The 2009 Weight Loss Guide explorers the best way for you to lose weight in 2009. It includes reasons for you to lose weight, resources you need to lose weight, programs to help you lose weight, life style changes to help you lose weight, grocery lists to help you lose weight, simple meals to help you lose weight, specific goals to help you lose weight, strategies to help you lose weight, inspiration to help you lose weight, and a free daily support system to help you lose weight. The 2009 Weight Loss Guide comes with a free personal tour guide to help you on your way to weight loss.

In your search to find the best way to lose weight, you will come across several types of weight loss programs, center-based or internet based, including diet pills, supplements, shakes and prepackaged food.The majority of weight loss programs include a diet book by an expert in the field. Additional resources offered include audio tapes, walking programs, online community support and one-on-one counseling. These options are common knowledge to the majority of us who are expert dieters, repeat offenders and glutents for punishment.

Before you select any weigh loss program, you should know that there are simple basic requirements necessary to succeed in any weight loss program you choose. You need to figure out what you want out of a weight loss program and what you are willing to invest, whether you are willing to make a short term or long term commitment, whether you can afford the time and money required, and most importantly, whether you can do it on your own or if you need a strong support system. Most weight loss programs include external support, but the real key to sucess will be your internal streghnth.

This 2009 Weight Loss Guide is designed specifically to help you find the best way to lose the first twenty pounds. It's not 20lbs for 20 dollars. It's not 20lbs in 20 days. It's a specific obtainable target goal for you to reach. Keep this is mind as you read through the guide. Select a weight loss program to help you lose the first 20 lbs. This way, once you have lost 20 lbs. you can re-assess the benefits and detriments of the weight loss program you initially select.

The American Heart Association provides five basic guidelines for successful weight loss under any weight loss program you select: You must: 1.) eat a balanced diet with proper nutrition, 2.) set a realistic weight loss goal for each week, 3.) understand nutritional education, 4.) participate in physical activity and 5.) accept behavior modification. In other words, eat only what is good for you, be realistic about losing a one or two pounds a week, read the labels on the food you eat, get up off your butt and keep your body in motion, and most importantly change your bad habits.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration provides useful guidelines on How to Understand and Use the Nutritional Facts Labels.Its critical to weight loss success to be able to read packaged food labels, stick to the serving size, limit the calories, and calculate the fat, carb and protien content of each food product. A low calorie, low carb, low fat, high protein diet can be most benefitial to weight loss. A traditional healthy diet contains approximately 1200-1600 daily calories, 60% carbohydrates, 20% fat and 20% protein. A modern zone type diet contains approximately 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat and 30% protein.

Its important to understand that there are good carbs such as fresh fruits and vegetables and bad carbs such as white rice and enriched pasta, good fat such as olive oil and bad fat such as mayonaise, good proteins such as lean skinless chicken and bad proteins such as fried pork chops. If you can not distinguish between good and bad foods based on common sense alone, avoid the food altogether. Instead revert to eating whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Any weight loss program you choose will require you to follow basic guidelines of your own: A daily balanced diet of three meals and three snacks, eight glasses of water, and twenty minutes of exercise. If you can document your progress in a journal everyday, this could be a powerful tool. You will learn to adopt other useful strategies and techniques that work best for you.

There are several reasons that you need to lose weight: Some reasons may be extremely obvious like being pysically-debilitated by mobid obesity, while others will be less apparent like the possibility of a shortened lifespan. Being overweight can be mentally, physically and emotionally draining. You need to lose weight before it becomes so debilitating that it feels hopeless. You need to do it now. Before searching for the right weight loss program specifically for you, you need to be honest with yourself. Identify your starting point.

• If you are mobidly obese - you have over fifty pounds to lose, You are in serious trouble and you have allowed this problem to go on way too long. Your life is in danger, your future is at risk, and you do not have the ability to face this problem alone. If you do not take immediate action you may face premature death, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, infertility, arthritis and other debilitating diseases. You are not living your life to its full potential, you are simply evading death.
• If you are moderately obese - you have twenty to fifty pounds to lose, You may have gained weight steadily over the last few years, and not realized how it has all added up. Your clothes no longer fits you. You may have to start shopping strategically to fit your larger size. If you have a history of gaining five to ten pounds a year, you may reach morbid obesity sooner than you expect. You could be missing out on excitement in your life.
• If you are slightly overweight - you may have under twenty pounds to lose, to fit comfortably in your clothes. You can not see yourself looking good in a favorite pair of jeans. You have to hide certain problem areas and can be caught in uncomplimentary pictures. You just need to invest a little into being the best possible YOU!
• If you are not overweight at all - you may just be five pounds over your ideal weight. You don't really need a weight loss guide, but you'll keep reading because the way you stay in shape is by reading about diet strategies and weight loss techniques. You could just need to find the right physical activity or hobby to keep you active.
• If you are underweight - you may be ten to twenty pounds underweight. You always tell people you have a high metabolism. You eat a little or work out a lot, or both. You like how people are always jealous, but you can't understand why - if it were up to you, you could lose another five to ten pounds. You are on the verge of being unhealthy and may need to seek professional help.

