Have you decided that you are ready to start a weight loss program? It’s a common resolution that many of us make at the beginning of the year. You’ll find plenty of diet plans and weight loss programs to choose from, and everyone has advice. However, most plans fail to help you lose weight and keep it off in the long run, and some diet plans are unhealthy. It is important that when you make the decision to lose weight, you choose the right way to do it. This post touches on 5 common weight loss tips you can – and should – ignore.

It’s true that losing weight may not be easy, but it is definitely not impossible. It is also true that most people successfully and safely lose weight without experiencing any pain whatsoever. To start, all you have to do is choose to make some simple lifestyle changes involving your diet and activity levels. Once you start making better choices then you are well on your way to painless and effective weight loss.

As 2014 comes to an end, you may be reflecting on some changes you want to make for a healthier and happier YOU in the New Year. Losing weight may be one of the first things on your list. People want to kick off the New Year by starting a weight loss program. Do not wait until January 1st - go ahead and start right now! Make a few simple lifestyle changes and you will be losing weight in no time.

Losing weight isn’t easy, and many people give up too soon. Perhaps they didn’t see results as quickly as they hoped. Maybe they lost sight of their weight loss goals after becoming bored with their diet plans. Either way, one of the main reasons why people find it difficult to stay on track comes from a lack of proper motivation. For certain, it’s important to stay motivated while dieting, but how?

If you are currently, or ever have been, on a weight loss plan, then you probably know all about the many foods you need to avoid. It’s easy to become so obsessed with all the “forbidden” foods that you may forget about what you can and should be eating to help you lose weight. Luckily, you have many food choices which not only taste good and fill you up, but also contribute directly to losing weight. Lean protein, which is low in fat, makes an excellent choice to include in your diet plans for weight loss.

We often hear about the importance of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables every day as part of a healthy and nutritious diet. Fresh fruits contain essential vitamins, minerals and fiber. Indeed, you definitely need these, whether you are trying to lose weight or not. It is important to note that although fruits are beneficial, you must choose them carefully when you are losing weight. You must also be wary of eating too much fruit or mistakenly having too many fruit "products," which many people think are okay to have since they are nutritious. Fruit "products" such as dried fruits, fruit juices and smoothies can especially sabotage your weight loss efforts with their added sugars and calories and you should avoid them.

When it comes to sugar, you may be thinking things such as, "Just a teaspoon of sugar in my coffee isn't going to hurt," or "A little piece of candy doesn't have too many calories." Well, this may be partly true. However, when you take into account that most Americans on average eat an additional 475 calories, or almost 1/2 a cup, of added sugars every day, it really does make a difference. Is it any wonder so many of us continue gaining weight or have trouble losing weight? Or worse - Americans, and women specifically, are contracting life-threatening conditions such as diabetes and heart disease in record numbers.

'Brain scans of people after a sleepless night show that sleeplessness reduces the so-called higher order powers of our brain and creates an excessive response in more primitive parts of the brain. Researchers say this combination of brain activities may lead to poor food choices, such as eating junk food.' ~ Nature Communications Journal, August 2013 ~ We all understand the importance of sleep for maintaining overall good health and well-being. As you continue on your path to weight loss, you need to definitely make sure you are getting plenty of sleep.

Are you considering a low-carb diet for weight loss? If so, you are choosing a very safe, healthy and effective diet plan. To get started, you should first understand what carbohydrates are and how they fit into a low-carb diet. Not all carbohydrates are bad, but some are much better than others.

Why Starvation Dieting Doesn't Work The road to losing weight can be frustrating, but not eating is taking it to the extreme, and actually makes losing weight much more difficult. In order to lose weight, you need to eat. Restricting your body of food will backfire quickly, and there are three main reasons why this is so.