Easy Way to Lose Weight

In a world that entirely revolves around crass commercialism, weight loss has been unnecessarily complicated. Companies that sell umpteen weight loss products convince us that we cannot lose weight without spending loads of money, either on fancy diet food, myriad gadgets and equipment or expensive gym memberships. But the hype aside, losing weight is based on sound scientific principles and is exceedingly simple to do. All you need is focus, dedication and discipline.

Tweak Your Diet

A diet of fresh foods -- fruits, vegetables and whole grains -- will have you losing those pounds in no time.

Most fad diets are extremely complicated. Not only do they eliminate major food groups that will leave you deficient in nutrients, weakening you in the long term, you'll also need a calculator and a math degree to count those calories. A fad diet, no matter how popular it is, isn't something you can sustain in the long term. This is why once you lose that weight while on one of these fancy programs, it only comes rebounding back. In order to lose weight and keep it off, you'll need to formulate a diet that can become a permanant part of your lifestyle. A rule of the thumb is to reduce portion sizes; eat slowly, taking time to chew your food so that you'll remain fuller longer; and load up on fresh foods such as whole grains, vegetables, nuts and fruits. Avoid fats and oils. Instead of sugary fruit juices and canned drinks, fill up on fresh fruit instead. Dr. John Pillinger of Net Doctor advises people not to skip breakfast. Breakfast, being the first meal of the day, can rev your metabolism, helping you burn more calories and giving your body more energy. Tweak your diet with small changes that fit into your lifestyle -- for instance, swap whole milk for fat-free skim milk (it tastes just the same). Avoid colas and limit the use of margarine, butter and full-fat mayonnaise. Cut out empty calories from unhealthy treats such as cookies, ice cream and other junk foods. Eat small, frequent meals and make eating right a day-to-day event, not just something you follow rigidly while you diet.

Exercise Every Day

Choose an activity you love and stick to it.

Make exercise a part of your lifestyle. Spend at least 20 minutes to an hour working out. You can choose your own activity, be it walking outdoors or on a treadmill, kickboxing, jogging, rowing, aerobics -- anything that interests you and has enough variety so that it never seems boring. If you simply do not have time for exercise in your busy schedule (and this is a very common complaint), simply increase your activity levels during the day. Climb every stair you see instead of taking an elevator, park your car a block away from work and jog to get there on time, play with your children or toddlers. Even housework can get the blood pumping. Just stay active.

Sleep Well

Pillow time is as important as road work when it comes to weight loss. Be sure to get plenty of rest.

Chronic sleep deprivation wreaks havoc on your hormones. If you sleep for less than four hours over a prolonged period of time, your body begins to release more ghrelin (the hormone that indicates hunger) and reduces the secretion of leptin (the hormone that indicates satiety or the feeling of fullness). As a direct result of this, people tend to eat too much and yet never feel full. This will eventually lead to the condition of obesity. Sleeping well will also give your muscles a chance to repair themselves, providing you with more energy for your next workout.