Weight loss for the busy woman

Weight Loss for the Busy Woman By Dr. Gale Carney

Contents         

     

Foreword Changing Lanes For the Busy Woman Ignoring the Gurus Weight Loss and You Take it Slow – Don't Expect Miracles If You Fall Off – Get Back On! Talk With Your Doctor Five Things You Should Know ◦ Get enough sleep every night ◦ Find a way to relieve stress ◦ Sugar is the enemy ▪ Nutrition bars aren't necessarily your friend ◦ Get enough fiber ◦ You have to eat ▪ Breakfast is key Regular Exercise Always Helps ◦ Walking is good Set Your Goals ◦ Give Yourself a Treat Medical Options Self Assessment Be Honest With Yourself My Golden Rules for Successful Weight Loss ◦ Take Responsibility ◦ It Won't Be Easy ◦ Make a Plan ◦ Follow Through

 

 

  

▪ Find a diet buddy ◦ Take it All the Way ▪ Your target weight Food – The Bane of Your Life?

A Good Diet is a Must ◦ You and Supermarkets ◦ Supersize You...Please Don't ◦ Don't Take Seconds (or Thirds!) ◦ Five Ways to Fool Your Stomach and Eyes ▪ Use Smaller Plates and tall thin glasses ▪ Portions count – get the correct portion size ▪ Eat slowly, chew your food properly ▪ Trim the excess fat ▪ Drink plenty of water Fight Those Food Cravings Why You Have Food Cravings ◦ What ◦ When ◦ Where ◦ Why ◦ A Few Reasons You Get Food Cravings ▪ An interesting example Foods That Fight Cravings Fifteen Quick Recipes Breakfast ◦ Fritatta ◦ The Best Fruit Salad ◦ Avocado Berry Smoothie

 Main Dishes ◦ Simple Spaghetti Marinara ◦ Caesar ◦ Hearty Veggie Stew  Veggies ◦ Cucumber and Tomato Salad ◦ Baked Cajun Butternut Fries ◦ Grilled Salad  Meat, Fish and Poultry ◦ Pork Chops with Stone Fruit Slaw ◦ Tuna Tartare ◦ Blackened Salmon ◦ Garlic and Lemon Chicken  Snacks ◦ Herbed Almond Crackers ◦ Trail Mix  Peaks, Dips and Plateaus  Take a Running Leap off Your Plateau  Exercise – For the Birds?  Exercise...Without Joining a Gym ◦ Move Around while Watching TV ◦ Walk! ◦ Take the Stairs ◦ Cycle  What You Can Do to Begin With ◦ The Short List

This book is different than any other book on weight loss you’ve ever read. How so? Well let me make it easy for you. I have all kinds of weight loss patients and if they follow exactly what I recommend in this small book, they will 1. Lose their weight 2. Keep their weight off.

I’ve never had a failure yet from the people that actually did exactly what I told them to do. Now there’s no reason to give you false hope. If you have tried lots of diets, calorie counted, been to some so called gurus who give you packaged food and each and everytime you’ve lost some weight, but then just gained more of that weight back plus some, you know those programs do not work. Stick with me and you’ll be cheering when you look in the mirror.

It’s true. You can be slim and trim if you follow the right advice, so stick with me as I’m going to be very transparent with you and give you all I’ve got to give.

I am a doctor, nutritionist, acupuncturist and a qualified weight loss health care professional.

Personally I have endured the trials and tribulations of weight gain and weight loss for some of my life, and I’ve worked with hundreds of people just like you (if you’re struggling with losing weight.)

Any advice or information contained within these pages is solely based on my findings, study, and weight loss experiences.

WARNING: Before you begin on any weight loss regime or routine, you are strongly urged to consult with your primary medical practitioner or care giver as these are just suggestions and everyone will have a different result and by no means do I guarantee any type of weight loss from this book or things that I mention in this book. That’s what is commonly known as a disclaimer and to keep big pharma and the government happy I need to tell you that there are some people that might not lose weight on my program. I’ll explain all of that later, but for right now, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of weight loss so you can start dropping some weight this week.

Foreword Weight loss is a nearly unavoidable subject in today's society. Everywhere you look there are new diets, new products, stories of both success and failure. It's inescapable these days, especially if it’s around the holidays and the New Year.

It's fairly common for most people to struggle with weight issues at some point in their life.

Some people only need to lose a few pounds to fit into that new bikini.

Others need a serious program to get themselves healthy.

Either way, most of us have looked for a way to lose weight at some point.

I, for one, have been struggling with diets my entire life. Only recently have I been able to end the cycle of loss-and-gain, the constant yo-yo dieting that has ended up doing me more harm than good.

What's my secret?

No secret, really.

Just an idea – one you've probably heard before and ignored – but get this, once I stuck to it, things changed and it actually worked.

After years of struggle, I finally wised up and decided that the only thing that would work for me is a simple, balanced diet plan.

No avoiding carbs.

No excluding any particular group of foods.

Definitely no diet pills or weird chemicals.

Now I’m not saying you don’t need some added nutrients to get your hormones in check as well as your insulin, but one thing that helps anyone is where you just adopt a simple, healthier lifestyle.

Now write this down.

It was simple, but not easy.

And if you haven’t already figured this out, it didn't happen overnight – as my schedule is and still is way too crazy for that.

I barely had time to cram a processed snack bar into my mouth, let alone think about cooking a good meal.

