Learn to Make Smarter Food Choices Every Meal

Motivation to lose weight often spikes when the first signs of summer appear and people begin to picture their body in a bathing suit. While there is no getting around eating right and staying active, experts say that having the right attitude can help you think yourself thin. Studies have shown people who are connected with a support person or group, lose more weight than traditional dieters who try to go it alone.

Weight loss specialists say that having the right attitude can help you think yourself thin. However, you must change the patterns and habits that are getting in the way of your success. Although you cannot change the past, attitude is often more important than facts. You have a choice every day regarding your attitude and that should dictate your actions.

• Visualize Your Goals - Realistic weight loss goals need a real action plan, so take time to establish doable strategies to achieve what you want with your menu plan.
• Develop Mental Toughness - Your willpower is natural to you and your way of doing things. Repeating a simple mantra is a great way of being able to tap into what's inside.
• Do Not Eat Distracted - Avoid eating at the computer or in front of the television. Tune out the multitasking and enjoy the eating experience instead. Eating distracted may lead to stored belly fat.
• Just Say No - Don't give up on your deepest heart desires in order to please others. Put yourself "unselfishly" first and make sure you honor your own desires. It is not selfish to say no to others for self-preservation.
• Hang with Other Dieters - A 100% commitment to your weight loss goals means there is no indecision about what you intend to accomplish and when. Hang out with similar minded dieters.

In the future, you may see an array of interventions from functional to regenerative medicine become part of a state-of-the-art weight loss therapy, similar to the mind-body conditioning used for managing chronic pain. If you want to look like you did 20 years ago, choose a photo that you can look at when you are struggling with staying on track or need a quick boost of motivation.

Fooling your eye is a clever way to allow for visual satisfaction when eating. By using smaller plates, you can slowly eat all the food on your plate while enjoying each and every bite. It is okay to eat for emotional reasons, such as birthday cake at a party, but you need to be able to recognize those cues and decide for yourself if food is what your body wants or needs.