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If you happen to be among the millions of people who are weight impaired, you may have already considered, or even tried many alternatives for losing weight, and you may still be seekingthat one magic "remedy".

Sadly, there are no magic remedies, diet pills, or supplements for losing weight. It takes desire, persistence, and lots of accurate information seasoned with ample amounts of supportiveand caring guidance, to succeed.

Through the trials and tribulations of many failed weight loss plans, we now know that if you try to manage your weight by making too many radical changes to your diet and your lifestyle,you will eventually fail.

For a diet plan to be successful it must fit within the boundaries of normal day-to-day habits and activities. It must allow for the consumption of familiar foods in familiar and traditional social settings.

The exclusion of "taboo" foods or your favorite fast food restaurant is generally a set-up for eventual dieting failure. When you stop to think about it, isn't it usually the things you are told that you can't do or can't have that you desire the most! It's a part of human nature. We want what we can't have!

So take it away from us, and surely this is exactly what we will want and crave most! The most highly regarded sources of information agree that we tend to focus on what we can't have, including the foods we eat.(see what the Bible has to say about it; Romans 7:14-15).

A good plan for losing weight should not try to radically change your eating behavior. The plan should adapt to your daily activities and eating habits, and of course any good plan should incorporate the benefits of good nutrition, convenience,and above all, practicality.

The bottom line is that we are all very busy people without a lot of time to spare. We're not very likely to turn our busy lifestyles upside down to follow some restrictive plan for losing weight.

Maybe a few will work for a short period of time, but the facts don't lie. Although the "crash" weight loss diets may work for a short while, most of us will find that before long the pounds will start to begin to creep back on.

After all, we are not going give-up eating at fast food and sit-down restaurants when we need a quick meal or snack, and we are unlikely to stop eating with business associates, good friends and family. It is very difficult therefore,(if not impossible)to follow dieting guidelines on special meal occasions such as these! We are not going to completely eliminate the foods we love and crave, and we're most definitely not going to waste precious time preparing special dietary meals from "scratch" every day! Therefore it is very important to know that you don't have to stop doing any of the above to lose weight.

You can look and feel like a million bucks, take years off your appearance and have the energy and vitality to accomplish your dreams, by following a few simple guidelines.

Here they are...

Take It One Step At A Time.

Some of the greatest accomplishments in life begin by taking one small step at a time. When we are challenged to think deeply, encouraged by others to succeed, and ultimately inspired to takeaction, great things start to happen! If you have important weight loss goals you are not achieving,try to spend less time worrying about all the possible "causes" and start concentrating on how you can make progress.

This is one of the keys to moving forward and a simple, but powerful tool for success.

Assess Your Dietary Needs And Lifestyle.

Awareness is the key, so take some time to learn about your specific dietary needs (caloric intake) and daily energy requirements for example. We're talking a basic understandinghere, and not having to go into any great detail.

Seek Advice From Friends And Trusted Authorities.

Don't believe everything you hear! There are thousands of diet "scams" on the market. When you find a trusted source, ask as many questions as you can about diet and exercise. Find out whathas worked for others. But always be on-guard for the "quick fix" approach...it won't work in the majority of cases.

Start Creating A System Of Support.

About 85% of our "happiness" and well-being is determined by the quality of our relationships with other people. Loving, caring relationships and a network of friends, family, and colleagueslowers stress, increases longevity, and helps us to accomplish our goals in life (including losing weight).

We are social creatures and we do our best when we have friends to cheer us on, offer support, give advice, and hold us accountable when necessary. This makes it easy for us to succeed.

So, surround yourself with people, tools and activities that make it more likely for you to succeed than to fail! Arrange your living environment and social situations so that every thing around you pulls your forward, instead of possibly leaving you totally de-motivated.

Use Your Resources.

Read motivational tips, general health information and any other literature you can get your hands-on. Information is power!

NOW TAKE THE FIRST STEP

There you have it. So you can get started today, and make sure your whole approach is controlled, rational and methodical. If you can take the "long term view," and set yourself realistic "achievable" goals you will most surely succeed.