While losing weight is one of the most rewarding goals you can reach for, a goal that will not only lead to a healthier you, but also make you feel good about yourself, it doesn’t come about by itself. And it isn’t done by just dieting alone, at least not in the long-term. In contrast, it often requires a change in the way you eat, what you eat, and how you burn the calories. Of course, you don’t have to make a whole bunch of major changes all at once. Outlined in this article are a few modifications to your lifestyle you can make with relative ease.

If you want to lose weight, you should drink a minimum of eight eight ounce glasses of water every day. This makes sure your body stays hydrated and doesn’t store excess water. If your body feels it doesn’t have a good supply of water coming in, it will store water, causing you to gain weight. Drinking more water helps increase your metabolism as well so that at a rest you’ll burn more calories.

Set realistic goals on your way to your big goal. Slow and steady always wins the race. Set small goals that are easily obtainable. Losing 10 lbs in two weeks isn’t possible without some serious risks to your health. The smaller the goal, the healthier is usually is, and having small successes more frequently is great motivation.

You should eat reasonable snacks when you’re losing weight, for two reasons. First, it’s best not to let yourself get too hungry or you will be tempted to overeat. So six small meals will be better at keeping you satiated than three large ones. Second, you need to give yourself permission to have snacks. Many people find comfort in knowing they can have that bedtime snack, albeit a small, reasonable one, and that they are still making smart choices for their health.

Diet sodas may seem like a good idea if you are trying to save on calories while dieting. But studies have now shown that people who regularly drink diet soft drinks are more likely to be overweight than their non-diet soda drinking counterparts. Instead opt for fruit juice cut with water or club soda.

A fitness buddy is a great way to stay committed to an exercise and diet regimen. Choose a person who has similar goals and enjoys similar exercises. You can support each other, motivate each other, and help each other through rough patches.

It can be difficult to find time to be active during the weekdays, especially if you have a “sit down” job. One good tip for weight loss is to take a walk during your lunch break, even it is only 15 or 20 minutes. Grab a friend to walk with if you can! It’s a great way to refresh yourself during the day and it can count as exercise.

When it comes to snacking, try to avoid junk food. instead opt for healthier food options like fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Great choices include celery, tomatoes,dipping sauces made of lowfat yogurt, whole-grain crackers and much more. These will keep you satisfied much longer than any processed foods will until it’s time for your next meal.

In order to achieve a healthy body it is important to eat a balanced diet. This means having the right amount of protein (from 15 to 20 percent), fat (about 30%) and carbohydrates (50 to 55 percent). Another thing to remember is that starving yourself to lose weight is not good as well.

If you love pairing wine with dinner and you are trying to lose weight, don’t cut it out of your life completely–it has heart-healthy benefits. Instead, try ordering it glass-by-glass. When you order a bottle of wine, it is common to try to finish the bottle instead of saving it for later. When you resist the bottle, you resist the extra calories that come with it.

Do not weigh yourself every day. There will be days when you might show a 2 pound gain, other days, when you show a 2 pound loss. That’s to be expected. But you don’t want to be discouraged by the “false loss”. Pick a certain time of day, and the same day of the week for your weigh-in.

Eating out of loneliness is a big problem for many Americans. Recognizing when you are doing this will help you learn how to break the habit. You need to find other actives when you feel lonely (chat online, email people, go to a crowded place) and you will find that you will start to lose weight simply by not eating so much.

So it’s really a matter of baby steps. Anything extra that you do to promote weight loss is a step in the right direction. Keep adding steps and soon it will become a way of life. And before you know it, you’ll reach your goal of a healthier, happier, and more self-confident you.