Are there any easy ways to drop weight?

Everyone knows that diet, lowering food intake, and exercise, increasing calories burned, work together as a formula for weight loss. But sticking to the diet is the hard part. It won't be effortless, but with a little work it sure is easier.

Here are some tricks to make it easier.

Carry a notebook to jot down everything that passes your lips.
Keeping notes helps you eat less. Studies show that people eat 15% less when they track everything they eat. That's significant.

On average Americans consume 245 calories a day from drinks.
Make the switch to zero calorie water. 245 calories a day is nearly 90,000 calories per year. That's 25 pounds. Are soda and juice really that good? Another fact is that despite their calories, drinks like soda and juice don't trigger a feeling of fullness the way foods do.

Grazing, eating more smaller meals during the day rather than a few large meals,
is another way to drop weight. Studies show that eating in smaller portions more often results in eating 30% fewer calories. Furthermore, even the same number of calories eaten in smaller portions during more frequent meals can result in weight loss. You're less likely to binge because the body releases less insulin.

Make sure your wardrobe only includes the “skinny” clothes.
If you don't have clothing that's comfortable when you're heavier, you're more likely to be reminded to keep slim every time you dress. And if you have to buy a whole new wardrobe you're less likely to gain weight.

Use smaller plates.
It's proven that people eat what's in front of them. Smaller plates mean smaller portions, so put the salad plates into use as the main plate.

Try serving meals on the plate, restaurant style, rather than in bowls and on trays.
When the plate is empty the meal is over, instead of spooning another portion onto your plate.

Don't eat white bread, sugar or white rice.
Those foods are loaded with carbohydrates which lead to higher blood sugar and weight gain. Stick to whole grain breads and dark rice. Don't worry about the sugar, pretty soon you won't miss it.

Weight loss isn't easy, but relatively speaking there are easy ways to lose weight. Don't be intimidated if it's only easier instead of effortless. If weight loss were easy, everyone would be a supermodel.

Evan