Are you looking to shed some extra pounds? Losing weight can be a life changing experience and be one of the best gifts you could ever give yourself. Once you come up with a healthy eating plan and exercise routine that fits into your busy life, you will be on the path to success and achieve your goal in no time at all. Now, if you're looking to lose weight online, here are three different ways you can do so:

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 There are many variables that factor into a successful weight loss program. This body of work will cover the top five allies in the war against obesity. We will discuss the role that water plays, the importance of exercise, a proper nutritional diet, how sleep factors in and lastly the effects of your mental attitude.

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We all know that water is necessary to life but did you know how important it is to weight loss? The body uses water in all of its' daily functions and a properly hydrated body can more effectively and efficiently function. Water makes your metabolism burn off excess calories about 6% faster, thus boosting your metabolism and helping you lose faster. Many studies have also shown a link between hunger and thirst sensations. This means that if you don't drink enough water your body may get confused and cause you to eat more. All that your body is really craving is more fluids. Drinking more water can help to prevent overeating and benefit weight loss.

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The standard suggestion for the average person is to consume at least 64 oz. (eight 8 oz. glasses) per day. However, if you are on a weight loss program then you should try to double your normal water intake. A good guideline would be to drink 1 oz. of water for every 2 pounds of body weight. For example, a 200 pound man should drink about 12.5 glasses of water to reap the benefits of increased energy and metabolic process.

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Exercise. We all try to get around it but in the end it is an essential part of any weight loss program. Exercise assists in using up calories and also speeds up the metabolism. Raising your metabolism sends a clear message to your body that there is no need for alarm even though there has been a drop in food consumption. Instead the drop in calories is properly attributed to an increase in physical activity ensuring that the body doesn't enter starvation mode. Aerobic exercise is the best choice for burning fat. The best part of aerobic exercise is that it really doesn't matter where you want to trim the fat off because aerobic exercise will help to achieve your goal regardless. The goal is to raise the heart rate thus increasing your metabolism and burning off fat. It isn't required to join a gym or class or even to sweat for hours on end. Often just a 30 min brisk walk a day will be enough for the average person to reach their desired weight goal.

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Nutrition is probably one of the most important factors to consider when trying to lose weight. There are four main factors that should be included when making your diet to ensure that your plan is nutritional and safe. Factor one is maintaining a properly balanced diet. Foods should be chosen in accordance with three food groups: carbohydrates, protein and fats. Consumed in the correct quantities and you can't help but lose weight. Second depends on the types of food chosen to represent the 3 groups. For instance, most people get their protein from flesh. This makes for a poor choice because the fat content is often extremely too high in fleshy foods. Instead, pick your proteins from plant sources. They have less fat content and have the added benefit of fiber which is essential in removing toxins from the body. The third point may seem obvious but food portions are also a vital part of nutrition. Eating too large a portion results in the consumption of excess calories, which is counter productive to your weight loss. Eating regularly is the last piece of the nutrition puzzle. Your body adjusts to the eating schedule and then starts to function more efficiently. This allows one to maintain their weight and not begin to yo-yo on the scale anymore. All of these together make up the perfect nutritional diet to help you in weight loss.

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There have been many studies conducted on the effects of sleep deprivation and weight loss. It has been proven that a lack of sleep can cause unclear thinking, diminished physical strength and an increase in the desire for food. "Fatigue makes fools of us all." This means that when you're tired you eat foods that you wouldn't normal choose and make excuses as to why it is OK to have that cake at mid-night. Best advise, put the cake down and go to sleep.

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The most important and least talked about factor in weight loss is your own mental attitude. Do you believe that you can lose the weight? Will you have the will power to say no to that ice cream? Is today when you start your exercise or will it forever be tomorrow? Success will only be achieved when one accepts personal responsibility for their personal well-being. Only you can stop you.

  Losing belly fat can be very difficult and sometimes frustrating. You may be doing lots of exercises in the morning. You could even be a gym rat slaving your yourself daily to get into shape. But if you are not doing it right your belly fat will not get burnt and your efforts will come to naught.

So why do some people easily burn their belly fat and build 6 pack abs while some people struggle and eventually give up?

Here is why.

There are very many wrong advice and tips flying around that may be the reason why you find it hard to burn belly fat and build sexy abs.

Some of these mistakes are quite shocking because it is something many men make. In fact, many people make these same mistakes in the gym and even as they exercise at home. My advice to you is to take note of these mistakes because you need to avoid them if you really want to attract sexy chicks with your sexy 6 pack abs.

Here are they mistakes.

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1. Doing sit ups and crunches to get 6 pack abs

This may come as a big shock to you because you are likely doing it. You see, before you can build your abdominal muscles and build 6 packs abs you need to burn your belly fat. So if you are just doing sit ups and crunches you are not doing enough to burn your the fat. Ab exercises only build the ab muscles, but you need to remove the fatty layer on your belly before you start doing ab exercises. In fact, when you do too many ab exercises it will negatively affect you when you want to slim your waistline.

