If you are attempting to figure out how to lose weight effectively you have probably noticed how many people out there are trying to tell you a million different things and sell you product after product. Are you ready for the truth? You don't need any of them. What if you were able to achieve your fitness goal without needing to buy a single thing or follow a fad diet?

There are so many next big thing, hyped up instant fix solutions out there which mislead people and lead them down a never ending cycle of getting nowhere fast. It's easy to get lost. What you will see here are the basic, time honored and recognized truths of dieting.

Simply put, apply these five tips into your diet and you WILL get results, period.

Are you ready to begin? If so, read on....

* Learn how to work at a calorie deficit.

What does this mean? Like most things in fitness it isn't as hard as it sounds. A calorie deficit basically means eating less calories per day (or per week) than you do right now. People often go wrong here though, cutting so drastically that their body enters starvation mode and actually stores fat. Don't starve yourself, cut out no more than 200 calories per day until you have reached your daily target rather than making a sudden, shocking jump. This step alone is where many people get lost.

* You will need more protein when dieting.

Barely anybody who is new to dieting understands this step and it leads them to fail for about nine months before they finally 'get it'. You don't want to lose weight, you want to lose fat. Not muscle. Ever had that friend who lost a lot in a short time but looked strangely ill because of it? Combat this progress ruining bad habit by simply upping your protein levels during your daily diet regime.

* Snack on protein rich foods.

If you are going to snack between meals you'll give yourself a massive weight loss advantage by snacking on protein instead of carbs or fat. Why? Snack on carbs and fats and you will more than likely store a lot of fat, whereas protein has the least impact on the fat storage system of the three macronutrients in food.

* Get your snack pot routine started.

One of the greatest fat loss tricks is a simple yet effective method of using small tubs as your unplanned extra meals throughout the day when you feel temptation calling. When you are at work with no healthy food in sight you are likely to crash the vending machine, right? No more. Take three to four small tubs in your back pack to work, you will be able to squeeze perhaps a 50 to 100 calorie snack in each one. Better still, try to keep these snacks protein rich and you will explode your results.

* Don't cut out your favorite junk foods while dieting.

The worst thing you can do when dieting is to feel like you are punishing yourself for wanting to get a better body. If all of your favorite junk foods are now forbidden you will probably give in to temptation and crash off your diet in spectacular fashion every time. Long term it actually pays to take a day off from your diet every week and enjoy your favorite foods as you wish. Be warned though, there is a difference between having a nice cheat day and having Christmas day.

Apply these simple methods and you will get results, regardless of current experience or even current weight. These are the basics of any proven, solid diet plan and if you are looking at how to lose weight effectively and keep it off you will do well to apply each step shown here first.