The key to successful , healthy weight loss

Your weight is a balancing act , but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight . And if you eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.

Since 3500 calories equals about one pound of fat , if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you will lose about a pound a week ( 500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories). Simple, right ? So why is weight loss so hard?

Too often, we make weight loss much more difficult than it needs to be with extreme diets that leave us cranky and starving , unhealthy lifestyle choices that undermine our dieting efforts , and emotional eating habits that stop us before we get started . But there's a better way! You can lose weight without feeling miserable. By making smart choices every day , you can develop new eating habits and preferences that will leave you feeling satisfied - and win the battle of the bulge.

Getting started with healthy weight loss There is no "one size fits all" solution to permanent healthy weight loss , the following guidelines are a good place to start :

•Think lifestyle change , not short-term diet: Permanent weight loss is not something that a "quick - fix" diet can achieve. Instead, think about weight loss as a permanent lifestyle change - a commitment to your health for life. Various popular diets can help jumpstart your weight loss, but permanent changes in your lifestyle and food choices are what will work in the long run.

•Slow and steady wins the race: Aim to lose one to two pounds per week to ensure healthy weight loss. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your body and mind , making you feel sluggish, drained and sick. When you drop a lot of weight quickly , you're actually losing mostly water and muscle, rather than fat.

•Set goals to keep you motivated: Short-term goals , like wanting to fit into a bikini by summer , usually do not work as well as wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children's sake. When frustration and temptation strike , concentrate on the many benefits you will reap from being healthier and leaner.

•Use tools that help you track your progress: Keep a food journal and weigh yourself regularly , keeping track of every pound you lose and inch loss from the waist. By keeping track of your weight loss efforts , you will see the results in black and white , which will help you stay motivated.

Learn How to boost your immune system and what you can do to stay healthy.

• Green tea: Polyphenols, potent plant antioxidants, are what’s believed to give green tea its immune-boosting effects. One laboratory study suggested that a particular type of polyphenols called catechins may kill influenza viruses.

If you’re turned off by the bitterness of green tea—one downside of
the polyphenols—proper brewing techniques can help. To maximize benefits
and minimize bitterness, the Tea Council recommends using
just-below-boiling water and steeping green tea no more than a minute or
two. A little lemon and honey can also help blunt the bitterness. But
don’t add milk, because the proteins will bind to the polyphenols,
making them ineffective.

• Probiotics: These so-called “good bacteria,” found in yogurt,
sauerkraut and other foods, are touted as helping prevent the GI upsets
many of us succumb to during the holidays. According to a recent review
in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, regular
consumption of probiotics may help your immune system work better,
reduce the incidence of intestinal infections and improve digestion.

Fermented dairy products such as yogurt or kefir (a yogurt-like
beverage), are good bets. Look for those labeled with a “Live &
Active Cultures” seal from the National Yogurt Association, which
signifies that the yogurt contains a set minimum amount of two
particular types of beneficial bacteria. (While it’s not a guarantee of
probiotic power—the bacterial counts don’t differentiate between added
probiotic organisms and the bacteria that’s used to ferment the
yogurt—the seal is a helpful start.)

With the new “probiotic” cereals and granola bars, it’s not always
clear how much good bacteria the manufacturers actually add to the
products or whether the strains included are effective. If you really
want to know about the science backing a product’s “probiotic power,”
contact the manufacturer.

• A multivitamin: If you’re not eating as well as
you should, consider taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement—one with
no more than 100 percent of the DRV—as extra insurance.