Tips on Losing Weight for Women

Sixty-six percent of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, reports the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. These drastic numbers come from eating too much or inactivity. Weight loss requires a deficit of calories, meaning you must use more calories daily than you take in. It is possible for women to achieve weight loss without obsessing or restricting.

Hydrate

• Water possesses numerous benefits for weight loss and overall health, so when trying to lose weight, it's essential to drink plenty of water. It's possible to confuse thirst with hunger, so you may mistakenly consume extra calories in food to satiate the thirst.

Stock up on Healthy Snacks

• Keep healthy snacks like fruit, nuts and popcorn in your kitchen and at your desk at work to minimize the chance of making unhealthy choices. Snacking will help maintain a satisfied feeling, making you less likely to make unhealthy decisions based on being overly hungry. If possible, make meals to bring to work. Not only will you control calories in your meal, but you'll also save money by not eating out daily.

Keep a Log

• Log the foods you're eating in a daily food journal to ensure you're including all your necessary proteins and starches while staying within your ideal calorie range. You can use results from websites like FreeDieting.com as a guideline to determine your daily caloric needs for fat loss. The website also offers a calories-burned activity calculator so you can ensure your activity level is sufficient for weight-loss success.

Add Instead of Take Away

• Instead of spending time thinking about what you're not allowed to have, focus on what you want to include in your diet. Fit more fruits and vegetables in your daily diet. In addition to disease-prevention qualities of produce, fruits and vegetables displace fat and will cause dieters to consume less, reports WebMD.com.

Size Control

• Pay attention to the amount of food that you're consuming. Use a smaller plate to make smaller portions appear larger. Use smaller spoons to eat soups or ice cream. It will take longer for you to finish the food, giving you the impression that you're actually eating more than you are.

Have Fun

• Find an exercise partner to keep you motivated and try new things. Take group classes at a gym or create a "competition" with your partner based on what you enjoy (e.g., racquetball play-off, mile-long race, dance off, swimming matches). Make other small, fun changes like substituting a stability ball for your chair at work--you won't even realize you're exercising when you maintain stability or bounce up and down at your desk.

Avoid Mechanical Eating

• Women's involvement in grocery shopping or cooking can often prompt mechanical eating. Through taste testing while cooking, it's estimated that women can consume upwards of 300 calories, according to Weight Loss Help and Tips. Samples at the grocery store can stack up calorically, too. Chewing gum can minimize the amount of calories consumed when grocery shopping or cooking. Since the average stick of gum contains seven to 10 calories and you burn 11 calories per hour by chewing gum, if you keep the same stick in your mouth for 60 minutes you're actually "burning" calories while avoiding extra food consumption.

Practice the Three-Bite Rule

• One way to allow for "cheats" when losing weight is by following the three-bite rule. The rule is ideal for vacations or special occasions where you may encounter sweet or sinful dishes. Don't deny yourself--simply allow for three bites. The first bite allows you to experience the taste, and the last bite allows you to savor the flavor. You'll also be less likely to overindulge, since you won't be afraid of "never having the food again."