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2. Doing Cardio

This is another shocker because you are likely doing cardio too. Sorry friend,this does not work well as far losing fat and building 6 pack abs is concerned. You see, when you do cardio you are only burning fat at the time you are doing it. When you heart rate stops you stop burning fat.

So if you are spending time in the gym running on the treadmill or riding a bike you are not going to effectively burn your belly fat or build 6 pack abs.

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3. Too Much Work Out

Yes, working out for very long hours in the gym can actually stop your from getting the body you desire. Working out too much causes something called over-training. This usually leads to the break down of your muscles instead of the building of your muscles. Over training does not give your muscles enough rest to recuperate and rebuild itself.

So working out for long hours is a terrible mistake and will not help you with building cool abs.

But these are not all they mistakes men make when building six pack abs.If you want to discover more shocking mistakes to avoid when losing belly fat and building six pack abs and how to REALLY effectively burn belly fat.

Most people are always trying to improve their outward appearance. They are always changing their hair, trying to lose weight, trying to firm muscles and trying to look better in clothes; but losing weight is probably the most common thing people try to change about their own bodies. To lose weight is not as easy as simply cutting back on calories; nor is it as simple as adding exercise into your day. Sure, both will help you to lose weight initially, but you have to combine them and work with both, every day, to ensure that your weight loss stays off, rather than showing back up.

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If you consume 2,000 calories per day and burn 2,000 calories per day, you will maintain your weight, easily. However, if you want to lose weight, you need eat less calories than you burn. Many times you can limit your calorie intake, though you should never consume less than 1,000 calories per day; even this is very low. By limiting your calorie intake and adding extra exercise into your daily routine, you will lose weight. For every 3,500 calories you burn over those of which you eat, you will lose one pound. This leaves many people asking exactly how much exercise they need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to lose weight. There is no exact answer; everyone's body is different, which means that for one person, 30 minutes of exercise each day may work as well as 70 minutes of exercise for another person. It all depends on a person's caloric intake, their metabolic rate and the number of calories they burn during the time in which they are exercising.

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The recommended amount of exercise that the average adult needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle and minimize their chances of several different diseases is 150 minutes. It is recommended that people get at least 30 minutes per day of moderate exercise, which can include walking, bike riding, swimming, dancing, aerobics, cardio workouts, yoga and playing sports. Those who get 30 minutes of exercise each day will be healthier than those who get none. However, they won't see as much in the weight loss department as someone who exercises 70 minutes per day.

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A 70 minute per day workout can include a little cardio and a little aerobics and a little strength training, for the best results. A person who spends 70 minutes per day exercising can break it up into groups. You can do 25 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, 25 minutes of vigorous cardio exercise such as yoga or dancing and 20 minutes of strength training, such as weight bearing exercises or rock climbing.

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Depending on your caloric intake, metabolic rate and the type of activity you do for 70 minutes per day, you can lose weight quickly, effectively and even better - you can keep it off for the long haul. The key is to make a lifestyle change that includes an overall healthier way of life.

Losing weight is all about eating the right food and boosting your metabolism. And while exercise is an excellent way to do this, there are certain foods that can also increase your metabolism to help burn fat quicker. Here are 10 foods that can help support your healthy eating and exercise regime:

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Hot peppers - eating these can increase metabolism by as much as 25% for up to 3 hours after eating them. So boost your circulation with Cayenne, Jalapeno and Habanero

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Brown Rice & Oatmeal - these are slow release energy foods (low GI) that steady insulin levels so speeding up our metabolism

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Spices - can burn up to 1000 calories more than not using them, so start adding garlic, cayenne, cinnamon & black pepper instead of thick creamy sauces

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Calcium-rich foods - you can lose up to twice the amount of weight by consuming sufficient quantities of calcium than those who don't

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Broccoli - calcium is well-known to reduce weight and broccoli has loads of it as well as packed with antioxidants

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Green Tea extract -well known to boost metabolism significantly as well as being full of antioxidants

Pure Water - ok not a food but it speeds up fat burning as it's needed to turn food into energy and helps with the digestion of food. Drink 1 ml of water for every kcal of energy your body uses. This will be around 2000 calories for women and 2500 calories for men every day. Don't forget to replace the fluid lost during exercise so if you burn an extra 500 calories in the gym drink an extra 500 ml on top of your daily levels. Suppresses appetite too

Pears & Apples- can both help boost weight loss and speed metabolism

Citrus Fruits- the high levels of vitamin C reduces high jumps in insulin so helping to keep metabolism high

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Omega 3-rich foods- Leptin (chemical in the body) is reduced by these fatty acids. This chemical actually lowers your metabolism, so although Omega 3 doesn't directly boost your metabolism it helps prevent it from being lowered
It's important to develop a regular eating pattern which includes having a low GI breakfast to release energy slowly and keep you fuller for longer. This should stop you reaching for the donuts at 11am!

