If we all knew how to lose weight appropriately (AND keep it off), we wouldn't have an obesity epidemic in this country. I see lots of clients for weight loss and my most successful are the ones that avoid the 5 biggest mistakes below:1. Eating too few calories (especially carbohydrates). Your body needs enough calories to maintain normal physiologic functions. When you dip below your BMR (basal metabolic rate), your body’s instinct is to conserve calories, making weight loss more difficult. If anything, you'll lose muscle, which will reduce your ability to burn calories even further.2. Drinking calories in place of food. Chewing your food provides satiety (a feeling of fullness) that liquids won’t provide. In addition, you miss out on the thermic effect of food- the increase in metabolism after the digestion of food. If you have teeth and a small intestine, let your body do the digestion. Limit liquids like alcohol, soda, juice and smoothies. CHEW FOOD.3. Skipping weight training. If you want to burn more calories, don’t just do cardio. Cardio exercises will use up calories during exercise and may prevent fat storage, but muscle will burn more calories at rest. Use some dumb bells or a medicine ball or stretch bands while watching TV or meet with a personal trainer for a program. Aim for 2-3 times/week for 15-20 min.4. Not drinking enough water. Water is not only calorie-free, studies show that dieters that drink 16 oz. of water, 30 min before each meal lose more weight than non-water drinkers. In addition, water prevents dehydration, which may keep you from grabbing excess snacks because you won’t feel fatigued.5. Rewarding yourself with food. Losing weight is typically easier than maintaining weight loss. Establish good eating habits VS “going on a diet” that has an end point. When you reward yourself with food, it can set up a pattern of emotional eating and give the food too much power. Set a small goal and pick a non-food reward like getting a manicure, pedicure or something else valuable to you. Food should not be the reward- better health should be!