Throw your scales away.
Everyone likes to see how they are doing but by focusing on what your weight is, can become a destructive tool and you can lose motivation when the weight does not come off quickly.
Instead listen to what your body is telling you, after a few days' you should notice some changes.
It could be little things that you notice like bending over to pick something up that just seemed easier, suddenly you notice that your clothes appear to have more give and are not quite so tight.
Diet, what to eat and when.
Know body wants to starve and a lot of diets will take off weight but when you have a couple of days off bang that weight you thought you had lost suddenly reappears and normally with interest.
Even though some diets can be successful if followed properly I for one like my food.
I have found it more productive for weight loss to eat 5 small meals a day.
You can still eat what you like (within reason).
Keep a log of what you eat and make sure that you have a balanced diet and the portions are not large.
Space out the meals evenly over the day and do not eat anything within 3 hours of going to bed.
If you are feeling hungry have a glass of water and those hunger feelings should vanish.
Kick start your metabolism with exercise.
For effective weight loss you need to get moving.
Going on a diet will in most cases aid you in losing weight but to be really effective you need to get your metabolism going which will aid in burning off that excess weight.
I for one hate the thought of a 40 minute run, or 40 minutes in a gym with 50 other sweaty people.
What I do find quite easy though is to brake those 40 minutes into two parts.
AM and PM.
If you exercise twice a day in the morning and afternoon you have the added benefit of kick starting your metabolism twice a day and therefore your body is burning more fuel twice a day which should equal weight loss.
Instead of a 40 minute workout you are having two 20 minute workouts.
Choose an exercise that you like.
If you are doing some form of exercise that you dislike chances are you will not stick at it.
You are far more likely to stick at an exercise regime if you enjoy that form of exercise.
So pick one that you enjoy and get going.
If you cannot think of some form of exercise here are a couple that should be easy enough to work into your daily schedule.
Walking, nothing easier than getting up off that couch putting on some comfortable shoes and going for that twenty minute walk.
If you are not a morning person fit it in at lunch time but no later than then because you still have too exercise in the afternoon.
Biking, grab that old bike out of the shed and go for a twenty minute bike ride.
Remember you are not training for the Olympics just go at a pace that you are comfortable with, the main point is that you are moving and the body has to start burning fuel.
Stick at it, don't give up even when the world seems to be working against you.
There will be times when for one reason or another you stop exercising, the weather might be against you, you just could not be bothered etc.
Well hey we all have those moments the main thing is to get going again as soon as the weather or your mood improves.
Keep a record of your efforts.
Keeping a record of your efforts is a good motivational tool.
You will be surprised how much you start comparing your notes from previous weeks and trying to improve on them.
Losing weight does not have to be a chore.
Start eating sensibly, get moving by starting some form of exercise that you enjoy and the weight should start to vanish.
The main thing is not to make it a chore but something that you enjoy and are able to work into your daily life.