The 10 Principles of Losing Weight

1. Think long term. There are no shortcuts and quickie plans to lose weight. It will never last. Believe me I've been through it.

2. Do it for yourself. Improving ur health and energy are better motivations than a coming class reunion.

3. Prepare the way. Don't rush into a diet before you are ready for long term changes. Keeping a diet journal will help you become more aware of what you eat and why.

4. Think fruits, grains, legumes, and vegetables. In the standard American diet more than 50% of calories come from fat, sugar, and alcohol.

5. Control portion sizes. Use a smaller plate. Serve yourself smaller portions and put away leftovers before you eat. At restaurants, ask for a doggie bag instead of cleaning your plate.

6. Eat three meals a day. Eating at regular intervals will not send your body into a deprivation(starvation) mode, which may cause you to eat and binge more.

7. Maintain your program. Successful weight-loss managers realize that they are not on temporary diet-- they are starting a permanent new lifestyle. You are not dieting only coz' you will be attending a wedding of your bestfriend.

8. Exercise. It's fun and flexible. Activity is the key to successful weight control, particularly in middle age.

9. Don't overdo it. Don't push yourself to the higher end of the target range. A brisk one-hour walk a day or one-hour exercise a day is a terrific goal for a steady, healthy weight management.

10. When you think activity-think "play". Walking the dog, gardening, yardwork, household chores, sports, bicycling, and playing with kids are all productive activities. How do kids exercise? They play! You can have fun too.