Healthy Permanent Weight Loss Strategies that Work

Is healthy permanent weight loss possible for you? Do you know what it takes? Are you willing to make the necessary lifestyle changes?

In our super-size, eat-on-the-run, death-by-chocolate society, healthy permanent weight loss can be a real battle. And winning the battle of the bulge takes weight loss strategies that work and die-hard commitment.

By now, we all know that nobody wins with fad diets and quick fixes. So, what are healthy permanent weight loss strategies that work? Here's the strategic battle plan you need to stick with it through thick and thin.

7 Healthy Permanent Weight Loss Strategies that Work

These healthy weight loss strategies that work are based on studies of people who lost weight and kept it off to maintained healthy permanent weight loss for at least seven years.

1. Start keeping good records. To face the challenge, you need to know what's going on. Mindlessness will get you nowhere. Write down everything you eat and drink and exercise times. At first you won't like what you see, but clarity and awareness can gradually move you forward.

2. Make a long-term commitment. "Permanent" means you won’t be done in twelve weeks or even twelve years. Healthy permanent weight loss is about making a commitment to lifestyle changes for the long haul.

3. Plan your strategy and do it. What are you going to eat tomorrow? How can you handle family meals, work lunches and travel? What about emotional cravings? List your challenges and create solutions.

4. Pay attention to your calories. To lose a pound a week requires cutting about 500 calories a day. Almost everyone who achieves permanent weight loss counts calories – usually by writing them down.

5. Increase your physical activity. Exercise burns calories. Most people who lose weight and keep it off exercise between 30 minutes and an hour a day. If you're squirming over those figures, realize you can start out slowly. Any amount of exercise is better than none at all.

6. Keep yourself motivated. Maintaining motivation is the biggest challenge. You can't be at the affect of your moods, failures or the numbers on the scale. Take time to nurture yourself, get enough rest and find healthy entertainment that doesn't involve food indulgence.

7. Eat a healthy high fiber diet. People who lose weight and keep it off tend to eat a healthy, moderately low-fat (25-30% of calories) high fiber diet. Here are more eating guidelines for healthy weight loss.

* Eat early and often. A healthy breakfast and 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day will jumpstart your metabolism, stabilize your blood sugar and ward off hunger pangs.

* Focus on vegetables. The low calories and high fiber, water and nutritional content of most vegetables make them more fulfilling and nutritious at a lower calorie cost.

* Upgrade your carbs. Switch from refined carbohydrates to whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds. They provide sustained natural energy and have much more fiber, so you feel fuller longer.

* Pad with protein. Protein helps keep you feeling full, so include some with every meal. Choose omega 3 fish, lean poultry, beans, whole grains and nuts.

* Drink more water. By replacing soda, coffee and alcohol with water, you can easily reduce your calorie intake.

* Take a multivitamin. Good quality supplements (not weight loss products) can fill the nutritional gaps in your diet and contribute to better natural energy and health.

Success in using these healthy permanent weight loss strategies will make you look and feel better and reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, arthritis, some cancers, diabetes and many other health problems.