10 Step Diet

Almost everyone is looking to shed a few pounds. The problem is, not many have the discipline to stick to a diet. Too many people try too hard to lost those pounds only to end up fat and frustrated. If you look at these steps and follow them, you will begin to feel better about yourself and start to lose the weight that you want.

Normality

• If you think you can just jump into a diet and lose 10 pounds in a week, you are sadly mistaken. A diet is something that is going to take time, despite what some weight loss television ads tell you. The key to weight loss is to try to keep your diet as normal as possible while making the minimal amount of changes that you can. Let's face it, if you can't eat what you want, you're going to be miserable and more likely to stop your diet.

Minimize Carbs

• Carbohydrates are the bane of any dieter's existence. The first thing you need to do is take in a little of these little lovelies as possible. These are mostly found in breads. That is not to say to cut carbs out of your diet completely, just minimize them. A simple way to lower your carb intake is simply to switch to whole wheat products such as breads and pastas. This is not going to eliminate carbs, but it will reduce them.

Portion Control

• The biggest problem people have with dieting is the size of the portions they eat. Many people no longer look at the side of the box anymore that says how big a portion is. If you want to be successful in your diet, you will need to limit the amount of food you intake. Don't just pile the food high on your plate. Instead, get yourself a scale and some measuring cups. If the box says that a portion of instant mashed potatoes is 5 oz., measure out 5 oz. and stick to that measurement when eating.

Count Calories

• Along with portion control, you need to worry about how many calories you are eating. The difference in calorie count between whole and skim milk is staggering (about 83 calories for skim vs. 145 for whole), for example. So instead of having that whole milk on your cereal, why not switch to skim? If you need help counting calories, www.acaloriecounter.com is a great help.

Water

• Water is the only thing you can put into your body that has absolutely no calories or additives. So, drink as much of it as you can. Not only will it flush out your system and cause the toxins in your body to be expelled, but it will also fill you up so that you are less hungry.

Fruits and Veggies

• Try and get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Fruits and vegetables are another great way to help cleanse your body, and with minimal fat and calories in them, they are the ideal food to munch on.

Nuts

• Nuts are another healthy snack that are usually classified under the "good fats" category. In other words, taking a handful of these when you get hungry isn't such a bad thing. But watch yourself, if you take too much, your calorie count is going to start shooting up.

Your Scale

• Do not, under any circumstances, weigh yourself every day. There is such little change in your weight everyday (unless you practically starve yourself), that it isn't worth looking at and will most likely discourage you from continuing the diet. Instead, limit yourself to twice a week maximum. Set out two days that you're going to weigh yourself, say Monday before you go to work and Friday at the same time. Stick to that and put the scale away for the rest of the week so you're not tempted to jump on.

Excercise

• This is probably the most important step. When you exercise, you burn fat and calories, it gets your muscles working and your heart beating. Even if you did nothing to change what you eat, you could still lose weight with exercise alone. Combine this with a good diet, and you're well on your way to shedding those pounds you've been dying to lose. Exercise doesn't even have to be anything rigorous. Instead of sitting on the couch right after dinner, go for a walk. a 20- to 30-minute walk can burn a couple hundred calories.

Realism

• Be realistic with your weight loss goals, and be realistic with your food choices. Both of these are of utmost importance. Don't expect to shed 10 pounds in a week. And don't decide to starve yourself for the weekend so that you look good come Monday. Instead, follow these 10 steps, even if you take it one step at a time, and you will be well on your way to your weight loss goal.