We all know that in order to lose weight, we must reduce the number of calories that we consume. But does that mean we should eliminate breakfast or lunch in order to cut out the most calories? This is a mistake that dieters often make, but forgoing just one meal a week for a year can do major damage, including messing with your metabolism and not in a good way.

When you deprive yourself of regular meals, the levels of the feel good serotonin get thrown out of kilter, leaving you feeling cranky and craving carbohydrates. Your metabolism slows down, as your body struggles to conserve energy. When your metabolism slows down it makes it necessary to exercise more in order to burn the same amount of calories. You must keep your body fueled with food in order for it to work efficiently and keep it burning calories.

Let me repeat that last sentence. In order for your body to work efficiently and burn the most calories, you must keep it fueled with food. So be sure to enjoy your meals, because people who eat regularly are more likely to keep off unnecessary pounds. Don’t ever feel guilty about eating.

Negative thoughts like guilt, produce negative results and reactions. Your diet is your way of life. You must make changes that you can live with and that will help you live better. Try not to restrict your diet to the point that you aren’t happy. But on the other hand, don’t binge on foods that aren’t good for you and that will lead to you feeling tired, anxious or unhappy with yourself.

Lessen the temptation to eat foods that you are trying to refrain from by always planning ahead to your next meal. This way you can try to keep a healthy snack ready to eat. You will be less likely to skip a meal or leave yourself open to calorie laden temptations.

I like to prepare healthy snacks and meals the night before. When I awake in the morning, I can grab the snack or take out some cut fruit and blend a tasty smoothie before I go out for a jog. Staying proactive in your diet will assure you get plenty to eat, while maintaining a low calorie, healthy meal plan.

Most importantly, don’t skip meals. You may lose a little weight in the beginning but those results won’t last long. In order to keep the weight off and maintain a healthy lifestyle that gives you the energy to have lots of fun, you must make most every meal you eat, a healthy one.