Body Bikini-ready? Don't Lose Heart, Lose Weight!

Bikini season is rapidly approaching. Worried about breaking that New Year's Resolution to drop 10-20 pounds? You're not alone! Losing weight is perhaps one of the hardest things to do.

Despite the zillions of books on the subject, fad and crash diets and programs and pills that rake in billions of dollars a year, the secret to getting into and staying in shape is simple: eat less, exercise more. What isn't simple are taking the steps necessary to accomplish that goal.

Both cutting calories and increasing activity require modifications in behavior. And behavior is very difficult to change. Some say that you can break or change a habit in twenty-one days, but maybe it's more accurate to say you can establish a new and more productive behavior in three weeks time.

How can you create a new habit of eating more healthily and working out in three weeks? Here are a few tips to get you started:

1.    Set a reasonable goal

Contestants from The Biggest Loser aside, it's impossible to lose 20 pounds in a short period of time. Most healthcare professionals suggest that slow and steady has a much better chance of success and recommend losing no more than 1-2 pounds per week. Given that, setting a 3-week weight loss goal of 5-7 pounds would be reasonable and achievable.

You're not going to be able to run a marathon in your first weeks of activity either, so don't push yourself too hard. Start with 30 minutes of activity 3 times a week and increase session length and frequency each week. Power walking, cycling or working out with an aerobics DVD are all great ways to easily incorporate activity into your daily routine.

2. Make Lifestyle Adjustments

There are lots of small tweaks you can make to your daily life that will add up in calories burned and muscles flexed. Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator, standing instead of sitting, walking or biking instead of driving. Even household chores like vacuuming, gardening or even washing the dishes (by hand, not with a dishwasher!) can even help with shedding excess pounds.

Making small changes to your eating habits can also have a cumulative effect. Try substituting fresh vegetables and salads instead of potatoes, rice and pasta for side dishes. Grill and broil instead of frying, ditch that high-fat cappuccino for low-cal herbal tea and snack on fruit or vegetables instead of candy and chips.

3.    Structure a Routine

Those small adjustments in your eating and exercise habits can soon become a daily routine. One of the biggest obstacles to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is coping with a hectic schedule. Too often we don't have the time and energy to make the right choices. If this is an issue for you, a weight loss program such as Nutrisystem might be your best bet.

The convenience of pre-scheduled, portion-controlled meals like those in the Nutrisystem or other diet plans can prevent the impulse snacking, eating on the run or late-night bingeing that destroy many dieters' good intentions. By eliminating the need to plan and prepare meals, you give yourself some added ammunition against succumbing to high-calorie cravings.

By setting reasonable and manageable goals, you increase your chances for success. And each success can help give you the drive and endurance to set yet another goal.

Making small lifestyle adjustments helps you to see changes in eating behavior and activity level as being part of a long-term way of life instead of a short-term hardship. It's not about depriving yourself; it's about making positive choices and changes that will enhance your health and well-being!

Finally, you want to swap out your unhealthy habits for a healthier routine. For some, a busy, stress-filled lifestyle is an impediment to making those healthy lifestyle adjustments. A structured diet program can make it easier to develop a healthy routine and achieve your weight loss goals.

There you have it: three tips to help you lose weight in three weeks. It's not too late to have your body beach-ready by summer if you start now!