Not Your Typical Weight Loss Tips

You have probably read hundreds of articles and visited many websites in search of weight loss tips. When you read these articles my guess is all of them have some weight loss tip about eating something healthy, or when to eat or how many times a day to eat.

While all of these weight loss tips are great and very valid, you probably have them committed to memory. So rather than repeat the same weight loss tips stating to eat low fat foods and limit the sugar intake, these weight loss tips are all non-food related tips. These weight loss tips will help you get in the weight loss mind set, plan for it and give you the right weight loss motivation to reach your goal.

Weight Loss Tip #1 - Want It

You are probably thinking to yourself, I would not be reading this article if I did not want it. Well, many times people will try to lose weight but because they think others feel they should lose weight. To really be successful at weight loss, you have to want it for yourself.

The mind is a powerful tool and can either be helpful in your quest for weight loss or can be harmful. Take some time to really think about what you want out of your weight loss journey. Where is it you want to be? Think in terms of a healthy weight loss and the weight that is right for you.

Weight Loss Tip #2 - Set a Goal

One you know you want it, now set a goal. Write your goal down and keep it in a place that is visible to you each day. Make one large goal and several smaller goals like a weekly or monthly goal. Make your goal realistic. Remember, the weight did not come on over night and probably will not come off overnight. Most experts will tell you a slow but steady weight loss is the best for taking it off and keeping if off.

Now make a plan to reach your goal. How do you plan on losing weight? Some people will only change their eating habits while others will add exercise. Studies show that those who add exercise will not only lose weight faster but have a higher percent of keeping it off.

Regardless of how you plan your weight loss, remember to always aim for your goal. Stay motivated by reading your goals daily.

Weight Loss Tip #3 - Make Changes

Now that you have your plan, start to make the appropriate changes in your lifestyle to reach your goal. Try making one or two changes each week or every other week. As the new change becomes a natural thing, make another change.

Maybe you start by changing the way you plan meals. Make a menu plan and then shop for the items you need, selecting healthier foods or more veggies. Get the whole family involved and introduce them to your new healthy foods for dinner.

Weight Loss Tip #4 - Keep a Diary

Keeping a weight loss journal or diary is a great way to keep your mind on your weight loss goals. Your weight loss journal can be anything you want it to be. Maybe you want to track the foods and calorie content or your exercise routines or both. Jotting down your thoughts and how you feel each day will also help you to identify certain emotional eating habits.

If you had a bad day, don't beat yourself up and feel guilty. Instead, write it down in your journal and then write a positive notation about how tomorrow will be. Get your mind back to being positive and don't dwell on the negative.

Weight Loss Tip #5 - Track It

There is nothing more motivational than seeing your progress. By tracking your weight loss progress, you will have a visual aid to show you how you are doing. Your final goal may be a way off and this can be discouraging. So, when you feel yourself feeling like there is no end to your weight loss journey, take a look at your weight loss chart. Even if it is only 5 pounds so far or only 1/2 pound this week, it's still a loss and worth celebrating.

Remember, the chart may not always be going in the right direction. That's okay, just make adjustments to your plan to get you back on the losing trail.

Weight Loss Tools For Success

Weight loss can be a big challenge, and like with many challenges, you need the right tools of the trade to meet and beat the challenge. Weight loss tools can be the key to making your weight loss successful.
There are a variety of weight loss tools available today. Weight loss tools can be anything from simple weight loss tips, the right exercise tips and equipment to interactive weight loss calculators and tools found on the web.
Interactive Online Weight Loss Calculators
You can find many weight loss tools online where you can get instant results by plugging in the relevant information and having the results calculated online. Interactive online tools are convenient and are often free on many websites. You can bookmark the page(s) you need and then come back and use the calculators each day.
BMI Calculator - Your first step is to use a body mass index (BMI) calculator. This calculator will tell you if you are overweight. Based on your height and weight you will fall into one of four categories; underweight, normal, overweight or obese. BMR Calculator / Weight Loss Calculator - This tool uses your gender, age, weight and height to determine the amount of calories you burn while at total rest. This is known as your basal metabolic rate and is the starting point for calculating the calorie intake for weight loss. Some BMR calculators are also a weight loss calculator. Meaning the calculator starts with your BMR and then adds in the activity level and will then create a recommended calorie intake for weight loss. The recommend calorie intake is generally a 500 to 1,000 calorie deficit, depending on the calculator. Calorie Intake Calculator - Once you know what your calorie intake for weight loss is, then you need to build a meal plan and exercise plan to meet the calorie intake needs. This is where a calorie intake calculator will come in handy. This calculator will tell you how many calories are in the food item you select. Many of these calorie calculators allow you to search through a database with thousands of different food items. Exercise Calorie Calculator - There are a few ways to create a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. You can reduce the amount of calories you consume, you can add exercise to create the deficit or reduce calories by combing both eating less and exercising more. This is where an exercise calorie calculator is needed. If you plan to add exercise to your daily routine then you need to know how many calories you burned during exercise. Target Heart Rate Calculator - This is another critical weight loss tool if you plan to add exercise to your weight loss plan. You want to make sure that you are exercising within your target heart rate zone. This calculator uses your age to determine your maximum heart rate and will show you your heart rate zone which is generally 50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate. You want to make sure you exercise within in this heart rate zone.
Off-line Weight Loss Tools
In addition to online weight loss tools you can find many helpful off-line weight loss tools such as a weight loss chart, a calorie intake chart and a weight loss journal. These off-line tools are used for recording and tracking information as it happens during the day.
For example, as you eat your breakfast, with a printable weight loss journal you can record the foods you eat so they are not forgotten later in the day. Then you can look up the calorie content using the interactive online calorie intake calculator and transfer this information to your off-line calorie intake chart.
These off-line weight loss tools can be something you create or you can find them on many websites where you can download and save to your computer. It does not matter if you create your own tools or which interactive online weight loss tools you use, just be sure to use weight loss tools to succeed in your weight loss goals.