by Katarzyna Radzka

Created on: November 15, 2009

Many people who want to lose weight end up going on a diet. One of those extreme type diets that promises quick results and an amazing body in no time. These diets restrict certain food groups like carbohydrates and fat, or minimise on nutrients and vitamins which our bodies need in order to function correctly.

The good news is that it's not always necessary to go on a full blown diet in order to lose weight. Weight loss can happen naturally by making small changes in your daily nutrition and exercise program without going to extremes. This time instead of going on a diet that might do more damage than good, make small healthy changes every day to lose weight for the long term.

Change your cooking style. Instead of eating fried food, grill, bake or steam instead. You can save hundreds of calories by changing your cooking method. Grilling, baking and steaming requires no extra oil which automatically makes your fat intake lower. This small change can help you lose about a kilogram a month.

Consume more colourful vegetables. Many dinner plates are filled with meat and potatoes. Rather than filling up on potatoes, fill half your plate with vegetables. Salad greens, steamed broccoli and carrot. Vegetables are rich in water and very low in calories which makes them a food that you can fill up on. Eating a kilogram of vegetables won't have the negative effect that eating a kilogram of meat and potatoes might have. That's why if you fill your plate up mostly with vegetables and only add a little bit of meat and potatoes or rice, you will feel like you are eating more but will actually consume much less calories and fat leading to natural weight loss without the need for a diet.

Exercise is vital for heart health and a healthy waist line that comes with the appropriate weight for your height and build. By doing exercise most days of the week you allow your body to do things that it is made for. Movement that is. This is more important if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. You don't have to go to the gym if you don't want to, nor do you have to compete in sports or train like an Olympian. Walking for forty minutes five times a week is enough to reap positive results. Doing some weights once or twice a week will add muscle definition and avoid the flabby look. Even if you don't have much time, ten or fifteen minutes a day will help you lose weight without going on a diet.

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