You've been dieting for ages and have lost quite a bit of weight but those last 5 or 10 pounds just won't budge. This is not uncommon and it almost seems like they have been on you so long that they have taken up permanent residence. If you've given up on the battle with these hard to evict pounds then try some of these tips and you might find yourself a bit slimmer and more shapely to boot!

1. Eat more protein. Try to keep your protein at about 55% of your calories. This will help you maintain your muscle mass and keep your metabolism elevated. Eat low-fat protein sources like chicken breasts, egg whites, and fish.

2. Lift Weights. Add a weight lifting routine to your workout - just 20 minutes twice a week can help replace some fat with muscle as well as build up your strength. Remember muscle burns more calories than fat so this will help your metabolism overall.

3. Don't clean your plate. I know your mother might not agree, but there is no rule that says you have to eat everything on your plate. So next time you sit down to eat, look at your plate and leave 25%, eating only 75% and thereby cutting as many as 300 calories from every meal. If it helps just scrape off the 25% right from the get go - if you are eating out have it put in a doggy bag right away.

4. Add more movement to your day. An obese person spends an average of 2.5 hours more daily in a chair than a thin person. Try walking back and forth while talking on a cell or cordless phone, use the steps rather than the elevator, and park farther away and walk to your destination.

5. Don't weigh in too much. Weighing yourself every day can be discouraging because you tend to focus on the daily fluctuations of water retention and other factors reflected in the scale. Instead of daily, weigh yourself at the same time every month to better see long term trends in your weight.

6. Walk 10,000 steps a day. Buy a pedometer and monitor how much you walk each day. If you aren't walking at least 10,000 steps a day, find more ways to add steps to yoru day. This will help you reach and maintain your weight loss goals as you walk to do your various errands and activities.

7. Have Your Thyroid Tested . If you are adding weight, have joint and muscle aches, have unusual facial puffiness, or are unusually tired, this could be the sign of a sluggish thyroid slowing down your metabolism, causing weight gain. This can be remedied by taking the right medications.

8. Reduce Stress. Stress can hinder your weight loss efforts! When you are stressed, your adrenal gland generates the cortisol stress hormone, which increases your appetite and triggers release of the insulin fat-storing hormone, causing your body to hold onto fat, even if you are eating less. Not to mention that when you are stressed you might lunge for those candy bars, donuts or potatoe chips. That's because those high carbohydrate goodies raise your serotonin levels, boosting your mood in a form of self-medication. Salty snacks raise blood pressure, which also raises cortisol levels, contributing to a vicious cycle of overeating. Try meditation or massages to reduce stress as well as removing yourself from stressful situations.

There you go, 8 ways to help boost metabolism and burn more calories while eating less. Try the and see if you can't shed those last unwanted pounds.





About the author:

Lee Dobbins writes for LowCarb Resource where you can find out more about weight loss.