1. Journaling

Writing down your daily food intake is a way to acknowledge the importance of your weight loss mission and help you to take it seriously. Tracking your food, your emotional triggers, and daily physical activity helps you identify patterns and habits that lead to overeating and inactivity. Just the act can keep you on task: When you know you have to write it down, sometimes that doughnut becomes less appealing! The National Weight Control Registry says that journaling is one of the most powerful tools used by all successful dieters.

Clinic Tip: At least once a day, journal your foods by clicking "My Journal" in the navigation on the site. You can track your meals all at once and click "submit," or you can enter the foods several times a day (use the save option and click "submit" when you are done for the day.) "My Journal" provides daily feedback on how you are doing on your plan and analyzes your weekly intake after seven days.

2. Daily exercise

Get moving! Exercise burns calories and suppresses the appetite. The National Academy of Sciences recently set new recommendations of 60 minutes of exercise per day, up from 30. But don't panic! Only 30 minutes per day needs to be vigorous activity; use other activities of daily living to add up to the remaining 30 minutes. Here's even more help: a study in the Journal of American College of Nutrition showed that you can get the same benefits from 10-minute increments as with 30 minutes of continuous exercise.

Clinic Tip: The National Institutes of Health says that unless diet and exercise are sustained, most weight loss will be regained. Let Rich Weil, our exercise physiologist, help you get started and stay on a personalized exercise routine. Then find a buddy in our Weight Loss Community and make a commitment to support each other.

3. Kick up the calcium

Recent research by Zemel and his colleagues at the University of Tennessee has shown that consuming three servings a day of calcium-rich dairy foods can speed up weight loss by 50%-70% while strengthening bones and preventing osteoporosis. It's a no-brainer -- how can you argue with eating yogurt, cheese, and milk - all really healthy foods if you choose low-fat versions - while enhancing weight loss?

Clinic Tip: WebMD's program endorses and recommends plenty of calcium to help you lose weight and keep your bones strong. If you are lactose sensitive, we have plenty of tips for you (such as aged cheeses and yogurts with active cultures) on our Recipe Doctor and Ask the Dietitian community boards.

4. Protein at every meal

Research from the University of Illinois reported in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that eating more high-quality protein can help a person maintain muscle mass and reduce body fat during weight loss. That's because of leucine, an amino acid, which spares muscle proteins during weight loss, so you only lose the fat and not the muscle. Maintaining muscle during weight loss is essential because it helps the body burn more calories. However, too much protein can strain your kidneys, leach calcium from your bones, and prevent you from eating all the other nutritious foods in your diet. So be sure that the protein you eat is just one part of a well-balanced diet.

Clinic Tip: The WebMD Weight Loss Clinic recommends a high quality protein diet of 15%-35%. This level of protein is within the guidelines from the National Academy of Sciences' recommendations. We encourage users to choose lean protein from a wide variety of sources including eggs, fish, poultry, meat, low-fat dairy, beans, and nuts.

5. Believe in breakfast

You can actually lose weight by eating breakfast! The National Weight Control Registry cites breakfast as one of the key factors to long-term weight control. In fact, studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition show that people who skip breakfast tend to be heavier that those who eat a nourishing meal. How can that be? A healthy breakfast keeps blood sugar and hormone levels stable while your metabolism hums along at a higher level, burning more calories.

Clinic Tip: We encourage all our WebMD Weight Loss Clinic users to start their day the healthy way! Breakfast need not be breakfast food; visit our "Recipe Doctor" Elaine Magee for some creative ways to fuel your body in the morning.

6. Never go more than 4-5 hours without food

Skipping meals encourages bingeing and crushes your willpower. By making sure that you eat three meals per day you can control your hunger and manage your appetite.

Clinic Tip: Our program gives you great flexibility and allows the user to decide when they want to eat the foods prescribed on the plan. Feel free to eat small frequent meals throughout the day or your basic three squares. Journalyour choices each day to stay on target.

7. Do it slowly

The average adult gains 1-3 pounds per year, according to the surgeon general. One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. So what makes you think you can take it all off -- and keep it off -- in just a few short months? The best and most successful approach is slow and steady, at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week. Weight lost at this rate is primarily fat and has a much better chance of remaining lost forever.

Clinic Tip: The WebMD Weight Loss Clinic expert nutrition system takes your usual calorie intake and reduces it by 500-1,000 calories per day. Combine this calorie reduction with daily physical activity and you'll have a loss of 1-2 pounds per week. Slow, steady weight loss is the kind that stays off forever.

8. Buddy up

Getting support from others is a great way to help you maintain your new eating and physical activity habits. Successful losers have great support systems, according to research from Brown University published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Find someone with the same goals as you, then help one another discover those habits that led to overeating and inactivity. Then brainstorm ways to change them into new healthy behaviors.

Clinic Tip: Don't have a buddy? Check out our community! We have excellent experts to offer advice and suggestions, and plenty of folks just like you who will be thrilled to be your dieting pal.

9. Eat a rainbow of colors and plenty of whole grains

Colorful produce and whole grains contain complex carbohydrates, a wealth of disease-fighting phytonutrients, very few calories, and virtually no fat. Fruits and vegetables are chock full of fiber, vitamins C, A, and K, folate, and potassium. The deeper the color, the richer the nutrients and the potential for greater health benefits. Whole grains not only provide an excellent source of carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but researchers have found more phytonutrients that help fight cancer, heart disease, and prevent diabetes. Whole grains are digested more slowly and therefore are more satisfying for a longer period of time. Read the label and choose foods made of 100% whole grains. We recommend you choose a wide variety of healthy carbohydrates to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day.

Clinic Tip: Check out registered dietitian Elaine Magee's recipe collection to help boost the fiber in your diet or let her help you make over your favorite recipe with the addition of fibrous fruits and vegetables.

10. Reward yourself

Have a list of incentives to choose from when you hit small goals such as 5 or 10 pounds of weight loss or getting regular exercise. That will boost your self-esteem, and studies say self-esteem can keep you from succumbing to emotional eating. The only warning, don't use food as a reward. Try a spa service, detailed car wash, go to the movies in the afternoon, call or write an old friend, or my favorite, go shopping.

Clinic Tip: We are all about rewards here at the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic. Your weekly analysis provides you with positive feedback, and our supportive and dedicated team of staff members are available to cheer you on!

By Kathleeen Zelman
Reviewed By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, July 25, 2007.
Originally published April 22, 2003
Medically updated July 25, 2007.

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