Fine tune your weight loss efforts

If you're doing what you can to drop some pounds, yet you can't seem to get the numbers on the scale to budge, it may be because you're workout -- or even just your daily living -- needs a little fine tuning. Here are a few tips to help get your fat loss motor running.

• Be sure to drink enough water, as it helps deliver nutrients to your muscles and flushes out toxins from your body. The 8 glasses per day suggestion really isn't necessary, but drinking more than you already do probably is. Plus, drinking water may help you feel fuller for a longer period of time, thereby reducing your food cravings.
• Avoid refined carbs, such as those found in sugary soft drinks, juices, white rice, white bread, and potatoes. They will spike your blood glucose levels which, over time, can lead to the storage of fat and weight gain.
• Eat more slowly. Your brain is usually 20 minutes behind in getting the message from your stomach that you're full. So, if you eat too quickly, you may have eaten way past the point when you should have stopped, only your brain was delayed in getting the memo. Take your time while dining, it will help you feel more satisfied from smaller portions.
• Get 8 hours of sleep. Research shows that getting any less can lead to a host of health issues, including an increase in insulin levels. This will contribute to weight gain. Furthermore, if you're not getting enough sleep, you're going to feel tired all day, including while you're working out.
• To lose weight, you need to cut around 500 calories from your diet per day. That is, unless you're already starving yourself (which you shouldn't be doing). Dipping too low in the calorie department will cause your metabolism to come to almost a screeching halt. It also causes your body to conserve calories rather than burning them.
• Over-training can cause a release in the hormone cortisol, resulting in an increase in weight and catabolization of muscle. Limit your workouts to one hour daily.
• Always change your workout -- in some way, shape, or form -- about every 4 to 6 weeks. In this amount of time, your body will adapt to the stress levels and reach a point of general maintenance. Changing your workout will help you break through a fitness plateau.

If you're having trouble shedding some pounds, don't fret. Making a few small adjustments may be all that's required to get you to where you want to be.