There are a few basic resources you will need, before this 2008 Best Weight Loss Guide will work for you. They are not necessarily physical or monetary resources, many are free resources, so finances should not be a deterrent.

Generally, all you need to get started is time, effort, and energy. You may not feel you have sufficient energy to start, but you can build you physical, mental and emotional resources over the next thirty days. Before you select any weight loss program, see if you have these three basic resources:

1. You need to be able to make a daily commitment for the next thirty days, even on holidays, weekends and special events. Life is full of holidays, weekends and special events - so putting your diet off until a holiday, weekend or special event passes is unrealistic. If you want to see real weight loss, you need to take real action.
2. You need to make your eating habits the number one priority in your life, which does not mean abandonning other responsibilities. By placing yourself first, you will be better able to handle all your other priorities. Addressing your weight problem every day will give you increased energy to spend on other important priorities.
3. You need to document your daily progress, in a diary or journal form, including what time you wake up and what time you go to sleep, how much water you drink, how much you exercise and of course, what you actually eat. This is to hold you personally accountable, no matter what other support systems you may have in place.

All weight loss programs serve the same function, no matter how they are designed or how much they cost, they provide various tools to help facilitate effective and efficient weight loss. Of course, no one wants to lose weight slowly and naturally: Everyone wants to lose weight fast and easy. No one wants to hear you just have to have the discipline to follow a balanced diet and exercise program. So here are some programs that promise fast results.

POPULAR WEIGHTLOSS PROGRAMS

Jenny Craig: This center based weight loss program offers one on one counseling, prepackaged foods, a variety of balanced diet plans, classroom instruction on nutritional education, motivational audio tapes and a walking program. You can also purchase a maintenance for life program. The cost inlcudes initilal program fee varies from $20 for 20lbs, to 6 weeks for $36. and up, plus the weekly cost of prepackaged food at approximately $85. per week. This does not include the fresh produce and dairy items required from the grocery store. Non-fat milk and non-fat yogurt products are required daily to increase weight loss. The prepackaged food is purchased on a weekly basis, at the weekly one on one counseling and weigh in sessions. Budget concerns can cause participants to skip weekly appointments. The program's current spokesperson Queen Latifa addresses health concerns for being her reason to lose weight. The commercials point out that even losing 10% of your weight can be beneficial to your overall health.

LA Weightloss: This center based program offers one on one counseling, meal planning, diet supplements, diet and nutrition education, lifestyle modification and a life style magazine. No calories or point counting. Prepackaged foods optional. Keys to success are balanced foods, personalized menu and exercise programs, personal accountability, flexibility and variety of menu plans, safe and healthy way to lose weight, easy-to-follow meal plans and life time maintenance after reaching weight loss goal. Two LA Weightloss clients were recently featured on the cover of people magazine for each losing half of their weight. LA Weightloss offers a new weight loss product, designed to fight fat and carb control, call Control Trim. LA Weight loss provides this USDA developed product to replace fat in cooking and provide a feeling of fullness.

Nutrisystem Advance: This internet based weight loss program offers five and seven day meal plans to be delivered to your home. The 28 day plans include free meals if you select auto delivery, There are seven plans available, including a vegetarian program, women's program, men's programs, women's silver program and men's silver program, women's diabetic program and men's diabetic program. Each of the programs a balance of glycemic index carbohydrates, lean proteins and high fiber. The plans include 28 days of prepackaged foods, home delivery, easy to follow daily meal planner, an exercise DVD, and online support counseling. The program cost approximately $295. per month, including prepackaged meals, but not fresh produce and grocery items. This could be a good program for someone who is extremely obese or otherwise restricted to home. Finding a local grocery store with a home delivery service could be beneficial for someone with limited mobility.

