You do not need to buy a gym membership or expensive diet program to lose weight. All you need to do is have a plan and stick to it. First off, make the decision that you are going to exercise every day. You can combine cardiovascular and weight training into one exercise, or you can do cardio on one day and weight training on the next day. For cardiovascular exercise, you can go bike riding, power walking, running, roller skating, or get involved in a very physical sport. Good sports for cardio exercise would be basketball, racquetball, tennis or soccer. Swimming is also a great exercise for both cardiovascular and weight training since it tones your muscles.

For your weight training exercises, you once again do not need to spend a lot of money. You can buy a set of hand weights for less than twenty dollars to get you started. They will probably be sufficient for quite a while since it does take time to build both strength and endurance. It is important not to skip the weight training because it will put you at risk of losing muscle weight, which will make you weaker. A common misconception is that weight training will lead to visible muscle mass. Trust me; you will not turn into a body builder over night.

Learn what foods you should avoid eating, and avoid them. Generally speaking, you should avoid eating deep-fried foods, processed foods, foods containing refined sugar like baked sweets, chocolate, white bread, and anything that comes smothered in cheese (ie smothered cheese fries). Focus on eating healthy foods like fresh fruits, uncooked vegetables, whole grains breads, brown rice, lean meats and fish. Make sure you eat a mix of proteins (meat) and carbohydrates (pasta and breads).

For the best weight loss results, you should stop eating two or three meals a day, and try to eat six meals a day. Eating more often will help stop you from overeating because you will not feel extremely hungry when you sit down. You should also make a conscience effort to drink at least 8 – 8 oz. glasses of water each day. The water will help prevent bloating and keep all your systems running smoothly. Now this plan will not work over night. You should stick to the plan for at least eight weeks before making a decision on its effectiveness. Remember the basics and keep it simple. Weight loss does not need to be overly complicated.