No it's not a joke! It is possible to lose weight and not have to diet!

It doesn't mean however that you also have the liberty to indulge in whatever food you want. So let's get down to business and talk about how you can get the pounds off without having to starve yourself.

Even if you are trying to lose some weight, you still need to eat. Rather than starve yourself what you need to do is to learn to recognize the signals that your body gives out when it's actually hungry. The skill of getting your eating habits under control is where the magic of weight loss really lies.

There are three different categories that individuals can fall into when it comes to eating patterns. Which one do you fit into? Identify it and you'll find your weight issues are much easier to understand.

You eat when:

Hunger hits

If you are, then good for you. However, you should also be able to recognize the signs of satisfaction that your body sends. Knowing when to eat and then when to stop is key to developing healthy eating habits and subsequently, weight loss. Even if you don't have any limit to the type of foods you eat, as long as you just take in enough food that the body can burn, there's no reason why you should keep on packing the pounds. Add a few minutes of exercise into your daily routine and watch the pounds go away.

You feel like eating

You're in the group most likely to gain weight without trying, not lose it! Food should be enjoyed but if you eat for the sake of eating, and not because your body needs the energy, then you are putting extra food into your system that will eventually turn into fat. This in turn will show up on the scales. Eating when you feel like is the worst of all possible eating habits because your body isn't telling you that you're hungry and therefore it doesn't need the food. Reasons for mood, or emotional eating, are usually related to stress, boredom, loneliness but can also be linked to positive emotions such as happiness.

Your diet tells you to

There are some people who are on a life diet. It may be possible to maintain a regular weight on the eating plan and not continue to lose, but it's probably not the kind of nutritious healthy eating plan that you should be following once you have achieved your ideal weight. If you are on an eating plan that forbids certain foods that you really like, and you're eating things you don't really enjoy, but you aren't overweight, then you need to reassess your eating habits. Food, in the right amounts at the right time should be enjoyed not endured!

Do you see yourself in types number 2 and 3? If so, it's time you strive to be a regular eater like number 1 is. Listen to what your body says. What you may mistake as hunger signals could just be food cravings caused by a stressful situation or plain boredom. When you know how to take charge of your diet, you will realize that yes, it is possible to lose weight without dieting.