7 Tips for Losing Those Last 5 Pounds ...

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Yes, you've heard it before. But it's so true, drinking water flushes out fat and keeps you hydrated and energized! It's the best beverage choice you can make. You can add lemon to it to zing up the flavor and keep your taste buds from getting bored, but do try and drink as much water as possible daily.

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It's important to find ways to stay toned and fit in your everyday life, not just at the gym. So take the stairs when you can, ride your bike instead of driving, walk the dog and jog along, all these are ways that you can stay fit and get exercise into your busy day! You'll be surprised at how much of a difference small choices can make.

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Write down everything you eat daily. Not only will it encourage you to stay away from those sweets and calorie-jammed bagels, after a week or so of looking over what you eat you can make smarter food choices. For instance, if you have three serving of chips on the weekends, you can swap those for one serving on rye crackers for fewer calories and feel just as satisfied!

Ask one of your friends to diet with you. It may sound strange, but being accountable to someone is a great motivator! You can share tips, recipes and encourage each other along the way. And it's a lot more fun to hit up the gym with a friend than going alone!

Don't keep donuts and candy bars and chips in the house to tempt you. Instead, keep granola bars, fruit, nuts, whole grain muffins and things along those lines in your pantry. You won't be able to reach for fattening foods if its not there! Another great idea is to forgo dessert in favor of fruit, which will satisfy your sweet tooth but has a lot less calories!

You don't have to deny yourself everything and live on crackers and water. Allow yourself one guilty pleasure, whether it be chocolate, ice cream, or potato chips and allot yourself one serving of that weakness per weak. If you give yourself some slack, you will be less likely to give completely up and just eat everything in sight. You can always go for the healthier version of your "guilty pleasure" if it makes you feel better, the fat free version or the all natural version.

Above all, if you find yourself stressing about your diet or your weight, stop and find a moment to meditate and relax. It's important to be healthy and fit, but if you let yourself get sick with worry and stress over your weight, it could lead to anorexia or bulimia. At the very least, stress leads to eating more, so be calm and cool and keep working hard, you'll reach your ideal weight if you stick with it!

Eating healthy and exercising regularly to maintain a toned body are admirable goals but the most important reason to do it is for your health. The healthier you are the better you will feel and the more energy you will have to accomplish things. So apply these tips to your life even if you're not trying to lose weight and be amazed at how much better you feel! Or maybe do you have any other tips to share on losing those pesky, persistent last 5 pounds?

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