How to Lose Weight

Pictured Recipe: Green Bean & Sh

Liquid diets promise weight loss, detoxing and cleansing. From protein shakes to cold-pressed juices, they claim to have a solution—albeit an expensive one—to your health worries and woes. Should you try a liquid diet? It depends on your goals and how you go about it.

You're ready to lose weight. No, really. This time you mean it. But you have no idea where to start. Perhaps a goal or two would help. But how do you know if they're realistic? Can you really drop two dress sizes in time for that big reunion? How long does it take to lose 10 pounds, anyway? This goal-setting business is hard. In fact, maybe you should have a caramel latte first.

Trying to lose a few pounds, but the scale won't budge? Try adding more weight—at the gym. Weight training—using free weights or weight machines to build muscle—is a type of strength training that not only can help you slim down, but also can gain you a ton of other health benefits.

The best part: You don't have to spend all your time in the weight room. You can even do it at home, without fancy equipment. Here's why weight training may be what you need to get the scale moving in the right direction, plus a few tips and moves to get you started.