Grocery Shopping Tip:

Grocery Shopping and Other Tips that'll Help You Lose Weight

Wouldn't it be nice if there were an easy-to-follow practical primer to tell you all the things you should and shouldn't do to help you lose weight?

Now, I'm not talking about food choices -- there are dozens of eating plans available, and you can find some here.

Instead, I'm referring to a simple list of do's and don'ts that you can easily follow in your everyday life to make it easier to stick to your diet or lifestyle eating plan.

Below you'll find ten tips that work wonders to help avoid temptation and keep you on track.

Grocery Shopping Tips

1. Shop the outside aisles.

Supermarkets are designed with the four basic food groups on and around the perimeter. If you stick to the outside aisles, you'll find produce, bakery, dairy and meat -- the most natural, unprocessed foods which are best for your health. Avoid going up and down the aisles where processed "convenience" foods dwell to tempt you away from healthy foods.

2. Don't shop hungry.

It's an old tip. But you know what, it works. When you're hungry, everything looks good -- especially quick, vacant calories. Make it a point to shop on a full stomach. You'll discover you're saving both money and calories.

3. Buy fresh, whole and organic whenever you can.

Processing vacuums out nutrients and adds calories. If you have a choice, buy fresh vegetables and fresh fruits and whole grain goods. Skip the highly processed snack foods and "convenience" dinners. These are garbage.

Setting Goals

1. Set reasonable, attainable goals.

Remember that a healthy, sustainable weight loss is approximately 1-2 pounds per week. Setting a goal to lose 30 pounds in one month is setting yourself up to fail.

2. Break your goals down into manageable chunks.

The thought of losing 100 pounds is highly daunting. Instead, make your goal to lose 10 pounds this month, or get through the week without cheating on your diet.

3. Reward yourself.

There's nothing more motivating than promising yourself a special treat when you reach a goal -- but don't keep rewards just for big milestones. Make a list of positive reinforcers that you can dip into whenever you avoid temptation or need an extra boost.

Measuring and Weighing

1. Measure your progress through dress or pants size instead of pounds.

Why? One of the by-products of eating healthy and exercising daily is converting fat to muscle. Muscle is denser, and weighs more than fat -- however, you're still getting smaller, and your clothing will prove it to you.

2. Measure your food for the initial month.

Our concept of portion size has been greatly distorted by restaurants, magazine ads, and our own western eating habits.

3. Measure your day in steps - think "baby steps," as in the movie What About Bob.

Counting the steps you walk each day and aiming to increase them to 10,000 steps daily is a great way to add exercise to your diet. (Hint: Invest in a pedometer!)

Attitude

1. Treat yourself well.

Losing weight is something you're doing because you love yourself and care about your body. Remember to reinforce and reward yourself regularly for your hard work.

2. Focus on your health and state of mind, instead of your weight.

Eat healthy, exercise regularly and sensibly, and put in some quality "me time" every day.

3. If you slip, forgive yourself, go back over your goal, and start again.

Each day is a new day, and every day brings you closer to the new you.

Note: While a reward system is important and helps keep you on track, it's all moot unless you have a goal. If you want to lose twenty pounds, for example, and don't want anything crazy or complicated, we recommend the Idiot Proof Diet. We hear nothing but good things about this simple and straightforward program. -- Editors