One of the most common mistakes that dieters make is to get excited or impatient with their diet and reduce their caloric intake too far. If you do that, your body will respond by lowering your metabolic rate and slowing your weight loss. To prevent this downward adjustment of your metabolism, make smaller changes to your eating habits. Your patience will pay off in terms of more consistent weight loss, more energy, and fewer cravings.

For the best results, add exercise to your plan. Regular exercise expends energy as you're doing it but can also lead to increases in your basal metabolic rate, so you'll burn more calories even at rest. High-intensity exercises burn the most calories, but don't select exercises solely on their fat-burning potential. Instead, pick exercises, such as sports activities, that you enjoy and want to incorporate into your daily routine.