  Do you want to burn fat and lose weight completely? If you are looking forward to losing weight, then you must watch what you eat and control your diet. For a weight loss or weight maintenance programme, you must be on a diet that is nutritious, filling and non-fattening.

The question then is what should you eat in order to prevent weight gain? Before switching to food items to fill you up without adding extra fat, here are some tips on preventing weight gain, with normal meals.

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1: Avoid on-the-counter foods

Whenever you are hungry, do not go for the on-the-counter foods. Rather, opt for snacks that are tasty and nutritious. You can have popcorn instead of salt or sugar. You can also have a plate of shredded green vegetables. It is quite filling and nutritious and does not make you add weight.

There are other food items that will make the best of meal for someone who does not want to add weight which are filling, available and non- fattening. Contrary to popular belief, potatoes do not make you fat. It is what you have with it that does. If you are hungry, just boil potato and eat. You can mash it or eat it with spices. This is filling and it is an available option for you to fill yourself with a meal or in between. However, do not fry it. The basic rule is to stop eating in between meals.

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2: Eat fruits

There are some citrus fruits that will not only provide you with the right nutrition, but also the right type of dietary fiber and will also fill the stomach. You can opt for fruits like apples, oranges, grapes and berries. Take them fresh after washing them thoroughly.

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3: Eat green vegetables

Green vegetables are the best dietary and healthy food for successful weight loss. The list is long; the options are many. Choose between beans, lentils, mushroom and spinach.

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4: Eat lean meats

Boiled or roasted poultry without bones or skin is another popular and healthy option for reducing weight. Fish is also good because it contains omega 3 acid. Avoid red meat as much as possible.

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5: Vegetable oil

Eating fat satisfies hunger more quickly and thoroughly than sweets. A tablespoon (roughly 100 calories) of vegetable oil added to a salad, or disguised in tomato juice, can save you the craving for a rich desert (which may have 500 to 800 calories in sugar). Sunflower seeds are a good source of unsaturated fat you should use to replace fatty oil because it contains less cholesterol.

Please don't starve yourself because you want to lose weight. Eat simply. Eat less but make it nutritious. Overeating, and undernourishment, shortens life.

  By now most of us are aware that obesity and overweight are a major problem in America.

Many of us personally have had or know someone who has had a focus on losing weight at some time.

There are so many diets being promoted!

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How do you choose?

Where do you start?

According to Medicine Net "Maintenance of a healthy body weight is important for maintaining both physical and emotional well-being and preventing disease" (1). We have long known that obesity is associated with an increased risk for numerous medical conditions. We now are seeing the effects of the overweight and obesity epidemic as an increase in chronic diseases. Losing even some of the weight positively impacts chronic health conditions. Some show a reduction in symptoms and some of these conditions will even resolve. People who lose weight report "improved mood, increased in self-esteem and motivation, and feeling healthier in general" (1).

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To be successful in weight loss and healthy weight management you need to have sensible goals and expectations. Most people are advised lose weight gradually. It's also a good practice to ask your primary care doctor ask if they would help monitor your progress with your new weight program.

Here are the basic questions to ask yourself as you research any weight loss or diet program:

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1. Does the diet plan promote a comprehensive wellness solution for a whole body approach?

2. Does the plan have scientific backing?

3. Does the diet plan encourage foods from all the food groups?

4. Does the diet plan allow you to include your favorite foods?

5. Does it include foods that you would enjoy eating for a lifetime and not just for a few weeks or months?

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6. Does the diet plan include the nutrients you need?

7. Does it encourage physical fitness?

8. Do you feel good when you are on the plan?

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A comprehensive whole body approach consists of a program or system that encourages good nutrition, physical activity and a healthy outlook on life. Often the "one pill" weight loss programs will not offer you long term solutions to your problem. Weight loss will occur when your habits are changed. In order to change habits, behaviors and mindset must change. You will want to really look into the science behind any weight loss program. Be careful and do your research. Look at the credentials of the product developers. Make sure that the "diet" or weight loss program encourages healthy foods, all food groups or a way to get those healthy nutrients (for example, if a program states you cannot eat meat, OK, but you need to be able to replace the protein). We need a way to get all our vital nutrients while we are losing weight. The focus should be on eating healthy foods, healthy portions and limiting non-nutritious food items. However, with that said...your program of choice should allow you to indulge at times. Not ALL the time, but on rare occasions you should be allowed to eat something you want that may be discouraged on the diet. And this makes sense. If your diet is so strict, you will eventually be resentful and are at risk for overeating. We all benefit from physical activity and we should be including it in our daily routines. Your weight loss program should encourage some sort of exercise as a part of an overall health plan. And you should feel GOOD when you are on the program of your choice. You should feel less groggy, have more energy and have a better outlook on life.

If you can answer "yes" to all 8 questions, you should feel good that you've chosen the right program for you!