Weight Loss Tips: A Diet You Can Live With And Afford!

By MySpendingPlan.com Editorial Staff

Many of us, at some point in our lives, try to lose weight but give up because following a diet is too hard or too expensive!  However, weight loss does not have to be hard.  Below are some weight loss tips that will help you to shed that unwanted fat, without slimming your wallet in the process.

Weight Loss Tips

There is way too much information available about diet and nutrition nowadays, especially online.  Most of this information can be quite confusing and often contradictory.  For instance, the Atkins Diet allows you to eat all the protein that you want as well as high fat foods, as long as you eat no carbohydrates (bad or good).  But this goes against everything you’ve ever heard and read about weight loss.  That is why you need to educate yourself about different types of diets, but then pick one (or a combination of many) that best suits your body – listen to your body.  Check out SouthBeachDiet.com for some great diet advice and guided help.  Also check out the nutrition information at the Harvard School of Public Health website.

Here are some diet tips that we have seen to work well on most people.

• Seriously cut down on or eliminate your “bad” carbohydrate intake (simple and refined carbohydrates).  Do NOT believe anyone who tells you otherwise.  Stick to complex carbohydrates (good carbs) such as whole grain bread, most vegetables, brown rice, fruits, multi grains, etc., and avoid bad carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, white sugar, regular pasta, potatoes, corn, sugary snacks, cakes, pastries and sodas with sugar.  Notice how eating this stuff can make you sleepy?  That is because it jacks up your blood sugar which then plummets quickly – a surefire way to gain weight.
• Believe it or not, the healthy stuff is cheaper than the packaged and processed junk in the long run.
• Have at least 8-10 glasses of water everyday.  When thirsty, opt for water instead of a soda or other sugary drink.  In addition to doing wonders for your weight and health, regular water does not cost anything either!  Put Splenda in your coffee, tea or dessert instead of sugar – it tastes great.
• Consume at least 4-5 servings of vegetables everyday.
• Eat only lean meat.  Eat chicken without the skin, very lean cuts of beef and pork and try to eat more fish.  Most fish contain fewer calories than other meats and the omega 3 fatty acids contained in fish are very good for your health too!  Omega 3 supplements are great too if you are worried about the mercury content in fish.  Flaxseed oil is a great one.
• Butter, many margarines, etc. are  mostly bad fats (saturated fats) and should be avoided.  However, you should consume good fats such as olive oil, canola oil, and those that are available in fish (these are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats).  Nuts and avocados are also excellent sources of good fat, which helps in weight loss and does not hinder it.  But don’t overdo it, fats of any kind are still high in calories.
• No “trans fats”!  Food labels are now required to tell you about these.
• Try to buy organic food if possible.  It contains a lot more nutrients than inorganic foods and is also great for weight loss.
• Do not totally cut out chocolates from your diet– real dark chocolate (high cocoa content) is really good for you in moderation.  If you force yourself to give up things that you love, you will never be able to stick to your diet long enough for it to show any results.  Instead, set goals for yourself and when you meet those goals, treat yourself with your favorite foods, in moderation.
• Alcohol does not have to be cut out of your diet completely, although if you can, that’s great.  You can enjoy the occasional glass of red wine.  Try to avoid beer though, it’s full of bad carbs (yes, I know it will be really difficult to do so, but try!), and never drink on a totally empty stomach.
• Don’t waste your money on all those fad weight loss products out there (there are some genuine ones too), but do take a multivitamin everyday.  Avoid supplements and diet pills that are really just caffeine or other drugs, like ephedra, that make your heart race.
• Never skip meals in an effort to lose weight – eat several little meals instead.  This will only make your metabolism sluggish, which in turn will make it harder to lose weight.  Think of your metabolism as a fire that constantly needs a little fuel sprinkled on it.  Throw on too much and it will smolder.
• If you have diabetes, you should follow a diabetic diet which is designed to take into consideration your special needs.

The bottom line in any weight loss plan is that you have to consume less calories than you burn (hello exercise!) – there is no magic bullet.  However, what is equally important is that the calories come from the right foods and not food which is high in saturated fat or simple carbohydrate content.  In addition to a proper diet, you also have to make exercise a part of your daily routine.  Proper nutrition and exercise is the best way to optimum fitness and health for the long haul.