Around 150 million Americans were overweight or obese in 2008. In the UK at least a third of the population is either overweight or seriously obese. More and more children are having their life expectancy reduced because of obesity. Obesity continues to be a serious problem and is predicted to reach epidemic levels by the year 2020.

Here are some diseases that you are likely to suffer from if you are carrying a lot of extra weight:

1. Heart disease- the biggest killer of all.
2. Stroke
3. Diabetes- too much sugar can cause problems.
4. Cancer
5. Arthritis- your joints can't take too much weight.
6. Hypertension

Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases.

The quick weight loss methods which have made their creators millions of dollars do not provide lasting results. They may help you lose weight in the short term but in the long term they're of no use. More often than not, dieting methods which involve dietary drinks, foods and supplement or pills do not work. They make their producers lots of money but do not really benefit you. I will, however, talk about these in other articles.

Lose weight healthily and change your life. You have to set realistic targets and not expect to lose a lot of pounds in a short time frame.

Here are 8 tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the healthy way:

1. Do not starve your self.

The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet.

You may seem happy and feel that you are losing unwanted weight on your stomach and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this will not last long. Your body cannot cope with having insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up everyday.

If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have been provided by your meals. So if you just eat one huge sandwich in one day, it will end going straight to your problem area , whether that's your stomach, your hips or your buttocks.

2. Start your day right.

Dieticians always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eat a healthy breakfast to get going. Smoothies, fruit are really great. See my previous articles on superfoods to see exactly why.

3. Eat small, healthy meals frequently.

Eat five small meals rather than 3 big meals. Eating more often and in smaller portions can help stop over eating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster.

4. Decide on how much weight you want to lose.

Keep your target sensible. In the long run, it is virtually impossible for you to lose 30 pounds in 2 weeks ,that is unless you want to make yourself really ill ! Have a mindset that you want to eat healthy for the rest of your life.

Once you have decided on a weight loss plan or program, stick to it and make sure that you follow your own set of dieting rules.

5. Drink lots of water.

One of the ultimate superfoods water is an essential for a healthy diet.Your body needs sufficient water to burn fat and keep your cells hydrated and healthy.

6. Avoid too much sugar.

Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some bread, rice or pasta for that carbo fix that you need, plus lean meat and protein rich-foods. Sweets, sodas and pastries should be an occasional treat only.

7. Watch your fat intake.

Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to keep your weight at the proper level.

Some fats are healthy. Olive, peanuts and canola oil have them, tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats. They are great for the heart.

8. Exercise. One clear message here. Do not overdo it. Do not waste money on gym membership until you're confident enough to do so. Exercise everyday using everyday situations. If you're not going far, why take your car. Use these activities and other home chores if you don't want to go to the gym.. Make sure that you do this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with these day to day activities.

It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself.

Go slow. If you have already lost 5 or 6 pounds, give yourself a break then try to lose the next 5 pounds.

Eat healthy, drink lots of water, have enough sleep and exercise. Do this and you'll lose weight more easily and improve your health. Finally do not become obsessed with weighing yourself. Check the scales once a week- no more. Become obsessive and losing weight will just become a chore. Remember you're changing your lifestyle as well as your weight !