7 tips to lose those few extra pounds

If you are on a diet, want to start a diet or want to lose some weight; here are some things to keep in mind to help you lose those few extra pounds.

You all know how the calories system works, the importance of the free day in a diet program, and the importance of exercising and burning more calories than consumed. But in these few tips, I'm trying to tell you things you don't already know, or what most people don't really consider.

Losing weight is not only about calories... there are many other variables that affect this system, like cholesterol, for example,is a major factor in gaining weight.

Stress is another indirect reason, it raises your cholesterol. And stress is usually not only from your poor diet and from your emotional eating cravings,but the stress from work, deadlines, kids, problems, etc.

So here are some tips to keep in mind and you will succeed in your diet

1- Many people can't wait for 6 days until their cheat day to eat what they want. Some people crave a certain food type or item more than anything or anybody else. My sister, for example, craves chocolate; she's addicted to chocolate. Chocolate cakes, bars, syrup, pancakes, she'd put chocolate on a T-bone steak if she could! So the whole day off thing didn't work with her. We discovered that instead of her taking a day off, a few cheat snacks throughout the week worked well for her.

2- The craving for food in itself gives you enough power to wait for the next free day or meal if you really teach yourself to enjoy it.

3- In that day off or cheat meal, take more calories than you, usually, take in. It's bad for the metabolism to get used to burning only low-calorie food. This results in you gaining weight faster, the first day you drop your diet.

4- Remember to stay STRESS-FREE whenever you're on a diet. It will just sabotage the whole thing for you

5- Monitor your cholesterol, now that you're stress free, if you have any cholesterol problems, remember to keep it under control as it will work against your weight-loss plan.

6- Always keep in mind how much effort you put into this. It is a habit that needs to be broken. Just like quitting cigarettes, it takes a lot of effort to start, but the more effort you put in, the more you won't let it go in vain. Especially when you start seeing results.

7- Finally, it will become a habit - healthy lifestyle and nutrition is what you should strive for.