Weight Loss Tips in a Nutshell!

1. Drink plenty of clean, fresh water each day: About 8-10 cups on average, or as much as you comfortably can, with and between meals. Hydrate yourself more when extremely active, in the heat and sun, or engaged in athletics.
2. Try to establish a routine and eat at the same time each day.
3. Eat slowly: Take time to savor and chew each bite of food carefully and thoughtfully.
4. Start the day with a nutritious breakfast: A whole fresh fruit (apple, banana, grapefruit, orange, papaya, pear, etc.), instead of juice. A boiled or poached egg, or serving of lowfat or nonfat plain kefir, yogurt, or cottage cheese with a sprinkling of wheat germ, ground flaxseeds, walnuts, or other nuts, or bowl of old-fashioned or steel-cut oatmeal cooked with skim milk or water, or other high-fiber cereal without sugar or flavorings added, like shredded wheat, bran flakes, kamut, cream of wheat, can keep you satisfied and prevent your blood sugar from dropping significantly for several hours.
5. At lunch and dinner, fill half or more of your plate with vegetables and/or fruit, one quarter of the plate with whole grains, and one quarter with a nutritious source of protein. Include three ounces of protein at each meal like beans, edamame, lentils, tofu, eggs, non-fat or low-fat dairy products, fish, chicken and turkey from which all skin and fat have been removed, or lean beef from which all fat has been trimmed. Protein helps to maintain steady blood glucose levels and curbs the appetite longer than carbohydrates.
6. Have a cup of unsweetened, non-caffeinated, herbal tea following dinner, with a piece of fresh fruit, instead of a rich dessert or unhealthy snack.
7. When you shop, buy unprocessed, “nutrient-dense” foods (i.e., foods with many natural nutrients, minerals, and vitamins per calorie) as close to the way Mother Nature grew them as possible. If you can afford them, choose U.S.D.A. organic foods when available, in order to reduce your intake of pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones.
8. Avoid between-meal snacks.
9. Snack on fresh vegetables and fruit, when you’re unable to avoid between-meal snacking.
10. Fill up on fresh fruits and vegetables, especially when in season and grown locally. Wholesome, unflavored, frozen versions of such produce can be just as nutritious and satisfying and often has been treated with fewer pesticides than comparable fresh produce.
11. Slowly increase your intake of foods naturally high in dietary fiber, and drink plenty of fluids, in order to avoid bloating and gas: Fruits, vegetables, whole grains (barley, brown rice, kamut, old-fashioned or steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa, shredded wheat, wheat berries, spelt or whole wheat pasta, etc.), legumes (beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds), more often. High-fiber foods can help you lose weight and maintain your weight loss, because they take longer to chew than processed foods and provide a sense of fullness and satisfaction with fewer calories. Moreover, intake of foods naturally high in dietary fiber has been associated with a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, constipation, diabetes, diverticulitis, obesity. Both edamame (soybeans) and quinoa provide compete protein. Drink extra water whenever you increase your intake of fiber-rich foods, in order to improve their digestion and facilitate passage through the intestine.
12. Make vegetables a main course.
13. Eat more beans and legumes, instead of  meat and full-fat dairy products.
14. Avoid foods containing sugar, salt, high-fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, modified food starch, artificial colorings, flavorings, or sweeteners, preservatives such as BHT, BHA, sodium benzoate (a preservative in most sodas and many processed foods), saturated animal fats, trans fats, and partially hydrogenated ingredients.
15. Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible for maximum concentration of antioxidants, fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
16. Avoid or minimize intake of foods prepared with white flour: White bread, pasta, cakes, cookies, pastries, as well as processed, and prepared foods.
17. Eat unsweetened fruit in place of juices and rich desserts.
18. Cook food in ways that reduce fat, e.g., baking, boiling, broiling, grilling, roasting, stewing. Skim any fat that solidifies on the surface after the food has been refrigerated.
19. Don’t eat in front of the TV, or while using a cell phone, computer, or other distracting technology: Enjoy your meal with family or friends, at a table or counter, focus on what you are eating, and chew slowly.
20. Turn off the TV! Sitting in front of the television lowers your metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn calories), slows circulation of blood, contributes to inflammation, heart and vascular disease, weakens your immune system, and promotes munching of extra calories and fattening snack foods.
21. Sleep longer: At least 8-10 hours of sleep  each night, to naturally improve your daily energy level, ability to focus and concentrate, and reduce fatigue, as well as, the risk of accidents and mistakes.
22. Get regular physical activity: Walk and exercise as much as possible each day, climb stairs, avoid taking the elevator or escalator whenever you can, limit how long you sit, whether in front of the computer, television, while watching a movie, or sitting in an airplane. Try to exercise at least three times a week, or get some chores done before sitting down to breakfast. Your heart, blood vessels, muscles, organs, skeleton, and waistline will all benefit. Furthermore you will concentrate, focus, and feel better, more positive, and less depressed, as well as improve your flexibility, range of motion. Encourage your friend(s), spouse, or significant other to accompany you when you go for a long walk.
23. Lift light weights periodically to improve and maintain muscle strength and tone.
24. Maintain a “diet history” by recording your daily food (and snack) intake: Try to approximate your daily calorie intake with this list. It may motivate you to select more nutrient-dense foods and discourage you from over indulging in empty calories as the day progresses.
25. “Eat to live” a heart-healthy life. “Don’t live to eat.”

References:

1. Danziger, Lucy and the staff at SELF. “Seven Secrets of Slim People.” YAHOO! HEALTH. March 22, 2011.
2. “Eat like the Greeks for better health: Mediterranean diet shown to reduce risk of cardiovascular, chronic diseases.” Heart Center News. Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Nutrition and Food Services. April 27, 2009.
3. “High-fiber Diets and Weight Loss.” WebMD: Better Information, Better Health. 2010. (Article link: http://www.webmd.com/diet/fiber-health-benefits-11/fiber-weight-control)
4. “Hippocrates.” World Book Encyclopedia. Volume 9. World Book, Inc.: Chicago, 1986. page 227.
5. Pratt, Steven and Kathy Matthews. Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life: Superfoods Rx. Harper  Collins Publishers, New York: 2004. pp. 90, 172.
6. Sizer, Frances Sienkiewicz and Ellie Whitney. Nutrition Concepts and Controversies: 11th Edition. Thomson Wadsworth, California: 2008, pp. 180-184.
7. “The Mediterranean Diet: A Better Way to Eat?” Consumer Reports on Health. Vol. 6, No. 11, November 1994.
8. “Why Should I Lose Weight?.” American Heart Association. Publication: 10/07LS1466. October, 2007.
9. Williams, Spice. “History of Health and Medicine” and “Health and Medicine Quotes.” The Spice of Life. (Source: www.spice-of-life.com/quotes.html)
10. www.americanpregnancy.org/…fishmercury.htm