More and more people are trying an alternative weight loss strategy rather than pinning their hopes on fad diets and hard exercise: A commitment to lifestyle change. If you are stuck in the diet phase of starving yourself and counting every single meticulous calorie, this new trend may be just what you need.

Are you logging so much gym time that you’re losing sleep and missing out on friends – without seeing the results you want? Regardless, the work you put in is not giving you the end result that you are looking for.

The truth is, fad diets are ineffective, even though people keep trying them and hoping for magical results. Exercising will only make you lead a healthy life. Countless studies have shown that aside from diet and exercise, changing your lifestyle is more effective in terms of trying to lose weight in the long run. Those who do this are able to shed their extra weight permanently. The following information should be beneficial as you embark on this journey.

1. Eat smart. Calories aren’t a closed book. You can only lose weight when you eat fewer calories than you burn. But if you eat healthy, lean foods in the first place, you don’t need to count calories. The size of the portion must be regulated and one must make foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein part of his diet.
2. Exercise practically. In the vast majority of successful lifestyle weight loss stories, people were able to drop pounds by getting an hour’s worth of walking in every day. In terms of exercise, that is all they do. They don’t join a gym, buy equipment or struggle with exercise routines. Consistent and moderate exercise works every single time.
3. Quality Support System It helps you with your weight loss efforts if you have a good support system around you. But if your spent more time with people who consume junk food and who care less about their health, you effort will not bear fruits.
4. Sleep better. When you don’t get the amount of sleep that you need, your body will not produce insulin, which regulates your hunger and appetite. Without enough rest, you’re not going to make good choices regarding food. If you are finding you are too tired to exercise, this is also traced back to insulin as it fires up your metabolism every day.
5. Documenting your progress. Keeping a journal is one of the most effective tools to help you lose weight. When you write down what and how much you eat, the amount of exercise you participate in and how much your regimen is paying off, it will help you stick with and improve your program. The reason for this documentation is to highlight progress and know where you are waning and could improve. Keeping an honest journal also has the advantage of showing up problem areas, such as binging on weekends, or when socializing with certain unlike-minded people. Consider that people who keep a journal for at least 6 days lose twice the weight as those who choose not to. Let your journal serve as a daily reminder of the things you should do and where you want to be in the future.

Change your lifestyle to change your weight significantly, as well as to see your health, happiness and well-being improve. The efforts are far outweighed by the benefits, and you will find it easy to lose weight and keep it off once you’ve made the necessary changes. Isn’t it time to finally get realistic about weight loss by realizing that nothing but a complete change in lifestyle will give you the results you desire.