By the way, processed foods and snacks should never be something that you snack on or eat if you really want to maintain your weight loss permanently.

Once I figured out what worked for me – what helped me lose weight, what I had been doing wrong all these years, and what helped me stay lean – it was a simple matter of implementing it into my life.

All that information is in this book.

This is a simple book. It’s easy to read, easy to understand, and anyone can follow along and lose weight, then keep it off.

More accurately, what happened to me and my weight loss was just a process of realizing what I needed to do, and making small, gradual changes in my habits.

If you can do this... you can lose weight.

Like I said, it didn't happen overnight – it took over a year, in fact – but then, I didn’t have eighty pounds I wanted to get rid of either.

I knew there were trying times ahead.

To help me stay motivated, I found a way to lose at least a little weight quickly, so that I wouldn't get all negative and give up.

So many people I know give up too quickly.

They lose a couple of pounds, put on three

pounds, lose four pounds, but for some reason their clothes still fit bad. Then they quit.

And I have to tell you.

That’s what happens to a lot of people.

With me I took it in small chunks. That's what really worked for me, despite the fact that I barely had time for myself.

I made myself the winner; without the selfdiscouragement that held me back in the past.

Before we go any further, I am not a dietician, not a nurse, not even a pharmacist. I have no qualifications in the field of medicine, but I am a doctor of chiropractic.

A large portion of this book and the advice and info in this book is simply drawn from my own experiences and people I helped lose weight then keep it off.

Write this down as well if you’re reading this.

I'm not making any claim of scientific methods or evidence of any kind. What you’re reading now is just some thoughts from someone who did it themselves and feels like it’s something that I need to share with you if you’re struggling with weight loss.

If you're trying to lose weight, I strongly

recommend you read this book at least twice.

Ok, with that said, let me tell you how I: --conquered the weight loss mountain, --dropped dress sizes and --learned that lifestyle is the key that opens the door to a whole new level of living and happiness.

Changing Lanes You probably already know this, but life as yhou know it just keeps getting busier and busier, doesn't it?

I mean the older you get, the faster the time flys by.

You're living life in the fast lane, always running the rat race.

You’re the kids' chauffeur, if you’re a woman you might be your husband’s housekeeper, or worse yet your boss’s beast of burden.

“Me-time” has become a fantasy; a luxury you can no longer afford.

Even so, buying this book is a sure-fire sign that for you, weight loss is no luxury – it's a necessity!

This book is geared to women.

Now don’t get me wrong.

Most of this applies to any man as well, but I’ve found that women are more likely to follow this program, so I’ve written this book mainly for them.

That’s just a heads-up on why I wrote this book.

Moment of truth, ladies: If you really want to lose weight, if you're not just having a dreamy moment full of what-ifs, then you are going to have to make some changes.

Your life will not change unless you change.

And there's nobody that's going to do it for you.

We'll get to the details later, but it's important that you realize here and now that this has to happen.

If you keep doing the same thing you've been doing, the same things will keep happening.

But if you're willing to change, which is a big move for a lot of women, a whole new life awaits you – and that life is different as I’m talking about a longer, healthier, happier life for you.

Get this.

If you exercise to lose weight, or maintain our fat loss, there isn't just one set of exercises that works for everyone.

That’s if you want to exercise.

Let’s be blunt.

There isn't a single diet plan that will suit everyone's needs and tastes either. Not this book but not any book out there as well.

This unique, easy-to-read book is about thinking about “general principles” and then tailoring your weight loss approach to fit your unique needs.

For the busy woman If you're like me, the only “met-time” you ever get is a quick second to catch your breath.

If you're serious about losing weight, however (and I'll do you the favor of assuming you are, since you’ve read this far), you need to figure out how to change things -- so you can lose weight more easily and then keep it off permenently.

That’s hopefully your focus right now, so that’s why this book is about to change your life forever.

Make sure you realize that before proceeding any further.

There are some things you'll need to get used to if you're going to lose weight, but ultimately it will help you keep the weight you’ve dropped... from coming back with a vengeance.

There's a whole lot more detail coming, but hopefully, right now these general statements will help you figure out what you need to change ‘in order’ to make it possible for you to lose the weight you want to lose, then keep it off.

I just have to say, once and for all, that it's up

to you -- to find the combination of balanced diet and exercise that works for you.

What works for me, or my girlfriend, may not work for you if you’re not the right body type etc.

That’s why I’ve researched exactly what I feel is the best way to drop weight, then keep it off.

Remember as you read this, I’m here to help, but I want you to know that I’m actually writing this book for people just like you.

What worked for me might not work for you, but if you follow this program to the ‘T’ you will drop some inches, some pounds, and you can keep that weight off permanently.

That is a guarantee if you stick to the program.

Here’s the best part.

You have your own unique body and personality, not to mention your own hectic life, but I'm betting you can design an approach that works for you so you can finally lose some of that fat that just kind of sits there and stares you in the face when you look in the mirror.

Ignoring the Gurus This is really important.

Ready?

Everybody's a weight loss guru these days.

Here’s why I say that.

Everyone from your aunt to the next door neighbour is telling you how you can drop some inches, get rid of your fat, eat less fat, go on a specific diet, drink water from a special source, or how to exercise for maximum calorie drop.

Calories really don’t matter but that’s another subject for another time. If I have time at the end of the book I might give you some insights on calorie counting etc. It’ll blow you away.

Well here’s the deal.

