Weight loss seems so simple.

Eat fewer calories than you burn and you will lose that dreaded belly fat for good.

But ask any of the 50+ million individuals who are attempting to lose weight each year and they will tell you it is not that easy.

It’s not just changing what you eat and exercising.

It feels like battle. After all, you are tackling the 10 year daily visit to the vending machine habit, the 20 year snacking while watching TV habit, or maybe the "dinner’s not complete unless I eat something sweet" conviction.

If you want to kick those bad habits that prevent you from eating fewer calories overall and few quality calories, than you need to be prepared to understand and change your behaviors.  

To get you started, here are some pointers to keep in mind:

• Know yourself:  First, understand your motivation. Why do you want to lose weight? If you do not have a reason that is truly meaningful to you, than you will have a tough road to climb.

People who attempt weight loss because they feel they should, but aren’t invested, won’t be able to make the necessary permanent change in behavior. If you can’t identify a reason, brainstorm.

Write down every possible reason why you want to lose weight, set it aside for a day or so. When you return to the list, write down why that reason is important to you (what will it do for you specifically).

When you’ve identified your top 3 and you feel strongly about them, it’s time to get started. If you still struggle, put the list away and return every couple of days, adding answers and revisiting old ones until you have identified your reason WHY.

• Motivate yourself

Once you have identified the very specific reason as to why, hang onto it.

Make visible reminders. The reminders could be pictures of yourself, your kids, a swimsuit model hung in the kitchen, bathroom, etc., or the reminder may be a pair of pants you would like to fit into.

When you are feeling like giving up, try on the pants. Notice how they fit, where they are still tight, where they have gotten bigger. Now imagine what it will be like to fit into them again.

Take an index card and write one sentence summarizing your motivation. Carry the card with you.  Read it when your motivation wanes.

• Coach yourself
  

We are our own worst enemy.

Despite working hard at changing our behaviors and making efforts to make it happen, we subtly tell ourselves things like "I hope I can do this", "I’ve been good, I deserve to take a day off", or "I blew it today, I might as well write today off and start fresh tomorrow."

The problem with these thoughts is they are all negative.  Telling yourself you hope you can do this indicates uncertainty and that some element is not within your control. Remember weight loss is possible. Direct your thoughts positively and keep your motivation in sight.

• Reframe your mind
  

Put exercise in the same perspective as the rest of your life. A lot of people think of exercise as something extra in their lives; something that happens when they have the time. Treat exercise as though it’s obligatory.

When you wake up each day, plan your exercise as just something else that needs to happen.

• Celebrate you!

Do you give your best to your job, your family, and your friends but never devote anything worthwhile to yourself?

Use these behavior changes as an opportunity to put yourself first. Remind yourself you are taking steps toward a healthier, leaner you. If you do not see changes in your body or on the scale immediately, be patient.

Fat loss WILL happen when you remain committed to your goal.

Calories DO matter, so you should have an idea of just how many you are eating if you want to be leaner, sexier, and stronger!  Click here to learn how food companies lied to us!

We talked in a previous post how too much belly fat increases your risk of heart disease.

By this point, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that to shed belly fat we need to eat less overall and exercise more.  We also have to increase the quality of our diets … so not just reducing calories, but reducing the crap calories in our diets and ramping up the nutrient dense foods.

But there are also some "weird" little tricks—outside of food and exercise – that will help shed body fat over time. 

Trick #1: Chew more.  With the fast, on the go mentality so many of us have these days, we’re often eating on the go, swallowing our food practically whole.  But a study out of Purdue University showed that a subtle difference … chewing almonds 40 vs. 25 vs. 10 times before swallowing, boost fullness.

Of course when you’re more full, you’ll eat less, and this can translate to less belly fat. 

Chewing more also released more of the beneficial fats in the almonds.  And we know the power of those healthy fats for keeping the heart strong. 

(Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009, Volume 89, Pages: 794-800;
“Mastication of almonds: effects of lipid bioaccessibility, appetite, and hormone response)

Trick #2: Eat with your non dominant hand.  Sounds SO silly, but go ahead and try. 

Pick up your fork with your non dominant hand … I promise you’ll slow down how quickly you eat. 

And when you slow down your speed, you eat less.  It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to send fullness – so when you slow down, you give it that time to recognize you’ve actually taken in some calories and not to go overboard.

Trick #3: Brush your teeth immediately after eating.  Not only will others appreciate this, but as you know, food doesn’t taste quite so good with minty breath. 

Therefore, the likelihood of turning to dessert when a meal is done or even taking bites of the leftovers while putting them away, is much less.  Again, all these calories add up quickly.

There you have it – 3 super simple “weird” little tricks to effortlessly help shed belly fat.

Here are a few more articles on simple ways to lose belly fat for good.

And another on easy foods to improve your heart health