Medifast: This medical based weight loass program, often recommended by physicians includes a variety of shakes, for liquid diet weight loss. Weight loss programs are specially designed for women,men and diabetics. They include a variety of shakes, including dutch chocolate, french vanilla and strawberry creme, banana creme and orange creme. The featured Medifast 5-1 plan includes six meals a day, to be eaten every 2-3 hours. Five medifast meals and one lean and green meal. The prepackaged medifast can consist of five shakes or a selection of oatmeal, soups and bars, The lean and green meal refers to 5-7 ounces of lean protein and three servings of vegetables. A four week meal plan for women includes 49 shakes, 28 bars, 28 soups, 14 oatmeal, 7 scramble eggs, 7 chocolate puddings and 7 cappuccinos for approximately $290. This does not include the cost of lean proteins and green vegetables required for daily lean and mean meals. Food items cannot be personalized on the two and week plans, but individual diet items can be selected by the program participant.

Slimfast: The grocery store based weight loss program offers shakes and snack bars as replacement meals in a daily balanced diet. At slimfast.com you can receive a free personalized menu, by providing your full name and email, then answerign why you want to lose weight: The choices are to lose weight to improve appearance, feel better about yourself, to improve health or medical condition, improve a healthy lifestyle, convenient way to replace meals, or maintain current weight. You can select a plan from Optima, Low Carb or Vegetarian, for breastfeeding or not breastfeeding, including your level of physical activity during the day. As with any weight loss program or menu plan, it is important to be honest about your weight loss goals, your eating habits and your level of activity. The FREE slimfast meal plan allows you to select what types of slimfast products you want to include, and if you want all conveninet meals which take fifteen minutes or less to prepare. The menu appears the minute you register, including calorie count and break down. It can be a little bit intimidating if you are not ready to start this minute. The website also suggest weekly weigh-ins and offers a buddy system for success. The average program cost is approximately $36. - $48. for slimfast meal replacement shakes and bars.

Weightwatchers: This goup based weight loss program offers a point system program for creating a daily balanced diet. Weight Watchers includes ten reasons why their meetings work,:weigh-ins are confidential; meetings work for both men and women; there are no required foods, you can eat what you want; meetings are dynamic, diverse and fun; leaders have lost weight with weight watchers; you don't have to talk if you don;t want to; it's easy to find a meeting near you; there are alot of different meeting times; weight watchers etools is available; and, there are flexible payments plans. You may be able to find free meeting near you. Some employers arrange weekly meetings at work places and reimburse program costs. Weekly program cost range may be required in advance for ten weeks, approximately $120. Monthly passes may also be available for approximately $40. a month. Children may be allowed to join with a physician's assessment that the child (10-17) is at least five pounds overweight.

BEWARE OF PAYING FOR RESULTS THAT YOU CAN GET FOR FREE!

The Atkins' Diet: The Atkin's Nutritional Approach, now referred to as the Atkin's Advantage, became one of the first low carb diets on the market. Dr. Robert Atkins adapted the diet from a medical journal in the 1960s, and published it in his first book, in 1972, titled Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution. The book has been revised as Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution. The Atkins' Advantage includes a series of books, shakes and breakfast bars available on the website and in retail and grocery stores. .

The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet: The Scarsdale diet and book were created by Dr. Herman Tarnower and Samm SInclair Baker in 1979. The low carbohydrate and low calorie weight loss program starts with a strictly structured diet for the first fourteen days. One of the main components of the diet is starting each day with a grapefruit for breakfast, substituting artificial sweetners for sugar. The grapefruit enzmes are meant to burn hundreds of extra calories each day.

The Sonoma Diet: The Sonoma diet, also known as the Mediterannean diet, was created by Dr. Corrine Guttersen, based on small portions and a small amount of "power" foods. The first ten days of the program can be restrictive, limiting the foods and portions, including whole grains, almonds, bell peppers tomatos, broccoli, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, grapes and olive oil.

The South Beach Diet: The South Beach diet was developed by Dr. Agatston to help his cardio patients eat good carbs and good facts, and reduce high glycemic foods. The diet has two phases, in which the first phase has a restrictive list of foods. A main component of this diet includes two cups of non-fat milk or yogurt daily. The second phase is less restrictive. Two Kraft research studies found this diet favorable and beneficial to weight loss program participants.

The Zone Diet: The Zone diet developed by Biochemist Barry Spears, advocates finding a perfect hormonal balance, which keeps you in "the zone". Beyond low carb, this is a high protein diet. The Zone diet calls for 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein. The Zone diet book explains why a balanced diet is necessary to maintain insulin levels, and its health benefits.

POPULAR WEIGHTLOSS EXPERTS include: Denise Austin (Fit Forever), Ann Collin, Bob Greene (Better Living), Jillian Michael (Biggest Loser's Club) and Dean Ornish.