Thanks to the internet and the proliferation of information about diet and exercise from thousands of sources, everybody is on their weight loss soap box -- trying to get you to listen to their theories.

Here’s the big reason.

Everyone wants to make a penny off someone

that just wants to lose some weight.

If you're like me, you're “tired” of hearing that your weight problems are a symptom of “deeper issues”; that whatever you eat is somehow wrong, how you eat too much, or at the wrong times, and something as simple as walking a few minutes a day or cutting one food out of your diet is going to change everything.

I read the same things you do and I’ll have to be honest with you. 97% of them are wrong.

Some people have all the time in the world to go for a run in the morning, or cook themselves a healthy breakfast, or prepare a home-cooked dinner.

Those are all good things to do, but not all people are created equally.

They're all wondering why you can't do the same.

So you bite your tongue and retreat back to that candy bar you hid in your desk yesterday.

You've heard all the advice, time and time again.

You know what to do, you just haven't been able to ‘eek out’ the extra five hours a day you'd need to do all these things.

Most women (and even some men) these days feel “depressed” about the fact that pursuing a career, or raising a family, or both, and that this doesn't leave them much time to follow MY expert, tested, and proven weight loss advice.

Now I’m not sure who they call an expert, but I can tell you that I’ve been around the block as a weight loss doctor, and I’ve dealt with a lot of people and a lot of patients.

These people know they need to make some changes if they're ever going to fit back into those favorite jeans, but they never give up on telling me, “there's just no time!”

So they ignore my advice, grab another fast food dinner between errands, or just driving around and just keep buying the next size of jeans, etc. when they need some new clothes and go clothes shopping.

Desperation, depression, anger, stress, none of it is doing you any good. Remember this. I want you to ignore the so called gurus.

If you want to lose weight do one thing. Break the cycle.

Just find out what will work for you in your own unique life.

Please remember I'm not another guru.

I'm not trying to tell you how you should live.

There's no secret formula, but I do have a lot of little tips, tricks, strategies, and techniques that add up to ‘permanent weight loss’ if you can use a few of them daily.

They are just a set of guidelines – and not really rules – that you can change “as needed” to work for you.

Stop here

Weight Loss and You Chances are at some point someone has said to you that when it comes to weight loss, you're only struggling against yourself.

Maybe they think you don't really want it that bad, or that you're just plain doing it wrong.

The same person that could say that has probably also told you that “losing weight� is easy, so long as you put in the time, stop eating, and make a little more effort.

Does this sound familiar?

And I'm also betting at this point in the conversation you're biting your tongue and silently thinking about slapping the other person hard... because you already know this, and you're sick of hearing again and again.

The real problem with everybody's little theories and well-intentioned advice is this: they're assuming you have time.

They aren't taking into account the one defining fact of your life: you're a busy woman or man!

Again I’m gearing this book towards women, but a man is not that much different as far as losing weight goes.

As a woman, I’d say that you have so much on your plate that sometimes it takes everything you have just to prevent a nervous breakdown!

Most women these days – not just career women – feel this way sometimes.

Some of them feel it's just the demanding career, but a lot of them are juggling kids and a household as well, all while trying to shed some extra inches and pounds.

Let’s look at it this way.

If you need to lose weight, or you're just not that happy with your current body shape, size, or you just can't quite squeeze into your favorite jeans anymore, then you're looking for a way to ‘slim down’ and maybe even build some ‘muscle tone.’

The fact is, it takes some time and effort on your part, and there we are... right where we began.

You probably want to tear your hair out right now as this isn't your first trip around this circular thought pattern.

Well don’t worry. I get it.

Tearing your hair out isn't going to get you back into those jeans, ladies.

Neither will complaining, or feeling sorry for yourself, or getting depressed about it.

Step one to losing weight is to tune out these people in your life, and to tune out the thoughtcircle they set in motion.

You're a busy woman, and you have a lot of stuff going on.

You don't have time to listen to people telling you that you're doing it wrong.

And you don't have to listen, because you're strong.

“The right way” is a myth.

There's no secret formula. Also, all the general guidelines only agree on a few points.

The actual details of what you need to do to lose weight are as unique as you yourself. And that's the truth, but stick with me because I think you’re going to like what I’m about to tell you in this short book.

Take it Slow – And Don’t Expect Any Overnight Miracles Unfortunately, a lot of people get this part wrong when they start trying to lose weight: they expect their weight and extra inches to more or less ‘melt off’ their body in a matter of days or weeks.

That is NOT going to happen.

Sorry.

FACT: It took time for you to put the weight on, didn't it? So why should it drop off overnight and make you a hero?

It won’t!

It might seem like it happened overnight, but when you really think about it, it's been a process of years of bad habits hasn't it?

And yes I can tell you... it works the same in reverse.

You've got a long road ahead of you.

That’s okay though.

Unless you're a movie star who is getting paid millions to work-out all day – even every day in preparation for a role as a bodybuilder.

If you walk into this program thinking it's going to be fast and easy, you're actually working against yourself.

That is not going to happen with this program.

Again this program is a slow, methodical program that helps you get rid of inches and fat the right way.

We'd all like to “believe” we can lose the weight and inches in no time, but that is a bold face lie.

I would never tell you that.

You probably wish that you could hop in one end of the pool, swim to the other end and hop out a supermodel.

That won’t happen.

But here’s something we do know. We know it doesn't work that way, but sometimes we’re just looking for a program that tells us it works that way.

