Eating protein, fat, and vegetables; drinking more water; increasing the fiber in your diet; and adding exercise may all help you reach your weight loss goals. But there may be other things to consider, like what medications you take, other health conditions you have, your hormones, and genetics.

When people serve food onto a plate, they tend to finish all the food on that plate. They could lower their calories with minimal effort by reducing the size of their plate or how much food they put on it.

Tracking what you eat really can help you see the big picture of your calorie intake. To make things a bit easier, try a diet-tracking app that counts calories for you, like MyFitnessPal or Noom.

If you prefer to keep your weight-loss efforts private, take some steps to stay on course. Track your diet and exercise in a journal or an app. Also track your weight. Review your progress and make changes as needed.

Meal planning can help keep you on track, no matter what your nutrition goal is. Prepping and planning doesn’t have to be time-intensive and complicated. A few simple steps, including basic meal constructs, making a shopping list, shopping strategically, and methodically preparing food ahead of time, are what make meal planning a helpful tool to keep you energized, meet your nutrition goals, reduce food waste, and save money.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

Every month seems to bring a trendy new diet or weight-loss fad—yet obesity rates continue to rise, along with a growing number of diseases and health concerns. It's time for a different approach.

“Delay and Pray” by Beth Bubik offers a unique approach to weight loss by combining spiritual fasting with practical diet advice, rooted deeply in Christian faith. Bubik shares her transformative journey, introducing the Delay and Pray™ method, which involves delaying sugar, flour, and alcohol during the week while dedicating these fasting periods to prayer, reparation, and spiritual reflection.

Your donation can make a difference in the future of healthcare. Give now to support Mayo Clinic's research.

Healthy weight loss begins with setting realistic goals for yourself. Working towards weight loss to improve your health or quality of life is one thing; it’s another to try to lose as much weight as you can as fast as you can so you look better in a bathing suit. 

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our sitio. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:

It’s not always necessary to count calories as long as you follow a balanced diet rich in protein, fat, and vegetables.

13 While many of them lost weight initially, his study demonstrated that most had regained their weight and — more concerning — six years later their RMR was still lowered by over 700 calories per weight loss guide day

Here are 16 effective ways you can motivate yourself to lose weight. People often lack the motivation to get started or continue on a weight loss diet.