Losing weight has almost been an extreme sport. It's been made into a contest and not a long term way of life. It's good to lose fat now, don't get me wrong. But let's do it in a smart and healthy way. I have tried all the "you have to lose 20 lbs. now" diets you can imagine and now I'm experiencing the consequences. I feel that after years of putting my body through abuse I've decided to take a less abusive and more health building approach. But this does not mean that you have to sacrifice rapid weight loss. You can do it all. I'll tell you how.

Take some time, first, to analyze your eating habits. The best way to do this is to keep a journal. Write down what you eat, how much and when. The when can be important in looking at the times you are most vulnerable to over-eating. I found out I am a big night eater. So I had to make sure I included a healthy snack at that time of the day that wouldn't be too much but will be satisfying.

The next thing you need to do is to make menus for the week that include lean meats, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. You need to get recipes. These should include 5 smaller meals. Make sure you create some great snacks. I love hummus and vegetables or yogurt and fruit or salsa and organic baked chips and the list goes on.

Then get your shopping done. Don't shop when you're hungry. Stick to your shopping list. Keep your menu more and more creative. 

Drink lots of water. You’ll see your energy level increasing, as does your metabolism.

With all this in, you'll be able to keep to a healthy weight loss plan.