If healthy weight loss is your goal, these seven easy tips are sure to help you achieve it.

1. Don't Skip Meals

One of the absolute worst things you can do when trying to lose weight is to skip meals. Nothing can trip up a diet faster. By skipping meals, you could force your body into "starvation mode", causing it to hang on to the weight you're trying lose. That's because your body reacts as if it is literally starving, retaining the fat as a protective measure. Another problem with skipping meals is that by the time you do get around to eating, you'll probably overeat, making up for the calories you skipped earlier, and then some.

2. Practice Portion Control

The key to a healthy diet and weight management is portion control. Being aware of how much we eat is just as important as knowing what we eat. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to figure out what a "normal" portion size is, especially in a world where bigger is better. We're surrounded by restaurants serving overflowing plates of food and all-you-can-eat buffets. One way to counter this is to learn what a recommended serving size is for the foods we eat and what it looks like. Being able to visualize a healthy serving will make it easier to put sensible portions on your plate.

3. Consume More Whole Grains

Adding more whole grains and produce to your diet is essential for healthy weight loss. Grains, fruits, and vegetables are nutrient rich, low in calories and fat, and high in fiber, allowing you to eat more of them, more often, without gaining weight. Also, the fiber in whole grains and produce will make you feel fuller longer, helping you avoid overeating, while also helping you control your portions better. As an added benefit, you could see your health improve thanks to the added nutrients which may be missing from your diet.

4. Read Food Labels

Understanding food labels is an easy, yet critical, skill in the pursuit of healthy weight loss. Without it, you can't count calories, figure out serving sizes, or compare labels, making informed food choices virtually impossible.

5. Drink More Water

Shoot for eight glasses a day, as conventional wisdom suggests. It seems like a lot, and it is, but only if you try to drink it all at once. Spread your water consumption throughout the day, replacing the sodas or sugary drinks you normally have with meals with a couple of glasses of water. If you drink two glasses with lunch and two with dinner, you're halfway there. And you've avoided all the calories found in those other beverages. You may also prevent overeating by staying well-hydrated.

6. Snack Between Meals

In order to maintain blood sugar levels, it's necessary to eat every three to four hours. That's where snacks come in. They help you maintain proper blood sugar levels and prevent you from getting too hungry between meals, helping you control your portions and avoid overeating at mealtime. Of course, the snack you choose must be healthy and satisfying. For example, try an apple, which is high in fiber and low in calories, with reduced fat cottage cheese, which is an excellent source of protein.

7. Get Some Exercise

Exercise doesn't have to mean running a marathon or hours spent in the gym lifting weights. The important thing is to get your heart-rate up. Riding a bike or taking a brisk walk will get your heart pumping faster, boosting your metabolism. Work your way up to 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. It's important, though, to go at your own pace. It won't do you any good to push yourself so hard you end up dreading your workouts, leading you to skip them.