Top 3 tips for torching body fat in 2017

If you want to take off the pounds, here are a few helpful tips.

Weight loss is always a top New Year's resolution, but if you want to do it for real in 2017, you'll need a little help.

Weight loss experts say it takes more than a quick resolution to see plunging numbers of the scale.

Five ways to stick to those New Year's resolutions.

Dr. Gary Foster, of the Temple Center for Obesity Research and Education, said you need to be prepared to take your weight loss goals one day at a time.

"The idea is to take it one step at a time," Foster said. "If you do a total makeover of everything you eat and how you move, it's really going to be difficult to sustain."

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Here are a few tips to help you see weight loss success:

Track Your Weight

Dr. Foster said you should take your weight measurements at least once a week, and keep a daily food journal. You should keep track of what you eat, and how much you eat.

Watch for Empty Calories

Think fruit punch, iced tea, alcohol and sodas. The body doesn't process liquids as it does solids, Foster said, so this is an easy fix.

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Watch What You Eat, Too

If you want to lose one pound through exercise, you have to burn 3,500 calories. Watching what you eat and how many calories you're taking in can help make the goal of weight loss easier.

Foster also said you should aim to be active for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. He also said it pays to be consistent.

"Let's get the message straight: physical activity is incredibly important," Foster said.

"It's great for fitness, great for health, great for reducing the risk of diabetes, but doing more activity this week rather than last week won't increase the amount of weight that you lose."