Women: 15 Facts about Weight Loss

When it comes to weight loss, it's difficult to understand what fact v. fiction is, especially for women. Here are 15.

1. Protein: If you are conscious of adding quality protein to every meal can help you lose weight. Just eating it burns calories. Did you know about 25% of the protein calories are burned off in digestion, absorption and chemical changes? This means our bodies are not going to store it as fat. Bring on the turkey bacon.

2. Working Out, Embrace Music: Crank up the music in your headphones during a workout.  Music that brings on joy can improve blood vessel dilation by 26%. It aids in longer exercise by diverting our attention.

3. Don't cut out dairy:  Cutting back on the milk, yogurt and cheese can signal the body to make more fat cells. When you don't have enough calcium in the body, it enters into safe mode, storing what calcium supplies are currently presently. It triggers the release of a compound called Calcitriol, which increases the production of fat cells, according to a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

4. Alcohol: Alcohol slows down the body's ability to burn fat by 36% according to a study from Switzerland. Limit your intake. Alcohol also promoted dehydration which can lead to the body entering crisis mode and using and storing what it has. 

5. Breakfast: The most important meal of the day and this hasn't changed. By eating a healthy breakfast each morning, will keep you fuller longer and throughout the day, keeping you from snacking.

6. Morning Workout: Weight loss is impossible to sustain without exercise. Studies have shown that working out in the morning stokes the metabolism and helps it to burn more calories throughout the day versus a workout at the end of the day.

7. Hydration: Speaking of hydration, drinking at least 8 (8 oz.) glasses of water each day can help your body to flush out toxins and stay clear. Drinking enough water also helps with proper digestion. Use water to burn fat even when you work out. Hold a bottle of water while running can help you lose a few more pounds. A study showed that holding a bottle of water increased endurance.

8. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Flaxseed, chia seeds, salmon and other foods are full of omega-3 fatty acids which help fight inflammation and are just plain old good for you. They increase a hormone called Leptin which can control unnecessary cravings. 

9. Chew, Chew, Chew: Believe it or not, chewing stimulates a satiety hormone better than swallowing does. It can make the food taste better and keep you fuller longer. Try eating slower as well.

10. Variety: To avoid what we call plateauing, confuse your body. Keep your muscles guessing and you'll see them get leaner and stronger. 

11. Hot Lemon Water: Drinking a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon in the morning cleans out your adrenal glands essential for digestion. The peel of the lemon contains pectin, a soluble fiber that has been shown to help with weight loss. 

12. Swimming: Swimming burns more calories, boosts your metabolism, works your entire body and firms every muscle in the body. No other workout does quite the same. 

13. Dining out: People eat nearly 107 calories more when they eat out rather than eating at home.

14. Carbs: Slow-burning complex carbs are essential for a healthy lifestyle. Try brown rice which is also high in fiber.

15. Muscle Memory: Muscle memory is a thing your body never forgets. The more exercise you do the more your memory can bank and easier to make deposits. Muscle memory actually extends way beyond your fitness level.