POPULAR INTERNET WEIGHTLOSS TRENDS include: Biggest Losser's Club, Diet to Go, Dietwatch.com, E.Diets.com, My Body Makeover, and Shapeup.org.

POPULAR WEIGHTLOSS CENTERS include: Mayo Clinic - Weight Loss Centers, Smart For Life - Weight Loss Management, and Weight Loss Institute.

FREE WEIGHT LOSS RESOURCES include Innerslimmer, Lean Cuisine, and Modern Weight Loss Programs. These sites offer free meal planners, fitness planners and inspiration for reaching weightloss goals. :

On your weight loss journey, there will be victories and defeats. There will be times when you are empowered to stay on course, and other times when you are forced to give into failure. Only you will know what triggers your defeat. There are common factors in everyone's life that cause them to eat more and specific moments in each individual's life that increase food consumption.

Everybody loves to eat...

Popcorn and Nachos at the Movies...So you should plan to take your own fat free microwave popcorn.

Cake and Ice Cream at Birthday Parties...So you should plan to take a piece of sugar free candy or a cup of non-fat frozen yogurt.

Beer and Hot Dogs at Baseball Games...So you should plan to eat before you go to the game and take a healthy snack like pretzels.

You may feel the need to eat more...

When you are sad and lonely

When you have had a really bad day at work

When you have been in a big fight with someone you care about

When you are bored and have nothing to do

When you feel like your life has no meaning or direction

What you can do instead of eating...

Call, Email or Write someone who will help you feel loved, let them know why you are calling and how they can help, ask them for a compliment.

Do something positive to make up for everything bad that has happened to you today, make sure its tangible.

Make a list of who was right and who was wrong in the fight, and a plan to resolve your differences. It's better to give the person the silent treatment, and punish them, then to over eat and punish yourself.

Find something positive and productive to do with your time, make a list of things that you never have time to do and pick one to do for yourself

Make a plan for the rest of your life, what you want to do for yourself this year, in the next three years, five years, ten years and twenty years.

The main strategy to help you lose weight will be to direct your focus away from food, and redirect that energy to other areas in your life. At the hardest times in the weight loss process, you will need a backup plan. WIll power will not be enough. You need to know you have options. Instead of giving into your cravings you will have a choice to redirect that desire elsewhere: Focus on your image, create intellectual stimulation, explore your environment or complete those necessary tasks.

1. Focus on your image:

• Polish your nails
• Style your hair
• Shape your eyebrows
• Take a bubble bath
• Soak your feet
• Cover your body in lotion
• Inspect your figure in the mirror
• Take measurements from head to toe
• Find a dream outfit on the internet
• Throw out your most comfortable outfits
• Dress up even though you don't need to.

2. Create Intellectual Stimulation:

• Read a book on health and fitness
• Memorize one of Shakespeare's Love Poems
• Write a blog about your new diet or new interest
• Email a friend about your day
• Make a wish list of activities you'd like to complete
• Listen to new music or watch video clips on you tube
• Start a journal, a diary or a photo album
• Plan a two week trip to Europe
• Join hubpages or a blog
• Design your own weight loss diary
• Create a family menu based on your new weight loss rules

3. Explore your environment:

• Walk to the closest park (with your dog, your kids, your roommate)
• Walk to the corner store for a diet coke or an ice tea (take only enough money for a drink)
• Walk around and see how many different color plants you can count (collect a few leaves to bring inside)
• Play outside with the kids, blow bubbles, bounce a ball, run in the sprinklers
• Take a jump rope outside and see how many times you can jump, increase it every day
• Just walk to the closest bench and sit down and take a few minutes for yourself
• See if there's a church nearby incase you need to call on a higher source of inspiration
• Find out if there's a bookstore in walking distance

4. Distract your tastebuds:

• Brush your teeth with kids tooth paste
• Floss your teeth with peppermint floss
• Chew a peice of sugar free gum
• Eat three orange tic tacs
• Snack on lemon non-fat yogurt
• Drink a sugar free hot chocolate
• Treat yourself to a cherry diet coke
• Place a pinch of salt on your tongue
• Try three mini cheddar cheese rice cakes
• Make sugar free lime jello shots, topped with sugar free cool whip
• Add a package or equal or splenda to sparkling water, with a slice of lemon, a slice of lime and a cherry

It's hard to be inspired when you do not feel good about your weight, your self, your environment and your life in general. It will always be easier to take a nap then to take a walk, to order a pizza instead of cooking a meal, and to watch beautiful people on TV rather than live your own beautiful life. (You might be thinking - what is a beautiful life anyway?) Only you can define what would be your ideal situation, or what you want out of life. This does not mean life in general, on a large scale, or in an abstract sense. What do you want out of your life on a daily basis?

