5 Tips to Kick-Start Your Weight Loss (and 5 More to Keep It Going)

With the warm weather here and not being able to hide behind layers of clothes without dying of heat exhaustion, people everywhere are in high gear towards getting their bodies beach ready.

Getting started is the hardest part of weight loss, hands-down. But even after you get going, it may seem like you are stuck when everyone around you is shedding a consistent 1-2 pounds per week doing almost the exact same routine. Every individual body is different, but if you try these 10 tactics, you will have a better chance of expending enough calories to facilitate consistent weight loss.

1. Start with physical activity. Some people try to begin with dieting, but it’s more difficult to alter portion sizes and choose healthier foods than it is to hit the gym for 30-60 minutes a day. Physical activity will reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your self-esteem, strengthen your muscles, help you lose weight and aid in regulating your sleep. All these natural byproducts will make it easier to change your diet and eat better.

2. Be ambitious. Most people only accomplish 60 percent of their weekly fitness goals, according to research from the College of Public Health at the University of Florida. That means if you plan for an hour every day, you will probably end up somewhere around three or four days a week – which is around the 150 minutes of exercise and two days of strength training the federal government recommends.

3. Download a playlist. A study from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey found that women who walked to music lost twice as much weight as women who didn’t listen to anything. Furthermore, the music group walked more often each week and adhered to the full program, which also included weekly dieting and group meetings.

4. Control calories. I'm a big advocate of eating smaller meals more frequently. Although that approach works great for 80% of the individuals that adhere to it, it does not work for everyone. For just an example, eating three 400 to 500-calorie meals a day is better for some people (rather than five 250 to 300-calorie meals). If you’re not hungry, don’t feel obligated to eat that snack. Also, when you are counting calories, overestimate – since most dieters under-report their calorie consumption by a third and double the amount of exercise they do.

5. Don’t take the weekends off. Americans typically eat more calories each weekend day, which mostly comes from fat and alcohol. It may not seem like a lot, but excessive weekend food and drink consumption can pack on an additional two pounds per year – and that's the average (those that don't sabotage their short-term weight loss efforts are bringing that statistic down). Find ways to cut loose that don’t involve always involve eating out or drinking alcohol.

Incorporate those 5 tips above and for a while you may be going strong, losing 1-2 pounds per week, but eventually you hit a plateau. Losing weight is a perpetual challenge, especially since the body’s natural tendency is to maintain homeostasis and resist change. What do you do? Here are five more tips to facilitate greater weight loss.

6. Order first. If you go out to eat at a restaurant with your friends, be sure you are the first to order, so you don’t give-in to "Groupthink." Many people admit they are swayed by what other people are ordering. If possible, scout out the menu options online in advance and look over the healthy options. Stick with lemon-water for your drink and choose something sensible that works best for your body. Set a healthy tone at the restaurant by ordering salad with grilled fish or chicken.

7. Measure yourself. Know where you are and where you are going. Pay attention to how your body feels in clothes and what size it is now. Changes on the scale (or lack of them) do not always reflect the true changes in your body such as the creation of new lean muscle, along with the elimination of unnecessary body fat. Your body is more than just a number, but the size you’re at now, will probably not be the size you’re at after a few months of dedicated exercise and healthy eating. Changing your body takes time and effort, and it’s always noticeable when you stare at yourself every day. But, if you take measurements now (or pictures), you’ll know what everyone is talking about when they compliment you on how good you look.

8. Limit high-processed fat and high-sugar foods. Dressings, desserts and drinks can really pack on the pounds if you’re not careful. On one hand, avoidance can lead to an uncontrollable binge. But indulging too often in high calorie foods loaded with fats and sugars that your body does not need, will not help it change for the better. Instead choose naturally sweet and healthy fat foods like berries with cashews, or walnuts mixed in low fat yogurt with a sprinkle of shaved dark chocolate. Try to keep temping foods out of your house so if you want them, you have to make a special trip to get them.

9. Identify issues. Do you eat too much at dinner because you skipped lunch? Does stress send you running for chocolate chip cookies? Try to pinpoint triggers for messing up and learn how to avoid them. Don’t beat yourself up, but be smart about weight loss. It takes a lot of vigilance to succeed.

10. Work out with a buddy. Researchers found that people are much more successful at weight loss if they have a friend working with them. If you can’t find someone who is dedicated, consider the services of a personal trainer or a fun group fitness class that will be your cheering squad and hold you accountable for achieving your goals.