10 basic weight loss principles of individuals who successfully lost weight and kept it off.

1) They consume an abundance of fruits & veggies – these foods are low in calories but high in nutrients.

2) They fill up on fiber – fiber contains few if any calories and adds bulk to food so it assists in creating a feeling of fullness on less calories.

3) They consume a low-fat diet – individuals tend to overeat when presented with higher fat foods. Try to keep the fat percentage of your total food intake below 25%.

4) They are selective in their proteins eating only low-fat proteins such as nonfat dairy, egg whites, fish, lean meats, legumes, & seeds. These high quality proteins increase satiety level & alertness over carbohydrates.

5) They drink lots of fluids – when the body is craving water those signals might be misinterpreted as hunger.

6) They watch portion distortion – eating establishments serve serving sizes that are 2-8 times more than serving sizes compared to 25years ago. This has influenced serving sizes of what individuals prepare at home. When dining out individuals who are successful at their weight loss efforts take ½ of their entrée home and watch portion sizes when preparing home cooked meals.

7) They never skip breakfast – consuming breakfast jumpstarts one’s metabolism whereas skipping breakfast has the reverse effect and slows down one’s metabolism. In fact, 78% of individuals who have successfully lost weight and kept it off eat breakfast every day.

8) They feel all foods are fair game when eaten in moderation!

9) Many of those successful dieters food journal their food intake – food journaling is the first thing many nutritionists and personal trainers recommend when meeting with a client for the first time and many believe food journaling is the single most important tool to losing weight. It helps you discover food habits you may not have realized you have.

10) They exercise, exercise, exercise – watching what you eat without exercising is like going to school but not doing your homework – you must do both to get the best results.