2. Avoid eating after 8 p.m. Eating large meals late at night can make it difficult to lose weight, and you're more likely to overeat when you're stressed or tired at the end of the day. Plan your meals so that your largest meal is during the day - preferably at lunchtime - so you can burn off all those calories from your daily activities with ease.

3. Add more natural foods to your plate. Make a conscious decision to add more fresh fruit and vegetables to your daily menu so you are eating real and wholesome food regularly. Fruits and vegetables are chock full of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

4. Eat breakfast each morning. Eat a healthy breakfast that consists of whole grains, fruit and some protein such as egg whites to get your day off to a healthy start. Eating breakfast can help reduce your hunger throughout the day and help you stick with your healthy diet.

5. Exercise portion control. Find out what a real serving size of meats, whole grains and other food items really is so you're not unintentionally overeating one specific type of food. Don't count on restaurants or well-meaning friends to dish out your meal. Take the time to find out what a serving of protein or carbs really looks like so you can enjoy balanced meals each and every day.

Avoid the temptation to jump onto the latest crash diet bandwagon and look forward to weight loss success with a sensible, slow-paced plan that gets results! You can start making small changes and adopting healthier habits so that weight loss becomes a natural and healthy process - and you can finally lose those extra pounds for good.