3 Easy Weight Loss Diet Tricks

Think you have to go to extremes to lose weight this year? Guess what, you absolutely don't. In fact, most people who are able to lose pounds and keep them off over the long term do so by making small changes in their diets. There are several easy weight loss diet "tricks" you can use to lose weight, feel better, and look great this year. Here are a few of the best...

1. Avoid calorie bombs.

Eating just one high-calorie, high-sugar, high-fat meal or snack per day can totally ruin a healthy diet and keep you from losing weight. For one thing, it's never good to eat too many calories (especially "empty" calories) at one time. For another thing, once you eat something really bad you'll be more likely to rationalize eating more bad stuff later in the day.

Remember, willpower and discipline can only take you so far. The most important thing is to get rid of all the unhealthy junk food in your house and to avoid places and situations where you're more likely to indulge in high-calorie foods. Avoiding "calorie bombs" in the first place makes weight loss much easier!

2. Choose healthier versions of your favorite foods.

Did you know that there are probably much healthier lower-calorie, lower-fat versions of many of your favorite foods? For instance, you can now buy ground beef that is much leaner than normal hamburger meat. Simply switching to 90% lean ground beef can save you thousands of calories over the course of a year. Plus, you probably won't notice much of a change in flavor or texture.

Are you a pizza-lover? Typical takeout pizza is loaded with fat, sodium... and thousands of calories! Switch to healthier low-fat frozen pizzas and you can still enjoy a delicious food while losing weight at the same time. Easy weight loss is all about enjoying the foods you love but choosing the "healthy" version.

3. Avoid soft drinks and high-calorie alcoholic drinks.

If you want to lose weight, the soft drinks -- especially high-sugar sodas, teas, and "juice" drinks -- have to go. They contribute thousands of empty calories to your diet every week (if you drink them). The same goes for high-calorie alcoholic drinks. Even diet sodas are starting to get a bad rap as some experts believe the artificial sweeteners can actually cause a spike in insulin levels, leading to weight gain.

For easy weight loss results, simply drink water or unsweetened teas. One delicious option is carbonated water with fresh lemon or lime juice squeezed in. If you feel like you must have something sweeter, drink iced tea sweeten it with a natural sugar substitute like stevia or xylitol. By the way, drinking lots of water also helps keep you feeling full, which can help you to avoid food cravings and overeating.