Fair Warning: This is not an article that will tell you about how to drop 5 lbs in a week. Now, let’s focus on the problem at hand. Have you been dieting for weeks but still haven’t shed those few extra pounds?

Then the problem is in your routine, more specifically in the way you are continuing your diet. Does your diet include eating less and sitting all day on the couch and watching TV? You are probably wondering, “Why am I not losing weight even though I am eating less?”

Here’s a tough wakeup call for you: Eating less does not mean you will lose weight!

Two things that make a huge difference in your diet plan are low carb and low fat foods. You might have come across numerous “Top 10” foods that will help you lose weight fast right? We have got one for you too:

1. There
2. Are
3. No
4. Fat
5. Burning
7. Stop
8. Reading
9. Stupid

Yup! That’s right and we said it. So, what’s the best way to lose weight?

Before starting, let me make one thing clear: No matter what kind of diet you are taking on whether it is the Keto Diet or the Atkins Diet, you need to include exercise in your routine. Hate the gym? No problem! Why not have a walk around the block with your friend or your dog. You can take part in any activity of your liking at your local community center such as swimming, mock rock climbing or volleyball.

Let’s start:

The Three Keys to Losing Weight

1. Eat More Vegetables

The daily recommended vegetable intake for men and women is 2 ½ to 3 cups. They should make up a huge a part of your diet. Vegetables offer you several benefits, which include:

• Very few calories
• High satiation level
• Help you fight life threatening diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer

The good thing is, you can steam, boil, sauté and even grill them. Add a healthy amount of vegetables to your “small” quantity of protein and you are on your way to a good start.

2. Add More Whole Foods to Your Diet

The second key is whole foods. These include whole grains, fruits, seafood, seeds, nuts, beans, etc. They are low in carbohydrate and chock-full of fibre. These food types keep you satiated for a long time and you are less likely to go looking for a snack in your kitchen.

3. Eat Less Sugar

The third and final key is sugar. On average, we consume around 19 or more teaspoons of sugar, whereas it is recommended that in order to stay healthy, we should limit this intake to 9 teaspoons. So, no matter what kind of sugar we are talking about: be it maple syrup or brown syrup, you should avoid all! It’s time to say goodbye to your midnight margaritas, happy hours after office and that slice of chocolate pie you enjoy every Saturday.

So, there you go… three tips that will help you lose weight the right way. If you can strike a balance between these food items and ones with fat (add a little exercise), then not only will you be able to lose weight but will also maintain it in the longer run.