5 Easy Ways to Shed Pounds Before the Holidays

Eliminating sugary drinks like soda from your diet is one of the easiest ways to immediately reduce your daily calorie intake. Just two soft drinks a day can account for nearly 400 calories. That's 2800 calories a week.

Tip: stay away from drinks containing high fructose corn syrup.

By eating five small meals a day your body never feels the need to store fat because it always has a supply of nutrients in your stomach. Make healthy choices for these five meals and you will begin to see the pounds melt off.

Everyone seems to get a little hungry in the evening. Trick your body into thinking it's full by drinking a tall glass of water. Drinking 8 8oz. cups of water a day will not only keep you hydrated, but it will also help your body wash away toxins from your system.

Your metabolism determines how fast your body burns fat/calories. The more muscle you have the faster your metabolism is. Working out with weights is the fastest way to add more lean muscle to your body. Don't worry ladies, you won't turn into a muscle bound monster but you will have a firm tone body.

The fastest way to become discouraged with your weight loss program is to weigh yourself daily. It took you months if not years to put the weight on so don't expect it to come off over night. Weigh yourself once per week and keep realistic goals. One to two pounds per week is a goal that most people should be able to attain.