For years I had been struggling to lose weight and had tried all sorts of diets and weight loss programs I discovered on the Internet and on TV. Finally after years of being overweight and unhealthy I've reached my goal of shedding 20 extra pounds. I am now proud of my body size and my emotions are much more in check than before. Below are my tips for losing weight and reaching your target body weight.

1. Accept Yourself for who You Are. Not everybody has the same genetic makeup and body shape. While some of your friends can put in minimal effort and get a perfect body you might take longer. You'll just have to accept.

2. Avoid Processed Foods. If the food comes in a bag, box or can avoid it. These processed foods that we've been eating for years are loaded with sugars, salts and trans-fatty acids. These are the culprits which make us fat.

3. Do Not Expcect Overnight Miracles. Keep your expectations in check. It's been proven that it takes about three weeks for changes in diet, nutrition and exercise routines to appear in the body. So, if you make some changes in your diet be patient as the results will appear in a few weeks.

4. Don't Make "Never Again" Declarations. Often dieters make statements that they will never eat a certain food again. This inevitabely leads to dissapointment as the dieter will eventually give into her cravings and feel dissapointed.

5. Use Moderate Portions. So many people are unaware of the meaning of serving sizes and portions. If you absolutely must have a bowl or Rocky Road icecream why not have a small bowl that will satisfy your pallate rather than having a huge bowl that will make you feel bloaded and miserable?

6. Do the Exercise That You Love. There are two sides to the equation for losing weight: the amout of food you take in and the amout of exercise you do. Many athletes have wonderful bodies becasue they exercise. It is absolutely crutial that you pick a sport that you ENJOY. By doing this you will want to stick to your sport and you will see results within three weeks.

7. Keep the Menus Simple. There is so much mis-information about what you should eat to lose wieght. Some dieticians recommend more carbs. Some recommend more protein. Some recommend to eat bread diets. The theories are constantly changing. But, the truth is somewhere in the middle: Stick to lean unprocessesed and organic ingedients and you will be well on your way to losing weight and healthy living.

I have learned lots of valuable information from a wonderful new cookbook called Healthy Urban Kitchen, which offers a logical sytem for shopping, cooking and eating, with a focus on all natural organic, soy-free and gluten-free health food.

It has helped me to reach my individual weight loss goals and I have never been happier about my body or emotions: Click HERE to download your ebook now!