With almost daily reports about the obesity crisis, millions of people are concerned about the best ways to lose weight. Almost every magazine has a monthly story about the most promising new diets and weight loss plans and people are confused about which story to believe. Here are the top five weight loss tips that remain true throughout almost every fat diet and scientific study. Each of these tips will assist in weight loss if the dieter is committed to making progress.

First, the key to healthy weight loss is to drink enough water every day. Most people know that drinking water will help flush the toxins from their body and promote fat-burning, but still they don't do it. The average person should drink 64 ounces of water a day. In addition to helping cleanse the cells and hydrate the body, drinking water helps suppress the appetite. When the stomach is full of water, it isn't asking for food. In addition, many people mistake feelings of thirst for feelings of hunger and snack when they should just get a drink!

The second key to weight loss is to keep a food diary. Many people snack and over eat without realizing it, because they believe a bite here and there does not add up to much. Unfortunately, it does! When forced with the possibility of writing down every bite they take or lying to themselves, most people find it easier to resist the last bites of dinner left in the pan or the last piece of chocolate cake.

The third thing to remember for healthy weight loss is that size and amount matter. Learning proper portion control is difficult at first and a few hunger pains, but when combined with a decision to eat more slowly, it can result in rapid, healthy weight loss. Study after study shows that people eat more when more food is placed in front of them, so an easy way to eat less is to see less. Measuring the food on a dinner plate and eating at the table, away from the temptation of seconds, can lead to measurable weight loss in no time.

Will power and the desire not to admit how much they eat will help many people with weight loss, but some people only eat when they are truly hungry and still over eat. That's why the fourth tip for healthy weight loss is to find a good appetite suppressant. There are many drugs like caffeine and ephedra that suppress the appetite, but there are also healthier, natural ways. One of the most popular natural appetite suppressants is hoodia, an African cactus that helps defeat hunger.

The fifth and final key to healthy weight loss is exercise. Many people hoping to lose weight and live healthier lives complain they cannot exercise, either because they do not have the time or because their bodies are not healthy enough. The most simple way to overcome these difficulties is to add walking to daily weight loss activities. Many plans that suggest adding walking encourage people to take 10,000 steps a day, take the stairs instead of an elevator or walk 20 minutes briskly every day.

All of these ideas are good, but sometimes unrealistic depending on just how out of shape a person is. If these ideas are too time consuming, start by simply hiding the remote control. Even the five steps to turn the channel or turn the television off are better than simply sitting on the couch.