1. Eat “Bulky” to Slim Down.

Choosing “big” and bulky foods such as fruits, vegetables, soups, and salads will fill you up without packing a lot of calories. These foods are filled with fiber and water, as opposed to “smaller” foods that tend to be sugar-rich and dense with calories. Many studies have shown that our hunger tends to be satisfied by eating a certain volume of food, (4-5 pounds per day) rather than the amount of calories per meal. Conclusion: Eating more bulky foods will help to curb your hunger and help you to lose weight faster.

2. Snack Smart.

When starting any weight loss program, cravings can absolutely kill your diet! When you are craving fat-rich or calorie-rich foods, try and find a lower calorie food to pair with it. For example, when craving chips, eat it with lots of healthy, fresh salsa (which is low in calories and will fill you up!) The good news is, as your body gets more accustomed to eating nutrient rich foods, you will crave these sugars less and less. This very important for long-term weight loss.

3. Heat It Up For Breakfast.

Oatmeal and other hot cooked cereals have only 1/5th the calories of dried cereals. Hot cereal packs around 300 calories per pound where dry cereals can contain 1,400 up to 2,000 calories per pound! In addition, hot cereal is more filling and can be a very nutritious way to start the day. A great addition to any weight loss strategy.

4. Salad First!

Researchers from Penn State recently found that people who ate a veggie salad before eating their main course, ate fewer overall calories then those who did not eat a first-course salad. Please make sure to have a low fat/low calorie dressing for the maximum benefit. Rule of thumb: more creamy = more fattening.

5. Eat, Don’t Drink Your Calories.

Calories from drinks such as juice, soda, or alcohol are a lot more fattening than filling. For faster weight loss, eat your calories instead! Did you know that you would consume the same amount of calories if you drank 8oz of orange juice, as if you ate 4 oranges?

6. Pasta over Pizza.

Pizza dough is very dense with calories, containing around 1,250 calories per pound. This is not even including the cheese, tomato sauce, or any toppings. Pasta is a much more health conscious choice when eating Italian. Your typical pasta dish, including the tomato sauce and vegetables will take you down to around 600-700 calories per pound.

7. More Veggies, Please!

When dining out, ask for extra vegetables. This is a great weight loss strategy to help you get full on veggies instead of bread or other unhealthy foods.

8. Exercise Daily.

Studies have shown that people who lose weight and keep it off, are committed to daily physical exercise. If you can burn 300 extra calories each day (about a 3 mile walk) and do not increase your caloric intake, you could easily lose 30 pounds in one year!

9. Park Farther Away.

I know you have heard it before, but it is true! Every little bit helps. Things as simple as taking the stairs or walking instead of driving down the block can really add up in your daily caloric expenditure. The center of Disease Control and Prevention says that if you spend as little as 10 minutes a day walking up and down stairs, you could lose as much as 10 pounds by the end of the year.

10. Pump the Iron.

Weight lifting not only burns calories, but will increase your metabolism over time. This means your body will burn energy at a faster rate and will not put on fat as quickly. Weight bearing exercise will also help to maintain/ increase bone density which is very important to help prevent osteoporosis. Try to find at least 15 minutes in your day to perform strength training.