only traveling short distances. Walking at a brisk pace can burn off the calories. Turn off the dishwasher, as 20 minutes spent washing dishes by hand uses around 45 calories.

Drink Water

There are several reasons that it's vital to drink adequate water when on a diet. To burn calories efficiently, your body needs water. If you are not drinking enough, the fat-burning process will be slower. Drinking a large glass of water before a meal can help prevent overeating, and many times what you originally thought of as hunger may, in fact, have been thirst. A 2003 German study found that participants who consumed 64 oz. of water daily lost around 95 calories extra per day. Over a year, this equates to almost 10 lbs. of fat loss.

Eliminate Distractions

Dieters should only eat from a plate, while seated in an environment without distractions. If you eat while watching TV or while standing in your kitchen, it is "mindless eating," and your body does not fully register that you have eaten. Therefore, you will be likely to experience cravings for more food a short time later. Don't eat when dieting unless you are seated -- not even a small snack.