Given that there’s a good chance that the United States may someday be looked back upon as the fattest country in history, it is small wonder that so many of its citizens are looking for ways to lose weight. Tens of millions of Americans are obese, and the number of people who are at least moderately overweight is even higher. Still, losing weight can be a difficult challenge, and much of the information at dieters’ fingertips is either incomplete or intentionally flawed.

Most dieters are unaware that there are foods that can help you to naturally lose weight. There is very little pain involved when you build your diet around these foods, as they tend to make you feel fuller between meals. Most diets are designed around deprivation - they deprive you of the foods you love, leaving you feeling hungry and unsatisfied. In the end, they usually deprive you of even the will to continue the diet, which is why they fail. But if you are willing to follow these 6 simple steps, you can lose weight without suffering any of the deprivation traditional dieting plans impose.

One, two - the water and food

The first two items on our list of 6 simple steps to lose weight are water and food. Hydration is an important part of any weight loss strategy. You need plenty of water to assist your digestive system with processing the food you eat, as well as removing waste from your body and providing a detoxifying effect. As for food, you know the routine: lean protein, more vegetables and fruit, and whole wheat products. Avoid saturated fats like the plague and eat nuts and other quality foods that help you to feel satisfied rather than hungry.

Three, four - eat and exercise more

Eat six times a day, but eat less at each meal. Yes, eating six smaller meals each and every day is the key to kicking your metabolism into high gear. As you invite your metabolism to process food on a continual basis, you will end up with less waste that can be stored as fat, and an increased fat burning capacity. On the exercise front, there is no substitute for consistent aerobic activity for burning fat! Try to incorporate at least four hours of aerobic exercise into your routine each week. That exercise can be made up of almost any activity, as long as it raises your heart rate.

Five, six - and the final mix

And what are the final two of the 6 simple steps that can help you to lose weight? How about recoding your progress and learning to adjust the program as necessary? By recording everything you eat, as well as every physical activity and your progress toward reaching all of your smaller goals, you can remain better focused on the larger goal that you have set for yourself. Adjusting the program simply entails changing certain aspects of your diet and exercise routine so that you don’t become bored with the process, as well as ensuring that your body doesn’t get used to the routine for too long before it changes.