Stay motivated : To loose weight

Stay motivated : To loose weight

Don't give up. There may be plenty of times when you want to give up. But don't.

You can do it. Repeat this to yourself. Many people post affirmations around their homes or offices as constant reminders.

Get inspired. Read success stories about others who have lost weight successfully. Their determination can inspire you to succeed in your effort to lose weight.

Envision your svelte self. If you can actually visualise yourself as the svelte person you want to be, you'll soon become a slim and fit person.

Find new measures of success. When you lose some weight, try on old clothes and this will motivate you further to shed more kilos.

Keep up the weight loss resolution.

Stay busy. Do something that's not even remotely connected to eating. The activities to stay busy could include singing in choirs, taking classes, running marathons, leading weight loss groups etc.

Keep them out of sight - Weight loss veterans could control the intake of foods like chocolate, ice cream and potato chips by not having them around.

Limit portions - When you fall a prey to temptation make sure you eat only half a piece. So if you wish to eat a pastry, cut it into two and eat one half of it. It helps a great deal.

Keep reminders around - A note on the refrigerator reading 'Stop' should work wonders.

Find alternatives - Chocolate is still a favorite snack for successful dieters. But there are ways to enjoy it and still keep the waistline. Try eating diet chocolate.

Don't give in to 'kiddy' pressure - If the cookies, chips or ice cream you buy for the rest of the family is sabotaging your efforts, stop buying them in bulk. Instead, go to the stores and pick up just a pack when your kids ask for it.

Count your calories.

It's not as easy at it sounds. That's because one pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories. So to lose one pound a week (almost half a kilogram), a person should consume approximately 3,500 fewer calories per week.

This can be done by reducing the daily intake by 500 calories per day; 500 x 7 days will result in a deficit of 3,500 calories per week. To lose 2 pounds per week (almost 1 kilogram), a deficit of 1,000 calories per day is required.

Physical activity can contribute significantly to this lower calorie target. The deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories could be achieved through a combination of physical activity and reduced intake on a daily basis. Therefore, it need not necessarily be a total food deprivation.

The lowest intake per day recommended for females is 1,200 calories, unless they are under medical supervision.

The lowest level recommended for males is 1,500 calories per day.