One of the best ways to take care of yourself is to lose a little weight. Losing weight helps you look younger, leaner and healthy. It can be frustrating to start trying to lose weight though, and there are so many options that you may not know which way to go. Here are some solid tips to help you slim down.

A great way to lose weight is to start doing HIIT cardio. “HIIT” is short for high intensity interval training. This training is great because you drastically reduce the amount of time you spend in the gym, and this method is proven to be more effective than regular cardio.

Although you may be hesitant to go out to a restaurant when beginning a new weight loss plan, try splitting a meal with your significant other, friend or family member. Portion sizes are notoriously large in restaurants, so sharing enables you to still feel full without overeating or consuming extreme amounts of calories.

If all you need to take off is five pounds, hydration will get you most of the way there. By cutting down on how much you consume and drinking around a half gallon of water every day, you will begin to lose more weight. You’re not actually losing any fat with this method, but it will take off a bit of weight and get you motivated to lose more.

To lose weight it’s imperative that you start an exercise program. There are all different kinds of exercise programs to get into, you just have to find one that fits your personality and schedule. Exercising helps you burn fat calories, which is critical if you are serious about losing weight.

Have realistic expectations of your weight loss. If you are currently a size 24, you are not going to healthily drop down to a size 2 in a month; and that’s okay. It’s important to stay realistic so that you don’t become discouraged when the weight loss isn’t as rapid as you would like.

Try splitting meals with loved ones and friends when eating out. Many times, restaurants will have servings that are too much for just one person. You can take home half of your meal in a take-out box or share your meal with whomever is eating with you. You’ll eat far less calories and save cash at the same time.

When making breakfast in the morning, try to choose cereal for the majority of your meals. Selecting a cereal that is high in whole grains and fiber will help you control blood sugar, which will ultimately lead to weight loss. Stay away from cereals that are loading with artificial flavors and colors.

Take up meditation. Meditation can be a great way to deal with stress. Stress can trigger you to eat when you are not hungry. It can also be the driving force behind a lot of your cravings. Try adding a short meditation session to your daily routine. Alternatively, just try meditating when you feel hungry between scheduled meals.

Creating a meal plan is a great step to take toward trying to lose weight. A common pitfall is the temptation of falling back into your old habits of eating bad foods. If you create and stick to a weekly meal plan, you will know what to eat and when to eat it. Best of all, if you prepare all the foods yourself, you can choose what ingredients to include to assure that you’re eating only the freshest, healthiest food.

Use these tips to de-mystify losing weight. The simplest ways to lose weight are often the best. Just remember to keep going and not to get discouraged when you don’t see the results on the scale that you want to see. Make sure you stay committed and you WILL start losing the weight.