You should never skip meals to lose weight. Eat 500 to 700 calories under your basic metabolic rate to properly lose weight. Unfortunately, many sabotage their metabolism by not eating. Too many people think the only way to lose weight is to skip meals starting with breakfast. This practice is guaranteed to bring your metabolism to a screeching halt! The best ways to increase your metabolism does not come from pills but by eating smaller meals through the day and regular exercise.

Millions waste their money on diet pills, herbs and diet contraptions. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) clearly states that you should make a modest reduction in calories and exercise more to lose weight. They also warn against using dietary supplements that claim to trap fat, block fat absorption, flush fat out of the body, raise metabolism or decrease your appetite. Many of these supplements are dangerous to your health and they don't work as advertised!

The good news is that you can lose weight by eating great tasting foods through the day. The biggest misconception is that you have to skip meals and eat "rabbit food" to lose weight. Many people are surprised that you can make great tasting homemade hamburgers made with lean beef, low fat cheese, toppings and whole wheat bread for the same amount of calories and less fat than a bowl of clam chowder. The trick is to modify what you normally eat.

Read the labels on foods that you buy from the grocery store. This will help you evaluate the amount of calories and fat and give you better insight to planning meals. Don't believe the hype, CALORIES DO MATTER!

A tuna or turkey sandwich from the deli shop can have as many as 900 calories and 25 grams of fat because of the mayonnaise or cheese. However, there are great low fat alternatives if you like mayonnaise and cheese. You can quickly make a turkey sandwich with light mayonnaise and low fat cheese that's only 300 calories with 6 grams of fat.

You don't have to give up all your favorite foods to lose weight but you need a good diet plan. Avoid long period between meals without eating. This will slow down your metabolism. Manage your portion size and know the approximate amount of calories you will be eating.

When your body loses fat it produces water which may increase your weight during the first week or two of a new diet. Have you ever been discourage because you did all the right things only to get on the scale and discover that you didn't lose a pound? That probably was due to the extra fluid which is a by-product of losing fat.