Let’s talk about that for a moment.

Before you do anything else weight loss related, you need to come to grips with this fact.

It's going to take a while for you to drop some weight, melt away some of your extra fat, and look like you want to look.

Turning your life around will be a battle you will fight every day for the rest of your life, even if you only have a few pounds to lose if you don’t know what I’m about to tell you in this short book.

Besides, if you've got more than two or three pounds to get rid of, (and most people do) doing it fast, really fast... isn't very healthy.

Ideal weight loss for most people is about 1-2 pounds a week, but I’ve seen smart people lose 5 pounds, even 7 pounds their first week.

If you’re going to get results... you need to plan for this on a daily basis.

Calculate it out and set goals on the calendar for what weight you should be by what time.

Having a real plan ahead of you will help you in those moments when you feel like it isn't working. Always plan then modify that plan if necessary.

If taking it at a slow healthy pace just isn't good enough for you, then don't do anything without consulting me after you read this book.

If You Fall Off – Get Back On Your Weight Loss Program FAST! Take this advice seriously.

At some point, we all fall off the wagon.

It's going to happen, so just plan on that happening out of the blue. What makes the difference is what you do next.

Don’t forget. You have choices.

You could just sit back and feel sorry for yourself for messing up, but what is that accomplishing?

No matter how bad you screwed up, even with a month long junk food binge, there's no point in crying about it.

Stop what you’re doing, and get back on track instead.

That's what matters.

Get going again.

Find your motivation again, or mojo, or whatever it takes to get serious and stay serious about your weight loss.

Here’s the mindset criteria.

If you think positive, motivational thoughts, chances are you'll start seeing results again.

Don’t think about food, think about your body and how you’re going to look at the weight you want to drop down to.

However, if you stumble, and fall... don't stop your weight loss ans it’s a journey.

Even if you make a left hand turn, stop for a moment, re-adjust your goals, then put your big shoes and pants on and keep going.

And no matter what. Never look back.

Talk with Your Doctor I've already mentioned this one, and I don't plan on stopping.

It's important.

Whatever your plan is, however you're going to accomplish it, make sure your doctor knows the details about it if he wants to know.

Proper health monitoring is a crucial part of the weight loss process, and you can't achieve that if your doctor has NO idea what's going on.

Now if you’re a patient of mine, even if you live 1,000 miles away (and that’s possible) I’ll make you accountable. That’s one of my biggest secrets.

Accountability is everything when it comes to weight loss.

One good reason to talk to a doctor first (if you’re not a patient of mine) is to make sure there isn't any underlying health condition that has made it easier for you to gain weight, or that might stymie your efforts when it comes to weight loss.

Your doctor might convince you to change some of your plans, but keep in mind that s/he has your best interest at heart.

Even if they want you to completely change your weight loss plans, don't view it as a hindrance. Just know this.

Most doctors do not have a clue how to lose weight, nor do they care. They might tell you that you need to drop some pounds, but they’re most likely not going to have a good plan for you to do that, other than count calories and exercise more, which is something that never works long term.

5 Things You Should Know Here are a few things you really need to know to help you in your journey.

Most of us tend to overlook or ignore these things, or we might even be unaware of some of the factors that can effect weight loss and gain.

Everything that affects your system will have some effect on your weight loss regime.

Everything.

You might not realize it until it's pointed out to you – but it’s true. That's my goal for putting them here in this book; to point them out once and for all.

My ultimate hope is that this will help you sort out some of your problems along the way.

That said, the list of things that can affect your weight loss plan is much longer than what you're about to read.

But... we’re here to give you the basics, and to keep things simple.

This is just a brief rundown of the most common things that can produce a noticeable effect on your results.

Keep an eye on your progress, and you might notice some additional factors that have an effect on you.

Some of these might affect you without your knowledge, so take a look at them, see if they are relevant, and try to do something about them.  Get enough sleep every night!  Find a way to relieve stress!  Sugar is the enemy!  Get enough fiber! 

You have to eat! No skipping meals, ever!

Get enough sleep every night

If you have a baby or a toddler, sleep is probably a joke in your house.

But if there isn't an infant in your house, there isn't an excuse.

Your body needs sleep, and everything your body does is affected by the amount of sleep you get.

If you don't get enough sleep you are much more likely to overeat. Did you read that? Well read that again.

It seems obvious to me that if you don't sleep

enough, your body is crying out for fuel to keep it awake! It only has so much energy.

Losing a little sleep once in a while might be unavoidable, but the more often it happens, the more you will notice your body reacting.

The simple truth is that if you can't find the time to get seven to eight hours of sleep a night, your weight loss plan will be somewhat less effective.

Yes less effective so get that sleep.

Find a way to relieve stress!

This is super important.

You should already know that “stress� is terrible for you, so it should come as no surprise that stress can also affect your ability to lose weight.

I get it!

You have an insanely busy life.

But the fact is if you don't find some way to relax at least some of the time, you're running under a heavy encumbrance.

Find something that takes it away, no matter what.

You want that feeling in the pit of your stomach to just melt away.

If your schedule just won't allow any “metime”, then you need to figure out something else you can do.

Something you can do in the midst of your hectic life.

Relaxing music, even a few minutes of meditation a day can make a difference.

Squeeze something in.

It's more important than you realize.

The things you are stressing over aren't worth the suffering you put yourself through.

Even if you're the president of your country.

