101 Ways to Weight Loss

Losing weight and getting into shape can be very difficult. This is our attempt to help.  Here are 101 different tips and tricks with a splash of common sense that can help with weight loss, overall health, and fitness. We like to think we have all the bases covered but if you manage to get through all 101 items on the list and think something is missing, please share in the comments section! Now grab a cup of coffee and get to reading!

Getting Started:

1. Before you start your diet, make a clear list of five important reasons you really want to lose weight. Keep this list handy.
2. Set reasonable short-term goals (such as lose 5 pounds per month, lower your cholesterol by X amount of points, lose X amount of inches from your waist, etc.)
3. Make a list of reasons to eat healthily or exercise that aren’t just related to weight loss. Think about better health, more energy, higher self esteem, being a role model for the kids, etc.
4. Make a real commitment to yourself. You might want to share it with a trusted friend, or anonymously online so you can be accountable to someone other than yourself. Need help understanding or writing your commitment? Read this post on the mental side of weight loss.
5. Recommended long-term goal is 10% of your body weight over six months—take your time and do it right!
6. Weigh yourself and take your measurements. You want to know where you’re starting from so you can track your progress.  Most electronic scales have the ability to measure your body fat percentage or you can do it the old fashioned way with skin calipers.  You will also want to measure your waist size.
7. Aim for less than 2 pounds of weight loss per week: Most dieticians recommend losing no more than 1lb per week for lasting results.  Statistics show that anything more can be a set up to gain it all back.
8. Focus on creating new healthy habits that will last a lifetime.  Breaking old habits can be very difficult but necessary for achieving your goal.  Learn how to break bad habits.
9. Know that you are worth doing this for.  Any other reason that may motivate you to lose weight is great, but remember, at the end of the day your weight loss intentions have to be your own.
10. Don’t wait for the perfect time to start your diet. Just get going! There’ll ALWAYS be an excuse not to begin.
11. Refer to the above list in times of need: When you’re tempted to stray from your diet, a little reminder of why you started to begin with might be all you need to get back on track.  Keep your notes from item 1, 2, 3, and 4 and put it somewhere accessible that you can refer to in your time of need.

Planning Ahead:

12. Go grocery shopping with a list: Having a list reduces the chances of impulse purchases and having a plan not only saves you calories but can also save you money.  Use the following link for some ideas of what to put on your grocery list.
13. Don’t go grocery shopping when you’re hungry: Going shopping when hungry is considered torture in some circles.  It can also influence your decision to buy everything in the store (both healthy and unhealthy).  Here are 15 more healthy ideas for grocery shopping.
14. Plan your meals out a day or two ahead of time: Waiting to the last minute to figure out what you’re going to eat is the easiest way to put you on the path to ditching your dieting for a Whopper and fries!  Next time you’re at the grocery store, pick up some rubber Tupperware to store your food in advance.  Ziploc containers are my favorite (they don’t have the plastic/rubber smell that other brands have).
15. Keep healthy foods at home: This goes without saying, especially when you are exercising… how else are you going to eat right.  Check out the top 10 muscle foods you should be eating.
16. Put healthy snacks at eye level in the pantry and fridge: The statement “out of sight, out of mind” has never been more true.  Putting foods at eye level or in places you check regularly will reaffirm your eating habits.
17. Keep a healthy snack in your pocket or bag. Carry a non-perishable snack (like a cereal bar or a small pack of rice cakes) with you: if you get hungry while you’re out and about, you won’t end up buying something fattening.
18. Keep healthy snacks at your work space: Making sure you have something healthy to nibble on at your desk will prevent last-minute trips to the vending machine for a choice that’s… not so smart.  Here are few healthy snack ideas when you’re on the go.

Diet and Eating:

