The multibillion dollar fitness industry and those who cling to its popularity and the big business it attracts offer different kinds of weight loss systems to people intent on losing excess pounds. However, nothing beats what has already been tried and tested for many years. There are only two components to this system and when integrated into an individual's way of life, then it is sure guarantee not only fat loss but overall better health. There really is no special formula for it. A healthy diet and exercise are the key components to an effective weight loss system.

If you really want achieve lasting weight loss, you have to eat to achieve it. This does not mean dieting to the point of hunger-- that's counter productive as it will only trigger binge eating when your body feels deprived. What it does mean, however, is choosing foods that make you full but have comparatively lower caloric content. Thus, instead of choosing soda to drink-- which has roughly 120 calories per can one can-- simply opt for water which has none. Fruits and vegetables generally have lower caloric content compared to pastries, cured meats and other processed food items. Skim milk has a lesser number of calories compared to whole milk.

To lose weight, you have to expend more calories than what you take in. Thus, it's important that you control how much you eat. True, this might be a hassle but it's a helpful aid in ensuring that you get to your desired body weight faster. You don't necessarily have to be that detailed or exact about it, though. If you can weigh the portions, then that's good, but you can simply gauge using your eyes. For your pork, beef or chicken entrees, one decent portion is the size of a deck of cards while for grains like rice, a cup is roughly the size of your fist.

While you can still lose weight through dieting alone, incorporating exercise into your routine makes your weight loss system more efficient and effective. Cardiovascular exercises do not only benefit you by increasing your metabolic rate and shedding excess calories, they also tone your muscles and prevent them from sagging as your body begins to lose the unneeded fat. Besides, exercise has also been found to be beneficial for strengthening the immune system, increasing bone mass and protecting the heart and lungs from illness.

A thirty minute cardiovascular activity like jogging on most days of the week coupled with strength training sessions twice a week will facilitate weight loss and muscle toning that is beneficial for your overall all. If you get bored with your routine or have reached a plateau, do interval training to shock your system into losing the fat. If you like to run, you can do interval training by doing sprints or high intensity runs for a couple of minutes and then walking or low-intensity jogs for a minute. You can do these alternately for 15 to minutes before proceeding to your cardio workout. You can also do interval training with cycling ,walking or on the treadmill. All you have to remember is to do the same activity at different intensities.