And obviously, too much ‘stress’ can lead to sleep deprivation, which we've already covered.

It's a vicious cycle that you need to avoid, or you will get nowhere.

Sugar is the enemy.

Your sweet tooth is a ball and chain.

Artificial sugar adversely affects every process

in your entire body. The good news is, not all sweets are artificial; there are some things that you can keep in your diet.

There is still such a thing as too much of a good thing, but as long as you use moderation, there are some sweets that you don't have to deny yourself.

I'm talking, of course, about natural sugars; those that occur naturally in the food you eat.

The processed junk you get in packaged sweets is terrible for you.

But nature has provided a bounty of natural goodness; fruits and even some vegetables, that can help you overcome your cravings.

These sugars are actually good for you too, so long as they are consumed in moderation. The big word here is moderation.

If you are tough about it, you might even be able to reduce that little sugar-craving voice in the back of your head.

Maybe there's no good substitute for a good bar of chocolate, but if you're serious about losing weight, you don't want to just reach for the first sugary treat you find.

Chocolate and all its buddies will still be there

when you're skinny. Just build up a resistence to eating bad things and when you’re skinny, you will not want to indulge in those bad habits.

There's no rush.

Besides just staying away from candy bars and donuts, you also need to read your food labels carefully. This is a big thing to helping you overcome getting heavy again.

You'd be surprised how much stuff they sneak sugars into these days; everything from tomato sauce to ketchup to frozen meals.

Learn to recognize things like corn syrup and sucrose for what they are: sugar!

One tip: anything that ends with '-ose” is probably sugar or a ‘processed sugar substitute.’

They're all bad.

Want to avoid them forever?

One easy way to avoid them all is instead of reaching for a packaged snack, just grab some fruit!

It was easy for me: I like fruit.

If you look at fruit as just part of something

processed, then you need to look for another healthy alternative that you can get behind, like sugar-free juice. If you really want to lose weight, you just plain have to do it.

Nutrition bars aren’t necessarily your friend either. Again read the label. You’ll be surprised once you start reading again.

Something you might overlook in your favorite on-the-go treats is the sugar contained in them.

Often these things are marketed as nutrition bars, which makes them sound healthy. Sound healthy are the key words as most of them are not healthy and not going to let you drop your weight.

Oftentimes, nothing could be further from the truth.

READ THIS: Most snack bars or meal bars are junk food in disguise.

They slap a picture of a few wheat grains and a blueberry or two on the box and we feel like we're eating healthy.

Take a closer look, though, and you'll find that most of these things are pure junk.

In a few words... It's all marketing.

These things are designed to fit in with our

under-educated idea of “eating right”. Some of them might have started out healthy, with some ‘natural fruit,’ but once they've been through the ringer of being covered in sugary dough, deep fried and slathered in frosting, anything that was once good -- has been thoroughly cooked out.

Even if everything in it is “all natural”, if it's full of fat and sugar, it's bad for you! If I put dirt in a bar and called it all natural would you want to eat it? I don’t think so.

Plain and simple.

Don't believe the hype.

Don't let those rolling country hills on the box convince you that this so called all natural bar came from anywhere near a farm or any place that was healthy.

Read your ingredients list.

It's all on there, and the educated eye can spot the BS. If there's something like sugar or oil in the first five ingredients (and I'm betting there is) then you'd be better off without it.

Most people are clueless about this at first; but ingredients are listed in descending order.

Whatever is first, that's what the bar is mostly made of, by weight.

The first five ingredients often make up as much as 99% of what's in there.

Now I will say this. If you're in a hurry, there are better options than these nutrition bars.

Find out what works for you, even if it means preparing something in advance -- so you can just ‘grab it’ when the time comes.

Get enough fiber If you're always eating on the go, you know how hard it can be to actually have a halfway decent meal. Sometimes eating at all is a luxury!

Even on the go, there are some things you can do to “cut down’ on some of the bad habits, and one is to make sure to eat high-fiber foods.

Getting enough fiber is incredibly important.

It keeps everything in your digestive system moving, which is what you want if you're losing weight.

Fiber also aids in the absorption of nutrients from your food, which can keep you healthy.

Fiber helps you to regulate hunger, as well as blood sugar, which in turn helps you regulate your appetite.

Fiber keeps you full, keeps things moving slow through your bloodstream, which controls your body's system for craving food.

The less random cravings you get, the easier it is to make ‘wise’ decisions.

When your blood sugar drops, that's when you reach for the chips.

So if you keep it stable, you might not want those chips after all.

Oatmeal, lentils, greens, root vegetables, all of these are good examples of high-fiber foods.

I have found this to be a very effective way to reduce my cravings for unhealthy things, which is why you'll often see me eating a bowl of carrots in the middle of the afternoon!

That’s right, you can even replace the things you crave with fiber-rich foods!

As I've said, you don't always have time for a balanced meal, and if you “skip’ one here an there, those will be the times when you find yourself craving something snack-ish.

You have to find some way to control those cravings and get yourself off the blood sugar roller coaster.

Fiber is as good a solution as any.

I've listed a few fiber-rich foods that make great snacks. Hopefully this helps you get started.

There's a lot more than this out there, but this is just a sampling of the wonderful fiber-rich snacks you can try.

Just make sure it's something you can eat or cook quickly, without jarring you too much out of your normal routine.

That way, it can become a habit easier.     

