Obesity is a problem in our society and nearly everyone could stand to lose a few pounds, but all of the gimmicky and trick diets in the world, all of the fat-burning super fruit coming out of the Amazon rain forests and all of the fat-blocking pills being hawked on internet sites can’t silence one indisputable fact.

The healthy and effective way to lose weight is the same one that doctors have been recommending for years. There are no short cuts and any weight you take off using these instant methods will come right back if you don’t change your eating and fitness standards. Losing 20 pounds is a great goal, but celebrating that loss by returning to self-destructive eating and fitness habits is pointless.

Losing weight is not easy, but it is possible. It takes dedication and a real desire to actually lose weight. If you have those, follow these tips to lose weight without harming your health:

· Chose how much weight you want to lose. Setting realistic goals for your weight loss is important. Tracking these goals is essential for teaching your body the self-discipline it needs to continue with your diet and fitness regimen.

· Eat your breakfast. Eating a meal in the morning will kick-start your metabolism for the remainder of the day. Having a cup of coffee may make you feel satisfied, but your body is still in a slowdown mode and your metabolism is still sluggish. You have to give your body some fuel to ‘prime the pump.’

· Eat small meals through the day. Instead of overeating at a few meals, try eating smaller portions over longer periods of time. 5 to 6 meals per day, with a reduced intake is much healthier than 2 or 3 large ones.

· Limit the carbs. Limiting the amount of carbohydrates you eat will help you lose weight. Not just breads and pastries, cut down on pastas, sodas and rice can help you shed pounds.

· Although not all fats are bad, many aren’t good. Omega-3 fats are good for you and easily available in different cooking oils and cold water fish. Replacing or supplementing your normal fats with these will help you lose weight and improve your health.

· Drink water, lots of it. Although water doesn’t have anything in it to help you lose weight, drinking plenty of it will help your body flush out toxins, hydrate your cells and promote your health.

· Exercise every day. Find an exercise you like and stick with it. Even walking or climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator will help you burn calories and keep your body healthy. For more pronounced weight loss, you will need to find a more strenuous workout routine.

· Patience is a virtue. Weight loss doesn’t happen overnight and you have to get your body accustomed to the changes in diet and exercise before it will start changing. If you stick with your diet and fitness regimen, you will see changes.

Losing weight is important to retaining your health and fitness, but it should be treated with the respect your body deserves. Forcing your body, through pills or dubious diets, to lose pounds while losing essential nutrients is not healthy and can potentially damage your body. Following a simple diet and exercise regimen will take the weight off but you have to be patient. You can’t realistically expect to lose all of your excess pounds overnight.