What we eat and drink are massively important, as is regular exercise, but these are not the only things that make up a healthy approach to fat loss. Far from it.

Timing is important. I have found the most important timing aspect of fat loss is to start now. Most people mistakenly want to put it off, until after the weekend, or the holiday or some other lame wrong-day-of-the-week or wrong-month-of-the-year excuse. Fat loss does not get easier because you put it off, for whatever reason. There will always be temptations, whether it is a fattening dessert after dinner, a lazy feeling when it is time for exercise, or a massive Thanksgiving feast.

Your attitude is everything. Few people realize how important attitude is. Guess which person is going to have an easier time losing weight: the one who sees the whole thing as difficult, even agonizing, or one who chooses to believe it can be easy if they follow certain guidelines and rules daily.

Here are more highly effective ways to lose fat. Some are about eating, drinking and exercising, but most are not. Implemented singly or together, these tactics can be ferociously effective at helping you lose fat.

Start your fat loss and fitness program now, this moment, today and never stop. You can start this moment by making water your main beverage. The sooner you start, the sooner you lose.

Have your own custom, outstanding, ongoing, flexible plan, blueprint. A daily journal is part of this, to keep track, note any and all strategies that work for you; and what does not work. It is vitally important to acknowledge when you are making bad choices, like regularly depending on fattening comfort foods, or alcohol, or excessive couch-potatoing to relieve stress, tension, anxiety or blahs.

Create your own click. Do not wait for it to happen: look for, find or create your own click -- that deciding moment when something clicks and you say to yourself, I have had it with being fat. I am done. I am putting being fat behind me forever.

Eat a plant-based, balanced diet of fresh, whole, natural foods with fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. If man made it, do not eat it.

Prepare and carry with you your meals, healthy snacks and water. This is an easy habit to get into; you just do it.

Do moderately high intensity aerobic exercise daily from 30 to 90 minutes a day. Do six days a week if you cannot do five, and the minimum is five days a week.

Do strength/resistance work three days a week. You must do strength work to lose fat effectively.

Practice relaxation in everything -- exercising, eating, work, play. Stress is a major cause of overweight, and learning to relax is a stress buster.

Slow down while eating and everything else, everywhere else. One of the biggest causes of overweight is wolfing down food. Slow down.

Get creative, stop complaining. Recognize that everything to ensure your success is all around you, and at your fingertips.

Recognize and know that refined, processed, junk foods are addictive. As well as fattening. Cut them out completely over time or severely limit your intake.

Never diet, skip meals, starve or deprive yourself. Never sell yourself short or doubt your ability to lose fat healthfully, permanently. If you have failed in the past, remember that the past does not equal the present or future.

Role model successful weight losers, copy what has worked for them. The one thing they all have in common is that they make the whole thing a top priority. And almost all of them tried multiple times before permanent success. Never stop, never give up.

Learn to master states -- how you feel -- healthfully, without food or beverage fixes, cigarettes, caffeine, alcohol, etc. This is a powerful fat loss strategy; do not discount it.

Learn the power of physiology. Deep breathing; changing posture; smiling, laughing; deep relaxation; pumping yourself physically by movements; stretching; shaking out kinks, walking briskly, etc.

Become your own expert on you, on your nutrition and exercise needs. Take one hundred percent responsibility for your fitness. Rely on yourself.

Try new tactics, strategies. See if making the noonday meal your main meal agrees with you, instead of breakfast or dinner. See if two meals a day suit you.

Each of these tactics will help you lose fat, healthfully and permanently. The sooner you start practicing them, the sooner you lose fat.