Pears Berries Celery with fat-free cream cheese Lentils – such as lentil soup Oatmeal, or muesli

Most of us have had occasions where we couldn't help but skip a meal. If this becomes a regular part of your life, however, it can become a problem.

Before you begin your weight loss journey, you really need to internalize this point, along with

the four I've made already. This is all about small steps and even though some of these things are basics, they are probably something that you’ve struggled with.

Starvation is not the way to lose weight.

Your body and mind need food to function.

If you starve yourself, the results will be much worse, than good.

If you're skipping meals, or eating barely enough to keep yourself alive, chances are you are going to feel hungry a lot.

This constant hunger will drive you to make more bad decisions when you encounter temptations, and you may end up gaining more than you lose.

That’s usually what happens to people not on my program.

Food, along with water, of course, keeps you alive.

You die without it.

If you regularly starve yourself, your body might go into scarcity mode and begin storing every morsel you eat as fat, rather than using it to fuel your body's daily functions.

You can see where that process is heading, right?

You may have thought that you were helping your body to lose weight by starving yourself, but in reality you are only causing it to build up your fat reserves.

The same thing goes for water.

If you're not drinking enough water, your body starts retaining it in case you need it.

This can make you feel bloated, out of sorts, and uncomfortable, which isn't a good way to feel if you're trying to exercise.

If time is an issue in your mornings, try substituting a healthy shake or homemade smoothie for your normal junk food breakfast.

You could even make breakfast the night before, zap it in the morning and take it with you on your rounds. I don’t like using microwaves, but if it’s the lesser of two evils, nuke it.

The same goes for lunch, dinner and snacks.

If you don't have time during your hectic day, don't go for the candy bar and soda.

Take time to prepare the night before – or even

once a week – and you'll be able to make healthy choices easy. What you’re going to have to do is find a system that works for you.

If you need to prepare the night before, just do it.

Missing a meal or two along the way won't kill you, but if time is an issue, planning ahead will help a lot.

If you miss meals consistently, it will adversely affect your goals.

Breakfast is key You've heard it before. You're probably sick to death of hearing it.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I hate to add to the number of times you've been told that, but it really is true.

Your body needs the pick-me-up first thing in the morning.

It jump-starts your metabolism, which makes it easier to burn calories all day – which is good!

If you've gone your whole life without eating breakfast like I did, and you haven't noticed any adverse affects, chances are that they are just so much a part of your life that you don't realize you could be feeling better than you do.

Seriously, eat breakfast. Make time. Plan ahead and make it happen, it is worth it. Pack yourself some hard boiled eggs and a banana and just grab it in the morning. Or throw some strawberries, fat-free yogurt and protein powder in the blender and make a smoothie.

Both are fast, healthy options that can work for the busiest woman in the world.

A few more tips for planning ahead and making sure to get that breakfast in you every day can be found in the section entitled “What you can do to begin with”.

Regular Exercise Always Helps No matter what you're eating, there's no substitute for exercise. Take some time next weekend and map out your schedule. Find those little nooks and crannies of time that even the busiest people have, and try to cram them with exercise.

This could be the first tiny little thing you do to start losing weight. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. This could be yours.

It's good to make small changes like that.

Being ambitious is all well and good, but keep it manageable. Ask any runner, nobody wakes up and says one day, “I'm going to run a

marathon.” They say, “I'm going to run to that stop sign,” and then they get there and say, “I'm going to run to that fire hydrant,” and before you know it you will have gone miles.

So take things one at a time. Set teeny-tiny goals. Achieve them, and then set bigger ones.

Make the time to make it happen, and soon it will be habit.

By taking things slowly, you're actually helping yourself to develop habits that will stick. Before you know it, you'll feel weird if you don't exercise.

There are so many ways to get exercise, but plain old walking can be one of the easiest whe you're starting out.

Crunches, wall push-ups, yoga, even just stretching can be a good start. You don't have to do anything crazy. Just think back to grade school gym class and do the easiest thing you can remember.

There are so many options when it comes to exercise, that you're bound to find one that works for you.

Walking is good If the idea of a gym freaks you out, just go for

a walk. Walking doesn't really seem like exercise, does it? It's a good way to trick yourself into getting fit; after all, you aren't working out, you're just walking!

You might even be able to put yourself in situations where you have to walk. Park as far away from work as you can. Park at the back of the lot next time you go to the grocery store.

Take the stairs whenever you are in a building more than one story high (unless you're headed to the 50th floor!)

For more on the subject of walking, check out the section entitled “Walk�.

Set Your Goals A great way to keep track of your progress and to keep yourself motivated is to set small, manageable goals. This way, you can actually see the progress you're making.

Say you want to lose 50 pounds. That's your total goal. As we said before, it's safe to lose about 2 pounds a week, so if you weigh 170 this week, set a small goal of being 168 next week.

This way, it's harder to get disheartened about your progress. Instead of making slow progress towards a distant goal, you'll be

making rapid progress towards smaller goals.

Another benefit of this method is that you will actually get to see that you are losing weight.

Every goal you reach will be confirmation that your efforts are worth it.

This method of setting small goals works in a lot of facets of weight loss planning.

Give yourself a treat Another thing you can do to keep yourself on track and motivated is to give yourself rewards for the goals you meet. As long as your reward isn't a week-long junk food binge!

If you meet your monthly goal, go ahead and buy that dress you've been eyeing. Or maybe treat yourself to a new pair of jeans.

Buy something you can wear or use now, not something you have to sock away until you've reached your target weight. That way you actually get to experience the reward.

Don't go wild, don't buy anything superexpensive, but get yourself something you really want. Something you've been thinking about for a while, or denying yourself. You've earned it. It's a wise investment in your future success.

Medical Options If taking things slow just isn't an option for you, there are medical options when it comes to weight loss. You can have plastic surgery to take the pounds off quickly, and these days gastric bypass is a popular solution as well.

These options are out there, but all of them carry risks, some of them very serious and lifethreatening. If you are seriously considering a medical weight loss option, make sure you talk to your doctor extensively before going through with anything.

For me personally, this was not the way to go.

I felt the risks outweighed the rewards. But I am writing about this because I know everyone's situation will be different. Some people have hundreds and hundreds of pounds they need to lose, and for them medical options can be best.

Whatever you decide to do, don't just ask your doctor. Get online and research everything you can about the option you're choosing. Read message boards, ask questions, and confirm the information you get with your doctor.

No matter what you choose to do, after it's done keeping the weight off is up to you. Even if you go for the fast option, the advice in this book can help you maintain your goal weight.

As I said, this wasn't the option for me. But everyone is different, that's one of the central points of this book, and I didn't want to leave this out.

Self Assessment Weight loss isn't easy! A lot of us struggle to stay motivated, or even have trouble getting started!

But be honest with yourself. You've been promising yourself you would do something about your weight for years now, right? You've bought this book, so at least you've taken the first step.

You've admitted you have a problem. Your intentions are clear, and you want to do what's right. Now it's time to follow through.

If you've tried and failed before, it's because of a central issue which you may not have addressed: lack of commitment.

Falling off the wagon, getting lazy and careless, these are products of a lack of commitment.

So break the cycle now. Get off the roller coaster. Commit now, once and for all, to being a slimmer, healthier you. Commit to yourself,

to being the best self you can be.

You have nobody to blame but yourself for your current situation. Face it, take responsibility and move on. You got yourself into this fat suit, you can get yourself out.

We can spend all day blaming the food industry for the way they market food, the lies they tell, the lack of options they give us, but in the end it's up to us. We're responsible for what we put into our bodies, and we all have a choice.

I don't say this to attack you, or to make you feel bad, I just want you to self-assess and take stock of your situation. It's hard, but at some point you have to do it.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you have to face those demons once and for all.

If you don't, you could end up doing the yo-yo diet the rest of your life. At some point, you have to address the responsibility you bear for your own happiness.

Again, I'm not attacking you. I had to say this to myself a few times before I accepted responsibility for my own weight gain, and thereby empowered myself to be responsible for my weight loss.

That's what this is ultimately about. By

accepting responsibility for your mistakes, you empower yourself to take charge of fixing them.

It's time to realize that you are the only one who can affect your own happiness, and while the depressing part is that it means you have made yourself unhappy, the good part is that you have just as much power to turn it around.

Even now, some of you may be saying “But I just don't have time for anything else but cramming a fast food dinner into my mouth while I'm on the go!� Really think about that.

Is it true? Is it even possible that it could be true?

How long does it really take you to drive through a fast food joint? If you're there for the breakfast or lunch rush, it probably takes quite a while, right? Haven't you spent a lot of time waiting impatiently in line at these fast food places?

In fact, isn't it enough time to maybe get a nutritious meal in you? If you added up all those minutes, wouldn't they be enough minutes to set a few of them aside on the weekend to pack yourself a few healthy frozen lunches, and then save that much more time on your busy weekdays? And with just a little rearranging, you will have gone from eating an unhealthy diet, to a nutritious one.

I get it, you love food. So do I! It's not easy to change these habits. But the fact of the matter is, if you don't it could kill you.

That's right. Kill you. Obesity is related to almost all of the top causes of death in the world. If you don't take some responisbility and fight this uphill battle, it could mean your life.

I love hamburgers. But am I willing to die for one?

So first thing is first. Admit that you've gotten yourself here. Second, realize that because you've gotten yourself here, you can get yourself back to where you want to be. Third, decide on a course of action. And fourth, follow through and finish what you start!

It might sound hard, but it's not like you're doing it alone. That's why you have this book!

I want to help you.

I may not be a doctor. I'm just an ordinary person. But I've been there. There's nothing I could say to you that I haven't said to myself a thousand times.

I know what you're about to go through, and if you keep reading I can give you a little pep talk to get you through it. Think of me as your weight loss coach.

Most of my advice will be common sense. Like I keep saying, I'm not an expert of any kind.

I'm just someone who has been there, who has done it, who has gone through the gauntlet, and I can help you with the benefit of my experiences.

I'm not going to steer you towards any fad diets. I'm not going to steer you towards anything extreme. That wasn't for me, and I don't think it needs to be for you either.

Together we can do this.

Be Honest With Yourself The worst thing you can do is lie to yourself. So start asking yourself tough questions. Why do you overeat? Are you really still hungry? Or is there another factor at play, like lack of sleep?

Are there emotions involved when you overeat?

Are you a stress eater? Do you eat when you're upset?

Could there be a chemical imbalance? Maybe the food you're eating is so devoid of nutrition that your body is crying out for more food because you're actually depriving it of things it needs.

I was never a stress r emotional eater. For me,

it was boredom. I ate because I had nothing else to do, and by the time my schedule became as hectic as it is, eating junk was a habit.