19. Eat breakfast every day: Eating breakfast is the best way to get your metabolism started in the morning. Here are 10 breakfast ideas with photos.
20. Follow the food guide pyramid for a healthy balanced diet.  If you don’t fully understand this concept, use the following link for an interactive look at the food pyramid.
21. Include a variety of foods in your daily diet: Eating the same foods over and over can cause your diet to be very boring.  It can also increase the chances of you ditching it.  Make sure you have a variety of foods to pick from so you can keep your diet interesting and feel, well, less like a diet. Learn how to get started eating healthy.
22. Schedule smart snacks so you know you’ll have something to eat again every few hours: Eating every 2 to 3 hours is the best way to keep your blood sugar stable and your metabolism in high gear.  Also, putting your body on a “eating schedule” (which includes healthy snacks between meals) can prevent the unbearable hunger monster from poking you.  Check out this healthy snacks cheat sheet from YumYucky.com
23. Pack your lunch: Brown bagging your lunch can help avoid temptations like fast foods and buffets.  Not to mention save you money. Focus on whole grains, lean protein, fruit and veggies.
24. Stop eating when you are no longer hungry: You shouldn’t wait until you’re stuffed to stop eating during a meal.  Some experts claim it can take up to 20 minutes for the body’s signal to reach the brain and say “Stop eating…I’m full already”!  Slow down and enjoy your food, you might be surprised how much less you eat.
25. Have a glass of water when you crave a snack: Sometimes your body is telling you you’re thirsty and you misinterpret this signal as hunger.  Next time you get the urge, drink 8oz of water and give it a few minutes.
26. Keep ‘junk foods’ out of sight as much as possible: Again, out of sight, out of mind.
27. Avoid Fad Diets: “I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” – Thomas Jefferson. Fad diets are not magic, lasting weight loss comes in the form of hard work.  Want a good laugh, check out this hilarious diet epiphany about 10 unusual fad diets from FitnessFixation.
28. Include 6-11 servings of fruits and vegetables daily: Fruits and vegetables have a good amount of dietary fiber per serving.  The fiber can help you stay fuller for longer periods of times between meals. Try having a piece of fruit at breakfast, and veggie sticks or fruit as snacks during the day to bump your servings up.
29. Switch to lower fat milk and other dairy products: 1 cup of whole milk (8oz.) has 8.5g of fat and 4.5g of saturated fat and 147 calories.  Going 1% can save you calories and fat.
30. Read food labels: Make sure you have time when doing your grocery shopping to look at the labels and compare for alternative lower calorie products.  Learn how to read food labels.
31. See what a serving size is: While checking food labels, think about how much you actually eat—maybe your portions can be reduced or even better, you realize that you’ve been eating too much.  How much is a serving?
32. Have fruit for dessert: Try some “treat” fruits, such as berries, or fruit salad instead of cake and ice cream.  Need more healthy dessert ideas?  ThisMamaCooks has a delicious list of healthy desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth.
33. Measure your portions once in a while so you have an idea how much you’re actually eating: The best way to do this is by using a food scale when you cook.  Being able to measure and know exactly how much you’re eating of something is very empowering.  You can find affordable food scales at Amazon.com or Try your local Wal-Mart or Target. Learn more about portion control, pizza, and peanut butter from CrankyFitness.
34. Drink plenty of water—aim for 6-8 glasses per day. Keeping your body hydrated can improve the appearance of your skin, metabolic function, liver function, and more.   And you don’t have to drink blinged out water to make this work LOL.
35. Focus on adding nutritious foods to your diet (whole grains, high fiber fruits, vitamin-packed veggies) instead of dreaming about what you should not have.
36. Keep a daily food diary: Studies have shown this can help you lose twice as much weight and it’s not difficult at all.  Keep a small notebook and writing instrument with you at all times.  Whenever you put something into your body, write it down.  Learn how to lose weight by logging.
37. Log the calories you skip: Every time you pass on ‘junk food’ make a note of the item and the nutritional info so you can see your weight loss efforts add up!
38. Commit to limiting treats to one a day or less.  It’s ok to treat yourself once in a while.  I still think most foods are ok in moderation.
39. Aim for 20+ grams of fiber per day: Good sources are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Insoluble fiber and soluble fiber should be part of your balanced diet.
40. Consider an alternate activity for cravings: When a craving hits and you know you’re not really hungry—a walk, a phone call to a friend, a few minutes of quiet meditation might be all you need to get past it.  If not, then check out this post on how to fight cravings.
41. Add water to fruit juices to limit calories.
42. Use smaller plates at the dinner table: Your mind will believe you are eating a full portion!  Get involved with the Small Plate Movement and learn how switching from 12” to 10” plates can help your health.
43. Avoid soda and other sweetened beverages: It’s never a good idea to drink your calories.  Sodas contain large amounts of sugar and empty nutrients.  Diet sodas are OK in moderation but keep in mind, at the end of the day, your kidneys and liver will have to filter and flush those artificial ingredients out.  More than 1 diet soda a day is probably not the best idea. Try these 8 ways to cut soda pop.
44. Prepare your foods at home whenever possible so you have control over portions and ingredients.  Need some healthy recipe ideas?
45. Think about whether or not you are hungry before you indulge: Try to avoid eating when you’re just feeling bored or a bit down.
46. Fill up on healthy low-cal foods before going to a party: Social settings can be one of the hardest places to say no to “party food” especially when you’re hungry.  Eating something sensible before you go can reduce your chances of going overboard and might just allow you to really “sample” the food without the guilt.
47. Check out your food options before dining out: Doing a little research before you dine can help you figure out a few low-calorie ideas (most menu items can be found online at the restaurant’s website).  Check out Dr. J’s strategies for weight loss when dining out.
48. Be ready to ask for a doggie-bag: As soon as your meal arrives in a restaurant; removing half the food from your plate right away will keep you from being tempted to eat it while waiting for the bill.  Most restaurants usually serve more than a few servings per plate.
49. If you can’t resist dessert, split a portion with a friend. Fruit salads or sorbets are a lower-calorie option.
50. Hold the cheese, mayo, oil, and butter: Use vinegar or mustard for flavor instead.
51. Limit yourself to one plateful at buffets, and avoid high-fat options like fried chicken.  This is a tough one for some because most people feel they don’t get their money’s worth unless they eat until the room starts to spin.  Either way, sticking to one plate should limit the damage
52. Try establishing some “no eating zones”: Put a sign up wherever the problem places are for you: your car?  Your desk? In front of the TV?
53. Substitute lower amounts of fat and sugar in recipe suggestions: You can do this by reducing the amount of sugar you put into your recipes.  Fruits, such as applesauce or mashed bananas, can replace some of the oil in some baked goods recipes.
54. Savor the fruits and vegetables you enjoy: A crisp apple, crunchy carrots, juicy watermelon can be very delicious if you can slow down enough to enjoy it.  Sometimes when we focus on what we can’t eat, it can negatively effect the way you feel towards foods you would otherwise enjoy.
55. Eat at the kitchen table and savor your food. Don’t watch TV or read while eating, just enjoy your meal.
56. Wait twenty minutes after eating to decide if you’re going to go for a second serving: It takes time for the stomach to register that it’s full.
57. Fill half your plate with vegetables or salad: They take up space without taking up calories (a little mind trick eh?)

