Weight Loss & Diet Plans

Experts' Best Diet Tips for Weight Loss

Expert Diet Tip No. 9: Have Realistic Expectations.

One pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories, so you need to be realistic about how long it takes to lose fat, experts say.

The best approach is a combination of consuming fewer calories while getting more exercise, Hill says. But keep in mind that it takes a lot longer to burn off calories through exercise than it does to eat fewer calories.

A weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week is a safe rate, and helps to ensure that you're losing fat, not muscle or water weight, Grotto says.

Expert Diet Tip No. 10: Size Matters.

Experts agree that portion control is a critical strategy for weight control.

Use measuring equipment, like measuring cups and spoons or a food scale, at least once a week to keep you honest about how much you're eating, suggests dietitian and diabetes educator Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE

She suggests eating from 9-inch plates to help control portions.

When dining out, ask a dining partner to share a large meal or ask for a to-go box and put away the second portion for tomorrow's lunch before you dig in, says Warshaw, author of Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy.