The 15 Greatest Weight Loss Tips of All Time

Everybody knows what the formula for losing weight is: eat healthy, exercise and do it forever. However, anybody who’s actually ever tried to lose weight can tell you that it’s a bit more complex than that.

I found these tips in a series of posters at my doctor’s office. They are easy to remember and better yet – they work.  They don’t work overnight but they definitely help to prevent weight gain and have been good tools for me as I work on losing my two to three pounds per month. I’m not trying to fool anybody. All the tips fall into the eat-less-and-move-more category but they are easier to focus on and remember than the usual tips I have read for weight loss.

You can learn about weight loss and much more at the Montana Health & Fitness Expo and the 50+ Expo is this weekend. This two-day event is free to the public courtesy of Cook Travel Station and is designed for you to focus on wellness and quality of life.

Now, for those 15 tips:

1. Quench your thirst with water or other no-calorie fluids. Soft drinks are loaded with calories, so try ice water, healthy juices, or flavor-infused tea when you need a beverage. This is really working for me. Often I am thirsty when I felt hungry.
2. Consider what to add to your diet, not what you need to eliminate. Adding fruits and vegetables is a great place to start. When I focus on what to cut out of my diet I get sad, then I get mad. Focusing on what to put in is a much better strategy for some personality types.
3. Understand and look out for physical signs of hunger.  Sometimes you eat when you’re bored or depressed, not necessarily because you actually need to.  When you eat when you’re hungry, you feel better. When you eat to satiate some other feeling, you’re never satisfied.
4. Pick healthy nighttime snacks.  Instead of fatty chips or ice cream, try low-calorie, low-sugar substitutes when you’re watching the tube.
5. Don’t cut out your favorite foods.  Instead, watch your serving sizes. You can enjoy your faves, but moderation is the key.
6. Avoid stockpiling tempting treats in your house. If you absolutely have to have ice cream or something sweet, take a trip to an ice cream parlor or a bakery to get it.  I find the act of going to get the treat is good for my mind.  And, I won’t get a triple serving in public.
7. Eat smaller meals several times a day.  Break your calorie intake into smaller chunks and you’ll be less constantly hungry, will be better able to eat fewer calories. Also, try to eat as many of your meals and snacks as early in the day as possible.  Dinner should be your last meal.
8. Always Eat Protein.  Eat protein with every meal. Getting enough protein facilitates fat burn, helps to build muscle and keeps you feeling full longer.
9. Kick the spice up a notch. Spicing up your food adds flavor and makes it more satisfying so you eat less.  Spicy food also slows you down. It’s hard to gobble down a double serving when your sweating and your nose is running.
10. Fill your pantry with healthy convenience foods. Having snacks on hand discourages those trips to the McDonald's drive-through.
11. Go for child-size portions when eating out.  Ordering small sandwiches and kid’s pizzas is an easy way to cut down the calories.
12. Eat seasonally. Buy fruits and vegetables when they are in season. They’ll be at their freshest and most flavorful then.
13. Kick pasta to the curb for vegetables. Starchy foods have a ton of calories.  Replace them with vegetables and watch the pounds melt away.
14. Find non-food ways to deal with stress.  Instead of chowing down on cookies or ice cream when you’re stressed, try reading, listening to music or going for a walk.  Try a hobby that keeps your hands busy.
15. You've got to move. Eating right is only half the attack plan. Being physically active will help burn the fat. It also promotes better sleep and improves how you feel overall. Don’t use exercise as a punitive measure. Instead focus on how it makes you feel.

Editor’s Note: Adella Sutton is not a medical professional. She is an avid reader, Googler, magazine subscriber, blog-devouring, Pinterest-loving collector of information. This article is an amalgamation of information gleaned from those sources. Much of it is common sense, paying attention to what her doctor says and things she the gym. Pay attention to your own doctor and his or her medical advice. Her hope with this article is that you will take control of your own health and well-being.