Motivation:

58. Reward yourself for achieving your goals (with treats such as a manicure, new work-out clothes, a movie, etc).
59. Buy clothing in your current size that makes you feel attractive; buying smaller clothes just reminds you that you aren’t where you’d like to be and does not positively affect weight loss attempts.
60. Keep a positive know-you-can-do-it attitude: Don’t worry about times when your dieting hasn’t succeeded in the past – look towards the future instead.
61. Surround yourself with positive and supportive friends and family: Keep them updated on your progress.
62. Know that your cravings for sweets, pizza, and junk food will actually vanish when you do without them for a few weeks—really!
63. Join an online weight loss support group or start one at work: When you have a busy schedule is can sometime be difficult to attend a local support group in your area.  Here are some resources for online weight loss support groups.
64. Read success stories. There are lots of blogs and forums online where people are sharing their dieting stories: seeing how far others have come can be really motivating. Check out our post on 34 Must Read Weight Loss Sites and Blogs.
65. Don’t rush. If you get frustrated because it’s taking a while to lose weight, remember how long (probably years) it took you to gain that weight.  This is really important.  We live in a society that demands quick results and it’s very easy to get discouraged when results aren’t as visible as we’d like.  Don’t rush it and stay the course!
66. Figure out how often to weigh yourself: This is a highly debated issue.  To weigh…or not to weigh…that is the question.  You have to find out what works for you versus what frustrates you — remember that daily fluctuations of up to two or three pounds may occur and if this impedes your attitude towards your diet, try weighing just once a week. The best time to weigh yourself is in the morning right after your morning tinkle (that way your measurements will be consistent).
67. Visualize your goal: I used to think that visualization was a bit hokey or weird – but it does work surprisingly well. Take some time to sit quietly, close your eyes and imagine how you’ll feel when you reach your goal weight. Will you be confident enough to go swimming? Will you look great in a new outfit? Will you be enjoying yourself on a walk with a loved one? or Hawaiian vacation?

