Weight Loss Strategy 4: Focus on Being Healthy

Another key on losing weight is to stay focused on being healthy, not on becoming thin. Many people become more successful at long term weight loss when their motivation changes from wanting to be thinner to wanting to be healthier.

Change your mindset to think about selecting foods that will help your body's health rather than worrying about foods that will affect your body's weight. The Food Pyramid offers a basic outline of the types and amounts of food you should eat each day to give your body the nutrients it needs for optimal health.


Eating the right foods and the right amounts of foods can help you live a longer, healthier life. Research has proven that many illnesses—such as diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure—can be prevented or controlled by eating right. Getting the nutrients you need, such as calcium and iron, and keeping your weight under control can help. Try to balance the calories you get from food with the calories you use through physical activity. It is never too late to start eating right.

Eat a variety of healthy foods, especially:

• Vegetables. Choose dark-green leafy and deep-yellow vegetables.
• Fruits. Choose citrus fruits or juices, melons, and berries.
• Dry beans (such as red beans, navy beans, and soybeans), lentils, chickpeas, and peanuts.
• Whole grains, such as wheat, rice, oats, corn, and barley.
• Whole grain breads and cereals.

Nutrition is key. Anything "fast-food" is probably too fast to contain anything good for your body, anyway. Also avoid other cholesterol-rich foods. Take the time to prepare your meals and include plenty of vitamin rich vegetables in every meal. Not doing this robs your body of essential elements that keep you healthy and sickness-free. You need to eat a lot more fruit and vegetables.

When choosing soft drinks or sweets, go with diet or sugar-free options. Sucralose and aspartame, the two most common artificial sweeteners are FDA-approved and completely safe and, unlike natural sugars, have almost zero calories so you won't build up any fat.