Avoid diets low in calories

Common sense says that if you want to lose weight, you should lower your calorie intake.

But how low can you go? It's important to find a happy medium that will be good for your body.

Many people believe that dropping down to 800 calories or less will help shed those extra pounds. However, this type of calorie cutting is neither healthy nor sustainable. People who need to follow a low calorie diet for medical reasons should do so only under the supervision of a doctor.

Side effects of calorie-restricted diets include fatigue, nausea, diarrhea and constipation.

Add, don't subtract

Instead of concentrating on cutting foods out of your diet, bring new foods to the table.

There are probably a whole slew of fruits and vegetables you've never sampled. In order to prevent yourself from feeling deprived, train yourself to look at all the foods you can eat instead of those you should stay away from. Do some research and give healthy recipes a try.

Thanks to the internet, there are thousands of diet-friendly dishes just waiting to be experienced.

Oat what a feeling

There is oatmeal that is loaded with additives and preservatives and then there is the real deal.

The experts encourage you to start your morning off with a bowl of plain oat flakes.

Oats are rich in fiber and soluble fiber, making them a much-needed staple in your diet. According to the American Cancer Society, oats have plenty to offer. Reduce your risk of cancer. Lower cholesterol. Slow down the digestion of starches. Prevent heart disease. Boost your intake of Vitamin E, iron, magnesium, zinc, selenium and more.

To add some flavor to your oatmeal, add milk and cinnamon or a handful of fresh fruit.

The importance of being hydrated

Drink up.

Throughout your workout, your body can burn up to a liter in water. These fluids must be replaced in order to prevent dehydration.

To avoid getting heat stroke, stay hydrated. Consume a cup of water for every 15 minutes you exercise at the very least.

Experts also suggest that endurance athletes replenish their fluids with sports drinks that fuel the muscles and replace electrolytes that are lost through sweat.

Eat your big meal in the afternoon

For most people, dinner is the main meal of the day. However, when you're watching your waistline, it may be a better idea to enjoy a feast in the afternoon.

Although eating lunch as a main meal is a common practice over in Europe, it's yet to catch on in the United States.

According to other cultures, eating your largest meal at lunch is beneficial because that's the time frame (between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) when the body digests food the most optimally.

One dietitian swears her clients lost between five and ten pounds just by following this simple lifestyle change.

Chew, chew training

Chewing your food is the first step in the all-important digestion process.

In order to digest food properly, your food must be broken down into a liquid form before it's swallowed. When you don't get the job done, large food particles that haven't been digested make an appearance in the stool.

One expert actually encouraged that individuals chew 100 times before swallowing. While you don't need to go to that great length, it is important to chew your food in the name of better digestion.

The truth about trans-fat

Eliminate trans fats from your diet.

Trans fats have earned a bad reputation over the last year, and rightly so. Used to increase shelf life and flavor, trans fat is made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. In essence, the trans fats found in margarine, cookies, crackers and other snack foods are harmful to your health. They raise cholesterol levels which contribute to heart disease.

For a long time, trans fat levels slipped by under the radar. However, the FDA has made it a law that manufacturers must now disclose trans fat levels in the nutritional values. Although there is no recommended daily value assigned to trans fat currently, the general rule for saturated fat and cholesterol is that 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high.

A guaranteed way to drop weight

Take the dog for a walk.

Dog is man's best friend, especially when you need a walking companion. Unlike people, there's little chance that your dog will ever stand you up come workout time.

A study conducted by the University of Missouri-Columbia discovered that taking the dog for a 20-minute walk, 5 days a week yielded an average loss of 14 pounds over a one-year period.

Both you and your dog will benefit from this enjoyable exercise regimen.

Don't eat from the bag

Don't eat from a bowl or bag.

It's one of the fastest ways to deviate from your plan. Sitting down with a bag of chips or box of cookies encourages mindless eating.

You're more likely to keep going and going. Before you realize it, you've consumed four servings and far too many calories.

Set aside one serving size and seal your snack of choice until next time.

Chew on this slowly

Savor every bite and eat slowly.

Digestion takes time. You may keep on eating because you still feel hungry. By taking it slow and steady, the body has time to realize it's full. This usually takes about 20 minutes -- so pace yourself.

Never eat while standing. Make the meal your main focus. Instead of eating at record-setting speed, take it slow.

You'll be less likely to go back for seconds when you already feel full.