If you've been wondering about how to lose the extra pounds that have gathered around your mid section and are depriving you of all the fun activities your slimmer peers are happily enjoying, your wanderings have now found an end. This articles looks at the secrets that lead to healthy and sustainable weight loss.

Contrary to what all the media hype has projected, the secret to weight loss does not lie in the chemist's lab. The weight loss pills that are in the market and in the very least ineffective in weight loss, and in the extreme cases they are a danger to your health. The weight loss medications that seem to be some kind of magic pill are effective only when used as an aid to weight loss. They are by no means an end to themselves. The weight loss supplements that are out there are probably a bigger danger to health as well as a bigger waste of money. In the US companies that manufacture these supplements are under no restriction by the FDA to prove that their product actually works. They can advertise any thing they want and the product legally stays on the market. Only recently have products as futile as diet patches been taken off the market.

So where does the secret to healthy weight loss lie? It dishonesty with you. Healthy weight loss is possible when you make healthy lifestyle changes. These changes are the result of small but crucial habits that you adopt and put yourself back on the track of health and fitness. Here's how you go about it;

1. Increase Water Intake: drinking more water is critical for healthy weight loss. Not only this but people who drink lots of water are also less likely to contract diseases. The reason is simple, water is a natural cleansing agent and detoxifies the body. While the impurities stay inside you, they cause more damage. Once removed, your body is all the stronger for it. Drinking 8 glasses of ice cold water every day means burning 200 calories. As well, a healthy supply of water to the body causes weight loss through eliminating water retention. On the contrary, you not only increase weight when your eating is low, your health and immune system deteriorate as the toxins stay inside the body.

2. Increase Fiber: weight loss can be considerably expedited by increasing the amount of fiber in your diet. Naturally rich sources of fibrous food are whole grains, whole wheat, oatmeal, etc. whole grain cereals are a great alternative and substitute for the refined cereals out there.

3. Quit Junk Food: there is no hope for weight loss while you are still on a junk food diet. Junk food contains saturated fats and refined carbohydrates. Saturated fats raise the blood cholesterol and refined carbs raise blood sugar. Combined, both of these pay handsome tributes to the waistline. If you feel hungry for a snack, go for fresh fruits and vegetables. These are nourishing, healthy and also supply you with rich quantities of vitamins and minerals. Soft drinks are also a big no no. They raise acidity in the blood and cause dehydration in the body. Quench your thirst with water or fresh juices.

4. Exercise: exercise is essential for healthy weight loss. Build a 30 minute vigorous exercise routine into your day. A daily half an hour walk can significantly increase your stamina as well as cause visible weight loss. You can also try swimming, cycling and yoga.

5. Forgive yourself: if you ever slip up on your diet, do not get discouraged and give up. Do a little more work out the next day and get back to your diet chart.