Healthy weight loss means losing weight in a way that is good for body, heart, and soul. Sure, there are many weight loss programs available on the market for you, but which ones are healthy and how do you know what is healthy and what is not. I mean for many of us that are overweight, we don't generally have an idea of what healthy weight loss would mean because we have lead lives with unhealthy habits.

As someone who was, at one point, sixty pounds overweight, I can say this with conviction. We become overweight because of our unhealthy choices. Maybe we were taught our bad habits, maybe we simply pick them up as we age, or maybe we know what we need to do to experience healthy weight loss, but lack the will power to get the job done.

In today's society, when we hear the phrase healthy weight loss, we immediately think of the negative things about diets. We consider diets that mean counting calories, who has the time for that right and this is not healthy weight loss. We consider diets that mean avoiding all the foods we enjoy such as low-carb diets, or the Adkins's diet, which again is not healthy weight loss. Here is something you should be considering however, healthy weight loss does not mean starving yourself, nor does it mean that you have to quit eating the foods you love.

What foods should you be avoiding?

Well the list is not all that long. Basically you want to avoid heavy salad dressings such as Ranch. Opt for something lighter such as Italian. You also want to avoid overeating when it comes to bread. You can eat a small sandwich, but avoid excess bread within your day. While we all love chocolate, even fat-free chocolate is unhealthy for our bodies. Find other type of fat-free methods of snacking because even fat-free desserts and cakes are not really good for you.

Stick to diet sodas and avoid sweet breakfast cereals at all costs. Breaded and fried foods should be avoided, as well as potato chips, French fries, and pizza. You see the things you should avoid are nothing that cannot be accomplished. While we may like these things, we know deep down that they are unhealthy choices to experience healthy weight loss.

Healthy weight loss simply means knowing what you should eat, what you shouldn't, and getting a little exercise in your day. I can virtually hear the collective cringes and sighs when that statement was read. Exercise is in an important aspect of healthy weight loss and maintaining the new lifestyle. However, you can get excited again now, because these exercises do not have to be the strenuous ones you have heard about.

Simply taking a light, somewhat leisurely walk everyday, or some other type of light, less intense form of exercise is all that is really needed. The thing to remember is that healthy weight loss does NOT mean punishing your body or yourself. It means instilling good habits into your everyday routine and maintaining those healthy habits, after you have achieved the healthy weight loss.