Water

We all know that water is good for you, it regulates body temperature, removes toxins in the body, promotes weight loss and relieves headaches just to name a few. But, how much water should one drink? The basic equation is to take your weight and divide by 2. The result is the number of ounces you should drink. If exercising regularly, add another 8-16 ounces! So drink up, water does the body good!

Get Calorie Smart

If you're not paying attention, it's easy to eat more than you mean to. All it takes is pouring a little extra salad dressing or picking a cereal that in a saner world would be sold in the grocery store's dessert section. Fortunately, you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to sniff out hidden calories. If you know where your calories come from, you can send a lot of them packing – and lose weight in the process.

Tips to help accelerate weight loss

1. Eat only low-fat, plant foods.
2. Never skip meals especially breakfast.
3. Drink at least a full glass of water 30 minutes before you eat.
4. Make low-fat vegetables the center of your diet.
5. Snack on fruits. They contain water, fiber and are filling.
6. Eat at least one full meal salad a day with minimal dressing.
7. Exercise before meals.

Eat on a Schedule

For weight loss success, set a schedule. A good one: three meals and two snacks. With that timing, you'll be eating every few hours, so you'll never find yourself ravenous and out of control. Your metabolism will be consistently fueled throughout the day, so your body will be burning calories around the clock. At the same time, since you know there's a meal or snack coming up, you'll be less likely to mindlessly snack between times – or to skip a meal, which can set you up for overeating later.