Diet Tips That Actually Work

Losing weight is never easy. In fact, you can do a lot of hard work to try to drop the pounds, only to see no effect for months before the scale even tips a lighter weight. The fact is that it takes a lot of discipline to drop pounds.

Weight loss is all about diet and exercise, and that's for sure. But, doing that stuff is easier said than done. If you want to lose weight fast, the best way to do it is to follow some diet tips that actually work, such as the ones below...

Write down what you eat.

We often underestimate how much we actually eat. Writing down every little thing can help you get a real, brutally honest look at how much you're eating. It also forces you to rethink whether or not that cookie really doesn't make a difference. Better still, it makes it way easier to count calories.

Studies show that 80% of people who journal their food intake lose weight and keep it off. Needless to say, this is actually one of the very few diet tips scientifically proven to work.

Drink water.

Believe it or not, a lot of the time that we feel hungry, we're not actually hungry. We're thirsty - and I'm not talking about the "staring at Ryan Gosling" kind of thirsty. The human body has been evolved to treat thirst as hunger in many situations, primarily because it's a hope that we can obtain that water from food.

You can curb cravings by reaching for more water throughout the day. Moreover, drinking water before a meal can also help fill you up and help you digest food with ease.

Oh, and don't worry about water weight. The more water you consume, the less prone you are to bloating or water weight gain. This is why water pills are so popular among dieters.

Cut out one thing at a time.

More often than not, the reason why dieters fail at keeping the weight off is because they can't handle all the drastic changes to their lifestyle all at once. Not being able to indulge in favorite drinks or having to make huge alterations to your overall lifestyle makes it really hard to enjoy dieting - or even tolerate it.

If you want to succeed at dieting, cut one thing out at a time. Or, better yet, switch one food for a slightly healthier, lower calorie option. The Eat This, Not That book series is a great source of inspiration for people who want to try swapping things out.

Keep your social life by learning how to make healthier restaurant choices.

It's crucial to remember that a standard restaurant meal can carry as much as 1,200 calories - not including drinks, appetizers, or dessert. Your best chance at keeping a social life while enjoying eating out is to have half (or more) of the meal bagged up before it comes to the table.

Additionally, checking out venues that have healthier options and ordering small plates can help you trim down significantly. Your safest bets? Salad bars, sushi stops, and vegan venues.

Buy a digital scale.

Scales are obviously mandatory because they help you get an idea of how your progress is. But, there's definitely a difference between a digital and a manual scale. Manual scales aren't as precise or accurate in many situations, and as a result, they can be very misleading.

Having a digital scale allows you to get a way better idea of how well your efforts are going - even if you only dropped 1/2 a pound over a week. Moreover, you will need to pay attention to the general trend of the scale, rather than the exact number.

If you notice a trend of gains, then cut back on food. If you notice losses, you're on track. Weigh yourself daily, and you'll get a way better idea of how well you're doing.

If you have a tendency to eat out of nervousness, graze on foods that are low calorie.

A lot of people out there are compulsive overeaters, primarily out of stress. They usually will go to binge on foods that are incredibly bad for them, such as nachos, potato chips, hot dogs, and pizza. Binging on a huge platter of nachos can add as much as 2,000 calories to your daily calorie intake.

Eating a giant box of tortilla chips will impact your weight. You know what won't do that, though? A giant box of lettuce, a giant plate or two of watermelon, or similar foods. Sure, it's not quite the same, but eventually, your tastes will change to prefer it.

To really illustrate the power of this diet tip, think about the fact that a pound of fat is equal to around 3,500 calories. The difference between two of these binges alone can mean the equivalent of a single pound of pure fat loss. That's awesome, isn't it?

Don't drink away your calories.

Most drinks are really, really misleading. They seem so light and refreshing, but the fact is that they tend to be total calorie bombs. Things like Frappucinos can have as much as 700 calories in a Venti. A single glass of wine can have up to 150 calories a pop. Even orange juice tends to be loaded in calories.

Many, many diets have gone astray because people watched their diets but not their drinks - then gave up when they didn't notice the scale budging.

Consider eating pre-catered meals.

There are a slew of different services out there that make a point of offering food plans that make it possible to stick to a diet without actually having to think about it. Good ones to consider include Health Chef Creations, Diet2Go, and Medifast.

That being said, it can get pricey to do this - but there are alternatives. Even buying a bunch of freezer dinners like the ones offered by Luvo can be a quick way to have a no-fuss, no-muss dinner.

Go to sleep early.

Sleep is a major aspect of weight loss, for a number of reasons. Sleeping helps you stay relaxed, which in turn tends to kick in hormones that help increase fat burning. Cortisol, which causes belly fat, tends to be alleviated through a good night's sleep.

This also prevents you from eating, because you can't eat while you're sleeping. Some studies also suggest that people who sleep more tend to have better ability to regulate their appetites.

Cheat once in a while.

Most people who have kept off the weight have a "cheat day," or even two days where they eat whatever they want - in whatever portions they want. This is a way to celebrate the fact that you're still working towards your goal, and also a way to ensure that you don't snap and binge throughout the week.

Breaking off your regular routine is a diet tip that actually works. If you don't treat yourself once in a while, you're going to end up having a very hard time staying to your diet.

Eat slower.

Did you know that it takes the average person's stomach around 20 minutes to register fullness? It's true. When we overeat, we end up getting a little thing that many people call "the itis" - a feeling of lethargic heaviness that makes us feel slightly queasy.

If you aren't sure whether you're full or not, use the classic "80%" rule: eat until you feel 80% full.

Don't buy food that's bad for you.

You'd be shocked at how many people want to lose weight, but set themselves up for failure by regularly buying food that's terrible for them and keeping it in their house. Having temptation in your home is very much like having $100 that you know you shouldn't touch sitting in front of you while your favorite pair of shoes just got on sale for that much.

The solution is simple - don't do it.

Opting for something healthy over something unhealthy is a diet tip that actually works. Snap up calorie-free drinks rather than the six-pack of beer. Get carrots and celery for snacking rather than chips. Choose microwave meals that are low in additives, high in nutrition, and low in calories. If you must indulge in sweets, grab Greek yogurt and honey.

Don't give up.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and a huge percentage of dieters don't see any real results for months. This doesn't mean that you should give up. Stick to your plan, and you'll see a lot better changes in the future. After all, all the workable diet tips in the world won't do anything if you don't follow them.