Overhauling your diet is not the smartest thing to do when you're trying to lose weight or keep it within the normal healthy range. In order to keep your diet healthy and beneficial you should make changes step-by-step and keep these changes as you progress. You may want to try applying these simple changes and you will eventually get better results with your weight management efforts:

1. Eat your breakfast.

A healthy and balanced breakfast is a good energetic kick-start for your body to work through the day. It also prevents from snacking later on. Simple breakfasts that will give you exactly what you need should feature cold cereal with milk (low fat), whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, fruit yogurt, or whole-grain waffles.

2. Switch to healthier versions of your favorite foods.

Most people think that by starting a weight loss program they will have to sacrifice their favorite foods in favor of unpleasant "healthy" foods. However, the secret is in preparing the same foods in a different way in order to lower their calorie count. For instance, if you love macaroni and cheese you may want to use low fat milt, less butter and a less fat cheese when preparing it. You may also want to experiment with healthier ingredients such as vegetables to make the recipe even less energy-dense. There are a lot of sources for healthy recipes on the web and you will certainly find your favorite foods there.

3. Mind the portions sizes.

You may want to re-evaluate your definition of a standard portion size. Numerous studies have shown that even by using smaller dishes you will tend to eat less than with bigger ones. Try eating smaller portions of the same foods you are eating at the moment and you will certainly gain results. This is pretty much the same as using weight loss drugs like Meridia. Meridia makes you eat less since you don't have the same appetite as you normally do. Why not trying to do the same but without drugs?

4. Include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables into your regimen.

White is the color you want to avoid when it comes to bread, rise or pasta. Try switching to brown rise and whole wheat bread for a healthier diet. Increase the amount of greens you eat every day. This doesn't mean that you have to eat a lot of fruits of vegetables. A cup of salad with your meal is just enough for getting all the benefits of fruits and vegetables you need.

5. Change your snacks.

Snacking can be a real danger for your weight if you're using wrong snacks. Forget about chips and popcorn. Switch to healthier snack options such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat popcorn granola or diet crackers in order to avoid eating unhealthy foods when you get hungry.

6. Use lean meat and poultry.

When shopping for meat and poultry try choosing healthier and less fatty cuts. You may want to look for chicken or turkey breasts and tenderloin or loin chops for beef and pork. This will give you all the substances you need with meat without consuming unnecessary fats.