What is a simple way to lose weight?

A simple way to lose weight is to increase your fruit and vegetable servings. The goal is 5-10 servings per day, total, of either veggies or fruit. A serving is what comfortably fits in your cupped hand. Therefore, a large salad may have roughly four servings -- 2 handfuls of lettuce, one of shredded carrots and one of tomato. Easy, right?

What happens when you focus on more vegetables and fruit servings is no secret. You fill up on nutrient-dense foods that are good for you, and eat less of, well, everything else! It tends to be the complex carbs (think breads, crackers, muffins, cookies, chips) that pile on the calories, not the fruits, vegetables, and protein.

Does this mean you are not allowed to eat those complex carbs? Absolutely not! What it means is that you will be focusing on more quality in your diet by pushing up those fruit and vegetable servings, and that typically will automatically decrease your total calorie intake, which poof -- magically helps you lose weight.

It's not rocket science -- simply consume less calories than you burn, and yes, you will lose weight. But do it right, and make sure you are not skipping any meals, and that you are eating foods packed full of vitamins and fiber ... our friends, the fruits and veggies. 

Follow these simple steps to lose weight effectively:

1. Avoid the fad diets and fast-acting solutions that guarantee incredible weight loss while you watch television and eat desserts.
2. Eat five times per day, a quarter of the portion that you were originally consuming per meal. Your last meal of the day should be no later than 7 PM.
3. Eliminate sugars and increase water intake to 60 oz. Keep dairy to a minimum. Instead of drinking coffee, drink green tea. Also, you can drink a tea made from boiling a lemon (with the peel).
4. Walk 30 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening, two hours before bed. For toning you might replace one of the walks with some stretching activities such as tai chi or a mild form of yoga.

Turns out you don't have to completely overhaul your life in order to fit into your jeans better. Researchers have pinpointed two simple strategies that could help you get a smaller waist. Part 1: Just walk an extra 500 steps every day. Part 2: Trim a mere 100 calories from one meal each day (that's roughly equivalent to eating one less tablespoon of butter, drinking three fewer sips of soda, or leaving three or four bites at a meal). Pretty simple, right?

Simple Ways to Lose Weight Without Even Trying

In a study, overweight people who were coached to do exactly that ended up doing big favors for their waistlines. Not just because they removed a few extra calories from their day, but because embarking on this simple plan inspired them to make even bigger changes. They turned into overachievers, cutting 300 calories a day from their diets and walking an extra 1,450 steps per day. That translates into shedding about a pound every 10 days or so. And it was their commitment to baby steps that really got the ball rolling.

Slim Down Secrets

Bottom line: If the thought of big change keeps you firmly glued to the couch, think about smaller changes you can make to help your body be healthier. You never know, the "no big deal" approach might be the perfect way to start yourself off in the right direction. And if things snowball from there, so be it, right?

Take the RealAge Test!

A simple way to lose weight is to focus on what foods you need to add in more of! This will help you to focus on the positive rather than just the negative thoughts of I need to eat less of a particular food. In general, most people do not consume enough fruit and vegetables! Focus on including fruit and vegetables at all meals and snacks and even try out the Meatless Monday program which includes cutting out meat, one day per week! For more information: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/