A step by step guide to losing weight is useful if you have tried to lose weight in the past and failed or if you are looking for a good place to start.  Weight reduction has many health benefits such as improving energy and fitness levels and reducing the risk of illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer.

To start with decide how much weight you need to lose and how quickly you need to lose it. A BMI calculator can be useful for determining a healthy weight range for your height and size.  It is important to set realistic targets and a rate of weight loss of between 1-2 pounds each week is ideal.   Weightloss at a faster rate than this can damage the metabolism and make it harder to lose weight in the future.

The next step is to change your eating habits especially the bad ones.  If you regularly find yourself snacking between meals or eating too much takeaway food it is time for these habits to change if you want to lose pounds.

To loss weight it is essential to have a healthy diet and to eliminate unnecessary calories from your diet.  The basics of a healthy balanced diet consist of eating lots of fruit and vegetables, wholegrain foods, a regular source of lean protein and low fat dairy products.

Exercise has a very important part to play in weight control and losing weight.  It is recommended that you exercise for 30 minutes each day to promote good health and fitness.  To burn the most fat and calories a combination of light resistance training and cardio-vascular exercises such as running, aerobics or swimming is recommended.