Temptations:

68. Count to your age before you indulge: Thinking twice gives you the opportunity to pass on something you might regret afterwards.
69. Go out for a fifteen minute brisk walk whenever you’re feeling the urge to eat for emotional reasons: the exercise will pick your mood up, and by the time you’re back, the urge will have passed. Use the following URL for more ideas on how to stop snacking when emotional.
70. Keep unhealthy foods out of reach: Either don’t have “trigger” foods (chips, candy, etc) around at all, or keep them somewhere inaccessible. Having a jar of cookies on the kitchen counter makes temptation far too easy to succumb to.
71. Socialize with others who want to eat healthy too: It’s easy to become a part of your environment.  Surrounding yourself with people that have the same goal can make losing that much easier and maybe more enjoyable.
72. Keep your hands busy while watching TV by doing needlework, ironing, polishing your nails, or squeezing a stress ball: Mindless snacking is another big culprit for diet devastation.  It’s very easy to get “lost” eating a bag of chips while watching LOST pun intended
73. Tell yourself “no”: Imagine that desire for chocolate or cake as a whiny little child. Simply say “no, you can’t have it”!
74. Build your resistance muscles: The more often you successfully resist temptation, the easier it’ll be. Remind yourself of this when cravings strike.
75. Don’t give up because you ‘cheated’.  Resolve to make better choices starting the rest of today!  Just because you slipped doesn’t mean the whole day is ruined… drink some water, clear you head and get right back on track with the next meal.
76. Remember that the pleasure of eating lasts just 5 minutes: the happiness of being the weight you feel great at lasts 24/7.

Exercising:

77. Take a 30 minute brisk walk to burn a fast 200 calories.
78. Take stairs instead of the elevator or escalator whenever possible.
79. Find ways to integrate exercise into your day. If it’s a hassle to fit in, there is a good chance you will ditch it as soon as life gets busy. If you’re really want to exercise, but have a hard time with where to start, check out these 10 ideas to get you exercising.
80. Wear a pedometer to track your daily activity: 1000 steps burns about 50 calories (enough to lose another 6 pounds a year!).  You can find cheap pedometers at Amazon.com
81. Keep an exercise log. It’s a great way to track your progress, and it can help you stay committed – you don’t want to see too many blank days in there.  You can use this for a sample workout log.
82. Find a weight loss partner (or two) for support.
83. Remember that every 100 calories you burn daily will lead to another pound lost at the end of the month! While we are on the topic of burning calories it’s important to take note that not all calories are the same.  Find out when a calorie is not a calorie.
84. Schedule it. If you have trouble getting around to exercising, write it in your diary and treat it as an important appointment.
85. Find a physical activity you enjoy and start partaking.  Want to find out how many calories you can burn doing certain activities? Need exercise recommendations?  Check out our activity calculator.
86. Don’t get stuck in a rut with your exercise routine: challenge yourself to try a new class or activity at least once a month.  This can  be especially true if you hit a plateau and are no longer seeing results.  Changing your routing can be just what you need to “shock” your body.
87. Head to the gym for a quick workout during your lunch-hour, or at least get away from your desk for a walk.
88. Ask your gym instructor to show you how to use the equipment properly. Getting it wrong means you won’t get the results you want – you might even end up injuring yourself.
89. Challenge Yourself. Being competitive and challenging yourself with family and/or friends is a great way to lose weight and stay motivated.  Weight Loss Wars is an excellent online platform to host your next weight loss challenge.
90. Know your BMI and aim to get it out of the ‘fat’ zone. Your Body Mass Index may not mean everything but it is a good indicator if you are at health risks.  Check your BMI.

The No No’s to Weight Loss

91. Don’t eat less than 1200 calories per day—slowing your body’s metabolism will lead to a lifetime of difficulty losing weight.
92. Don’t buy junk foods to keep in the house—it will greatly increase your chances of eating them!
93. Don’t use diet pills: Although you might see some success at first,  this method won’t produce any lasting results.
94. Don’t try laxatives for weight loss: They only work by excreting more water in the intestine, not reducing calories absorbed in your body.
95. Don’t try to “lose 10 pounds for the re-union/prom/wedding”… just think about what will happen after the day of the party … back to your usual eating and re-gaining the weight?
96. Don’t over complicate things. You don’t need to have the perfect diet or exercise routine: you just need to keep going in the right direction.  Consistency is the key.
97. Don’t mistake “fat free” or “sugar free” for a license to “eat all you want”!
98. Don’t super size your fast food orders. Ideally, don’t order fast food at all!
99. Don’t become a member of the “clean plate club”… remember the food that doesn’t go to waste, goes to “waist”.  Save it for later.
100. Don’t snack mindlessly on nuts: a cup of nuts can have as many as 800 calories!
101. Don’t wait until Monday to start your diet – your body doesn’t care what day of the week it is!  Some dieters tend to go wild on the weekend.  Check out this post from Fit to The Finish: Why Wait for Monday?

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Related posts:

1. Tips For Maintaining Your Weight Loss: Part Two
2. Tips For Maintaining Your Weight Loss (Part One)
3. Five Ways That Carrying a Notebook Can Help You Diet