There are many ways to lose weight, but you do have to be careful of the food you eat, the amount of exercise you do and the amount of food that you eat. There are many foods that are filling and yet do not contain any calories that may hamper your efforts to shed the extra pounds. Most diets involve using eight habits that teach you how to eat healthy, lose weight and keep it off. 1. Use tools to help you measure out the right servings of food. These include scales, ladles, measuring spoons and measuring cups. This will help you recognize what constitutes a portion. Some dieters find that when they divide their plate into four equal sections it helps them get the right servings of the food groups at each meal. 2. Fruits and vegetables are foods that you can eat in limitless amounts. These are great for snacks when you feel the craving for something sweet. You should make fruits and vegetables the main focus of your meals. Even when you can't get fruits and vegetables in season, the frozen vegetables will give you the nourishment that you need. 3. All diets should include at least 2 servings of milk each day. If you happen to be lactose intolerant, there are dairy products available that are lactose free. Making sure you get the right servings of milk will make sure your body has the proper amount of calcium to keep your bones healthy and strong. 4. Grains form the basis of healthy eating. Whole grains are best and you can check the labels when you go grocery shopping. The following ingredients are the ones you should look for: * Brown rice * Bulgar * Cracked wheat * Graham flour * Oatmeal * Whole barley * Cornmeal * Whole rye * Whole oats 5. Protein will give you the energy you need to burn up the calories. It is the muscle food that you need and will give you the energy you need to keep exercising. 6. You need to limit the amounts of fats and sugars that you have in your diet in order to lose weight healthy. Alcohol is also something you need to restrict when you are trying to lose weight. One drink a day is the recommended allotment for a woman and no more than two for a man. 7. Take a vitamin supplement. 8. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.