Weight loss often comes with a lot of baggage when you do not go about it in the right way. If you take on crash diets, you will lose weight, but you will also lose that healthy glow on your skin that once attracted people to you. You will feel more irritable, you will snap more often and when you start putting on weight and your clothes will start getting tighter, you will not only be disappointed but you will also regret resisting all those meals that you looked at longingly for so long but could not get near your lips.

Instead of stressing your mind and your body, why not be wise and identify ideas that can help you lose weight in a smart and healthy way. These tips are for those people who are serious about their weight lose goal and for those who wish to make it a lifestyle and who are not just doing it so that they can fit into that really tiny dress they have their eyes on for New Year’s Eve.

Stay Friendly!
A common misconception about weight loss is that if you cut calories from your diet, you will lose weight. However, this is just half the truth. Your body needs some amount of calories to function, and if you cut these out completely, you are going to feel incomplete, irritable and not be able maintain the best of spirits.

Plan Ahead
Most people find excuses to take on healthy alternatives for weight loss, and the most common excuse of them all is ‘there is just not enough time’. Well, there is never enough time for anything, if it is important to you, you have to make time. Planning your meals ahead can help you find and save a lot of time in the bargain. Simply set aside an hour for shopping for health food over the weekend and dedicate a few hours after, making healthy marinades and cutting vegetables so that you do not have to invest so much energy when you are cooking meals through the week.

You will indeed be amazed at how this simple tip can help you lose weight and stay healthy.

Muscle Tussle
If you start losing weight, without putting on any, there is a risk that you will lose muscle tissue. Muscles need twice as many calories to be maintained and these pay an important role in keeping your body up to speed to burn calories as you work out.

The trick is to maintain muscle so that you can continue to burn calories when you work out. You can do this by indulging in strength exercise 2 – 3 times a week and eating a diet that is rich in proteins like fish, soy, lean meat, poultry and non fat dairy products.

Total Deprivation Does Not Work
Motivation to lose weight has to be strong, however, it also has to be realistic. When you set goals for yourself, you should be able to meet them. Setting yourself up for failure is not the best way to go. So, pick activities that fit into your lifestyle. If you are not a morning person, setting an alarm week after week for 5 am, so that you can go for a powerful run, is going to make your miserable. If you are foodie, staying away from all things that make you salivate is really not going to help your weight loss goals.

Instead, consult a holistic nutritionist, let them study your lifestyle and diet patterns and prescribe you a plan that will help you lose weight and stay fit.