If you're trying to lose weight or just starting to think about it, we all know it's a long, tough road ahead. With all the commercials, pills, workout videos and machines that are thrown at us all day.. no wonder we're all running around like a bunch of mad...dare I say it.. "cows." People have so many different opinions on weight loss it's hard to know which way to turn. I'm going to talk a bit about why a lot of popular diets and trends don't work, facts about weight loss and how you can reach your realistic weight loss goals, and some great weight loss tips that I use myself and you can try out too.

Why Most Diet Trends Fail

Diets are usually very restrictive and limit a certain food group that is necessary for overall health. For example, people who have high anxiety or stress (i know, it sucks) need to stay far away from diet pills with caffeine in them. Caffeine tends to make anxiety 10 times worse, so I've figured out. (i remember that day!lol) So, if eating a certain type of food can make you feel emotionally unstable, imagine what limiting or completely eliminating a food group can do to your mental state. If you are feeling unhappy and miserable you are more likely to go for the food that makes you feel better instead of the healthier alternative. The truth is, carbohydrates are a part of balancing out your mood so it is necessary to include them in your every day diet. The trick is choosing the right ones! That means fiber, vegetables, fruits, legumes, avocados, nuts, sweet potatoes, etc.

What Can You Do To Reach Your Goals?

Exercise, exercise, exercise! It's a love/hate relationship for me and I don't have the time or money to go the gym for hours every day. A great way to implement it into your life is by starting with small changes. Start parking further away from the grocery store, take the stairs, go on an evening walk with your love, play hide and seek with your kids, get an Xbox 360 Kinect! (They have some great work out games on there!lol) Just remember, if you burn more than you consume you'll be on the right track.

Keep a journal. Write down what you eat, when you eat it, and how you feel at the time. After a week you can look and see the reality of what your eating habits are and how to improve them.

Cook! Try not to eat out regularly. You are never 100% sure how your food is cooked if someone else is making it. Fresh, home-cooked food always tastes better anyways! Use sugar substitutes, or natural sweeteners for baking, non-fat or low-fat diary products, natural fats, and lots of lean protein and fiber. Stay away from packaged/processed foods like Tv dinners, chips, donuts, etc. Those kinds of foods are bad for your health in general.

Weight Loss Tips

After trying so many different weight loss techniques, I've come to love one called The Cabbage Soup diet. Now, I tweaked mine a bit because I am not a huge fan of cabbage soup (I just made my own kind of veggie soup low salt) and I don't like the word diet. This is pretty much how I eat 90% of the time because its different, keeps my metabolism going, and its kinda fun. The original diet is meant to be for 7 days and you eat the Cabbage Soup between meals. The first day all you eat is fruit, as much as you want all day long. Second day, all veggies. Third day, combine fruits and veggies. Fourth day, bananas and milk! (great for sweet cravings) Fifth day, chicken and tomatoes. Sixth day, lean protein such as chicken or turkey and veggies. Last day is protein, veggies, and fruit! It's supposed to help you lose up to 10 lbs in a week, I believe I lost 7 in mine..which I'm perfectly happy with!

Home workout videos are a great way to burn calories at home. Cardio is great for fat burning and strength is good for toning up and also helps burn fat. Another great way to burn throughout the day is by staying on your feet. While you're on the phone or watching Tv, get up and move! Dance around and sing..Its fun, free, and helps you reach your weight loss goals! Remember, losing weight isn't a race and you shouldn't compare yourself to others. Everyone loses weight with different techniques, at different paces, and with different results.

The best way to start losing weight and keep it off is to remember your motivation for starting. It should be for you and you only! Love yourself because you are one of a kind and there is no one like you in the world. Your body type does not define you or what you can do. Now, get up and move and you'll start feelin better!