• Safely lose extra pounds and improve your body image.watch youre weight image by Ivonne Wierink from Fotolia.com
  
  Skipping meals or significantly reducing your daily caloric intake will result in weight loss. However, this method of losing weight isn't safe and can lead to hunger and low energy. There is a safe way to lose weight quickly. Granted, you won't achieve your ideal body weight overnight. But with a consistent diet and workout plan, you can safely lose one to two pounds a week and begin seeing a difference in your weight within months.
  
  

Drink Extra Water

• Drinking adequate fluids, especially water, greatly contributes to your weight-loss efforts. Extra body weight isn't only composed of fat and calories. Water retention can add several extra pounds to your weight. Drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day and keeping your salt intake to less than 1,500 mg a day can help fight fluid retention. But aside from getting rid of water weight, drinking a glass of water about 10 minutes before eating helps fill your stomach quicker, and you're less likely to overeat.
  
  

Cut Calories to Lose Weight

• Changing your eating habits and eating less food (about 500 fewer calories a day) can help you quickly reach your weight-loss goals. A pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. Making healthier choices such as eating smaller portions, preparing lean meats and eliminating sugary and high-calorie foods from your diet can easily shave 500 calories off your daily consumption. Taking in 500 fewer calories per day can help you shed one pound a week.
  
  

Exercise

• Along with eating less, physical activity helps burn additional fat and calories, helping you achieve your weight-loss goal quicker. Find ways to add activity to your day. Start the morning off with a bike ride, power walk, jog or aerobics. And throughout the day, look for ways to burn extra calories such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, choosing a parking space away from entrances or pacing the room while talking on the phone.
  
  

Healthy Snacks

• Starving isn't the healthy or safe way to lose weight. Your body needs food and nourishment, especially if you're exercising regularly or engaging in high-impact workouts. Eating every two to three hours keeps your metabolism active and burns more calories. But rather than reach for potato chips or sweets, keep a stockpile of healthy snacks such as fresh fruits, raw vegetables and healthy fats like almonds and peanuts.