• Think about your weight. When was the last time you were at your ideal weight? How was your life different than it is now? Did you dress differently? Did you spend your time differently? Did you feel more fulfilled?
• Think about yourself. When was the last time you received a great compliment? When was the last time that you felt truly appreciated? Who defines your happiness and how you feel about yourself?
• Think about your environment. Do you like where you spend the majority of your time during the day? Do you wish you could improve your daily environment? Do you need to change your home or work environment? How can you make positive changes in your environment?
• Think about your life. Are you going in the right direction? Has your life become stagnet? What was you last great accomplishments? Are you resting on your laurels? Do you need something to look forward to? Do you need a life plan?

Right now your goal is weight loss, but thinking about your weight, your self, your environment and your life may help you acheive your weight loss goal faster. Picture yourself at your ideal weight. Compliment yourself everyday. Change your environment. Make a life plan. Don't worry about resources you do not have, use the resources available to you.

The best way to get started is to follow the rule of three: The rule of three requires you to complete three important tasks per day. After you have completed the three tasks, you can do something special for yourself. Give yourself a reward, like an extra long bubble bath or a twenty minute walk to the corner store for a diet coke. (Sometimes, I start with the reward and then work up to the three tasks).

For example: If you get up right now and do the dishes, clean the bathroom and wash a load of laundry, you would be done with your three tasks in two hours and you could have the rest of the day to yourself. Guilt free. You could go out to eat, to the mall and to the movies and be home to pick up the kids after school. The problem with this is not only that no one wants to do the dishes, clean the bathroom and do laundry, but actually, that most people do not take the time to reward themselves for the tasks they accomplish during the day. It's also hard to accomplish three tasks a day, when you are at work from 8am-5pm. The point is once you accomplish three tasks a day, and reward yourself daily, you will be inspired to accomplish more and more.

You should always go to the store with a shopping list, and you should make the shopping list out according to the layout of the store. Picture yourself as you walk into the grocery store. You want to stay only on the outside aisles. Do not be tempted to go into the middle aisles, which re filled with nothing but processed foods. In order for the processed foods to last longer, the manufacturers suck all the water out of them. Water of course is life. So stay away from dehydrated processed foods. Many frozen foods are also dehydrated.

Start in the produce section, work your way through the dairy section, the meat department and the bakery.

Fill your cart up with at least four fruits and four vegetables from the produce section, grab your canola margarine, non-fat yogurt, non-fat milk and non-fat cottage cheese from the dairy section, select fresh fish, skinless chicken breast and lean turkey from the meat department and whole grain bread, mini pitas and bagels from the bakery. Don't forget your case of water.

No matter what weight loss program you select - your grocery list should eventually look like this:

Apples

Blueberries

Cantalope

Grapes

Oranges

Strawberries

Watermelon

Avocado

Lettuce

Tomato

Red Onion

Carrots

Celery

Broccoli

Non-fat milk

Non-fat yogurt

Non-fat cottage cheese

Non-fat cream cheese

Canola margarine

Fresh Salmon

Jumbo Shrimp

Skinless Chicken Breast

Ground Lean Turkey

High Fiber WHole Grain Bread

Mini Pitas

Whole Wheat Bagels

Oalmeal

And, a case of water.

If this list is making you hungry, you are on the right track. Of course, be sure to eat before you make your grocery list and before you go shopping.

If you need to buy yourself a treat, try sugar free jello or sugar free fudgecicles.

Here's an example of a daily menu, from all fresh and whole foods. It may seem plain and basic, but its a good starting point:

10 Minute Breakfast:

2 Morning Star Sausage Patties

2 Scrambles Egg Beaters

1 oz Fat Free Monterey Jack Cheese

1 Sliced Tomato

1/2 Whole Wheat Bagel

15 Minute Lunch:

3 oz Skinless Chicken Breast

1/2 full pita

1/2 oz Cheddar Cheese

Lettuce

Diced Tomato

Sliced Red Onion

1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese, as side

1 cup grapes

1 cup of non-fat yogurt, for yogurt

Ice Tea with 1 splenda or equal

20 Minute Dinner:

3 oz Salmon, grilled in Teriyaki

1 cup broccoli

1 cup baby carrots

3 small red potatos

1 piece of high fiber whole wheat bread, with canola margarine

1 sliced orange

3 strawberries

1 glass of non-fat milk