I have some advice for those looking to lose weight. Cut soda of any kind even diet soda out of your diet. Soda, even diet soda can contribute to weight gain. This girl I went to school with lost 8 pounds in one week after eliminating soda from her diet. That is a lot for a one week weight loss. She has been heavy most her life and a soda drinker most her life, drinking several 12oz or more sodas a day. She has had trouble losing weight and then when she stopped drinking soda she has started losing weight.
Most sodas are loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners which can add on the pounds and make losing weight harder when consumed on a regular basis. Diet sodas seem even worse than regular sodas because they are full of artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners can actually increase your cravings making you feel hungrier and leading you to overeat which can lead to weight gain. "Another reason to tone down your diet soda habit, says Aragon: Scientists at the University of Minnesota found that diet sodas and fake sugars may increase your risk for metabolic syndrome, which results in higher levels of belly fat, blood sugar, and cholesterol. So it's a good idea to limit your intake to three or four servings a day at most (one packet of sugar substitute in your coffee is one serving; one can of diet soda is two). If your diet otherwise consists mainly of real foods, you can enjoy a little sweetener, whether it's artificial or not."
Don't avoid fatty foods. Eating fat can help you lose weight. But there are good fats and bad fats. You have to include the right fats--primarily monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) like nuts, avocados, and healthy oils--and stay away from processed foods that contain trans fats, such as baked goods.
Some like to blame carbs for their weight gain, but carbs are not the enemy. Yes, too much of anything isn't good for you. "If you eat more than you burn, the unused calories turn into fat that gets stored in your belly (and elsewhere), regardless of what particular foods those calories come from, says Aragon." A good tip for consuming carbs is make sure most of your carbs are the complex kind found in whole grains and raw fruits and vegetables. Because these tend to fill you with fiber, it's easier to eat them in controlled portions than it is with highly processed refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and rice.
Another tip don't avoid dairy, cutting back on the amount of dairy you eat can signal your body to make more fat cells, according to a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Don't blame your slow metabolism for your weight gain. You can actually speed up your metabolism by lifting weights. Increasing your muscle mass helps burn off fat quicker.
So don't be afraid of lifting weights and gaining some muscle.
Our bodies constantly burn calories, even when we’re doing nothing. This resting metabolic rate is much higher in people with more muscle. Every pound of muscle uses about 6 calories a day just to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily. That small difference can add up over time. In addition, after a bout of resistance training, muscles are activated all over your body, increasing your average daily metabolic rate.
Your best bet for creating a mean calorie-burning machine is to build muscle and stay active. The more you move during the day, the more calories you burn. And remember: working out in the morning has the benefit of revving up your metabolism for hours.
Other ways to speed up your metabolism are...
Fuel Up with Water
The body needs water to process calories. If you are even mildly dehydrated, your metabolism may slow down. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and snack. In addition, try munching on fresh fruits and vegetables, which are full of fluid, rather than pretzels or chips.
Taurine can speed up your metabolism and may help burn fat.
Spice Up Your Meals
Spicy foods contain chemical compounds that can kick the metabolism into a higher gear. Eating a tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper can boost your metabolic rate. The effect is likely temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. For a quick boost, spice up pasta dishes, chili, and stews with red-pepper flakes.
Power Up with Protein
The body burns many more calories digesting protein as it uses for fat or carbohydrates. Although you want to eat a balanced diet, replacing some carbs with lean, protein-rich foods can boost the metabolism at mealtime. Healthy sources of protein include lean beef, turkey, fish, white meat chicken, tofu, nuts, beans, eggs, and low-fat dairy products
Recharge with Green Tea
Drinking green tea or oolong tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, substances shown to rev up the metabolism for a couple hours. Research suggests that drinking two to four cups of either tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories than normal during moderately intense exercise for a short period of time.
Eat more whole grains, oatmeal, brown rice, broccoli, soups, apples, pears, foods high in calcium, foods high in Omega-3's, lean turkey, foods high in protein, whey protein.
Another tip to speed up your metabolism is get plenty of sleep and try to avoid or reduce stress in your life.
