One in every three Americans is fighting the weight-loss battle. Losing weight and eating more healthfully requires a commitment to permanent lifestyle changes.

        Before you get started on a weight-loss program, consider the following five tips. They should help you reach your goal of obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight.

        1. Safe weight loss: Experts say the best way to lose weight (and keep it off) is to shed pounds gradually. The most important thing to consider is a safe weight loss (two pounds a week). You do not want a quick fix where you lose the weight fast and regain it back in six months. Once you lose the weight you want to keep it off for good. In order to lose weight, you should eliminate 500 calories a day. One pound equals 3,500 calories. Don't go on crash diets that limit your food intake to less than 1,200 calories a day.

        2. Never skip a meal: Your first meal after waking starts your metabolism. When you skip meals during the day, your metabolism slows down. The goal is to keep your metabolism burning by eating enough of the right foods to stay full.

        3. Limit your alcohol consumption: Alcoholic beverages have many calories and little-to-no nutritional value.

        4. Choose a healthy eating plan that includes a variety of choices: All foods can fit into a nutritious, reduced-calorie, eating plan, rich in foods with complex carbohydrates and fiber, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and low in fat.

        The American Dietetic Association recommends the Food Guide Pyramid as the base of a healthy eating plan. The number of servings you need depends on your age, gender, activity level, and weight-loss goals. Usually for weight management you should choose serving amounts from the lower end of the range for each food group.

        5. Physical activity: Exercise is probably the most important predictor of whether you will succeed at long-term weight loss and maintenance.

        Regular physical activity is important to help you lose weight and build an overall healthy lifestyle. Physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses and promotes the loss of body fat instead of muscle and other nonfat tissue. The more muscle tissue that you have, the more calories you will burn.

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