It’s the worst feeling in the world. Picture this: you are cleaning out your closet and you find that favorite pair of jeans that you thought you had lost at the laundromat or down the Black Vortex of Missing Things. Immediately, you try those jeans on—you’ve missed them! Alas, once on, you find you can’t button them. At all. Plus, you think you heard a ripping sound in the butt. I bet your next thought is to find some quick weight-loss secrets that will allow you to drop unwanted fat from your body in a hurry. Believe me, I’ve been there and I have discovered that finding this information isn’t difficult, but it’s important for you to differentiate between trendy diet plan gimmicks that are designed to take your money and leave nothing in return (except your fat) and true weight-loss methods.

After disciplining yourself by staying on a diet for several weeks, it’s discouraging to discover that the plan you’ve been using doesn’t seem to work, you don’t lose the weight and those jeans you love still don’t fit. As a medical and dental practice management specialist, I  have learned from talking to medical personnel about the importance of having accurate information regarding dieting. Doctors and dentists want you to be healthy, so they often publish tips of their own in their medical and dental advertising materials. Having accurate information, especially when it is endorsed by your doctor, helps you feel good about being on a diet, especially when you begin to see results.  It is helpful to know these tips, particularly around holidays, where you need to readjust your eating habits to maintain moderation in the midst of temptation in order to keep the holiday weight gain at bay.

The biggest thing to keep in mind is that you’re not going to lose weight if you are consuming more calories than you burn. So read the nutritional information on food packaging and keep a food journal to track your calorie consumption. After keeping a food journal for a couple of months, you’ll be retain in your memory the approximate amount of calories in a slice of whole grain bread.

If you are serious about losing weight, then you know that you have to be sensible about some of your food choices. Preparing homecooked meals yourself instead of eating processed frozen or boxed food from the grocery store is going to cut down on calories and sodium. Plus, it tastes better. That said, you also need to be practical about what you prepare. Baked salmon with a side of spicy broccoli will be easier to burn than spaghetti and meatballs. For snacking, try celery, guacamole and salsa instead of chips, salsa and chili con queso. The celery option will be flushed out from your system pretty quickly. The chips will stay on your hips. Sad, but true. Believe it or not, you can fill up just as efficiently during snack time if you go with celery.  

If you want pizza, then fine, have a slice. One small slice. Not six. Enjoy a slice of pizza with a side salad using a vinaigrette dressing. Be mindful of the toppings you put on your slice of pizza. Pizza topped with sausage, pepperoni and extra cheese are not only going to be higher in calories, the sodium intake is going to shoot through the roof. Sodium retains water, giving you that bloat look to your belly. Instead, have a slice of cheese pizza. Better yet, have a slice of cheese-less pizza topped with fresh vegetables. You are eliminating several hundred calories with that choice.

If you are having pizza for dinner, perhaps you compromise and either eat a piece of fruit for dessert or you skip dessert entirely. Quite honestly, cutting the amount of sugar you consume will not only help you further in your weight loss, but it will probably eliminate the need for you to schedule any unnecessary dental consulting appointments because you think the candy bar you indulge in every night has given you a cavity.

There is no reason that you can’t enjoy the foods that you like, but you must remember that moderation is the key. Fettuccine alfredo packs many calories and fat grams, but three bites aren’t  going to hurt  you. So enjoy those three bites and fill up on salad and vegetable items.

Not only do you need to eat in moderation to lose weight, you also need to exercise to stay in shape and to enjoy the body you are proud of. Exercising will help you to lose and maintain your weight as well as keep your cardiovascular system healthy. It is simpler than it sounds. As a human, you are burning calories constantly, whether you are typing at your computer or doing the dishes or chasing after a child or even fidgeting. Give yourself an extra workout by taking a walk around your neighborhood for a half-hour. You’ll still be burning calories once you return home.