I told myself a lot of lies. Especially the one about not having any time to eat anything but junk. Sound familiar? I told myself that I had it under control, or that I wasn't that overweight.

All of the lies we tell ourselves contribute to further weight gain, and just help the bad habits become more and more entrenched in our lives. Every lie you tell yourself drives the bad habit deeper.

This needs to change if you're serious about losing weight. So think hard. What is it that drives you to do the things you do when it comes to food?

You can't overcome an unidentified problem.

So ask yourself tough questions, and you will have made a great start.

This goes hand in hand with the last section.

You are in control of your life. If you identify the problems, often the solutions become clear.

And you will have done this yourself.

There are so many great things you can do for yourself that will help you lose weight. Most of

them are small changes that you can make a little at a time. That way, keeping them in your life will be easier.

I have included sections about proper diet and exercise in this book, but they are only there to serve as examples. Use them if you think they will work for you, but as I keep repeating, it's all about tailoring your approach to you and your unique situation.

You don't need to follow my advice. All you really need is the determination to go through with your own plans.

Whether you decide to go at this full-steam, or whether you just make a few small changes at a time, you will ultimately be in charge. And you will ultimately benefit. So cut the lies out of your life, be honest with yourself and decide what is going to make the difference for you.

My Golden Rules for Successful Weight Loss I mentioned this already, but just for reference, here is a concise list of what I consider to be the golden rules of weight loss.  Take responsibility for your mistakes, and therefore empower yourself to change  Accept that it won't be easy.

 Make a plan to lose weight  Follow through!  Take it all the way!

Take Responsibility I've already said a lot about this, but it bears repeating. You are responsible for your own life. You are in control.

You are the one who got yourself into this mess of junk food and bad habits, and you can get yourself out.

By admitting your own responsibility for your unhappiness, you empower yourself to turn it all around and become a happier, healthier you.

It Won't Be Easy It might take you a while to truly internalize the first golden rule, but once you do, there's another thing you need to be honest with yourself about. This journey will not be an easy one.

You are going to encounter temptation. Often.

It will probably seem like there are temptations everywhere you look, surrounding you,

suffocating you.

Don't delude yourself. You will probably slip up once or twice. There are a number of social situations where you will feel pressure to eat things you should deny yourself. Just make sure every slip isn't a slide.

If you fall off the wagon, get back on. Don't go through a screw-up with the mentality of “Oh, I slipped up this afternoon, so I'll just go ahead and get aburger for dinner, and then some ice cream because today is already ruined.�

One slip up doesn't ruin a whole day. And there is no discreet point at which you get to wipe the slate clean. Everything you do affects your results. You don't need to beat yourself up about a little slip, but don't let it convince you to just keep going with it.

If you really keep telling yourself that this is a long, hard road, you'll be better equipped to deal with the bumps in it. If you let yourself be surprised every time you experience some difficulty, you won't have thought ahead and made a plan. So realize this now, tell yourself how you're going to move past these speed bumps, and you'll be much better off.

Make a Plan Congratulations, you've already started on this

step just by picking up this book. Hopefully I'll be able to present you with some options that will help you to form your own unique, concrete plan. After all, a goal without a plan is just a wish.

Find some time, even if it's in the middle of the night, and research diet options. Get online and look at what has worked for other people, and decide what will work for you.

Are you going to focus harder of nutrition, or is exercise going to be your main weapon? Do you need to exclude certain foods to be successful, or can you just count calories and make it through?

What will be the best way for you to track your progress? If you're a pan and paper person, should you buy a daily planner to write things down in? If you're a technology person, is there an app you can get on your smartphone that can help you keep track of things?

Also, decide how much time you have for this.

How much time per day can you devote to exercise? If the answer is zero, how can you squeeze exercise into you existing routine? Are there stairs at work you could take, or could you park further away?

Another aspect of analyzing your time table is deciding how long you want this journey to be.

Do you want to reach your goals in minimum time (2 pounds a week), or do you want to take it a little slower? Which will be more likely to provide you with success?

When making these decisions, employ the small-goals method. Take things one at a time.

Look at exercise, decide what works there, and make that plan. That's one goal. Then decide what type of nutritional approach you want to use. There's another goal. Finally, decide on a schedule and a time table. Before you know it, after only c few small tasks, you have a complete plan before you, and you did it all yourself.

This way you will be gradually incorporating your weight loss plan into your life. Don't rush things, give them time to settle into your schedule, and you will have a better shot at making it permanent.

Follow Through Once you have a plan in motion, all you have to do is follow it! This is another place where setting small goals is a great way to stay on track.

Make your goals a reality. Aren't you excited to see a new you in the mirror, instead of just imagining her in your mind?

Following through can be hard, but it's easier if you set small, realistic goals, and then provide yourself with rewards.

If you're smart about it, what you'll end up doing is creating new habits. You will put yourself through the effort/reward cycle so many times that you wil literally train yourself to think and act differently.

If you're as busy as I am, you're going to experience a few upsets in your routine. Be prepared for this, and they won't damage your results.

Make sure your plan is flexible enough that you can go through the speed bumps without crashing. You aren't doing this temporarily, you're making permanent changes, so you need to be prepared for life to get in the way from time to time.

This is the reality of following through; sometimes it means accepting the fact that you can't. That's fine, as long as slip-ups are temporary, and you have a plan to move past them.

If you can do this, you will begin to see your dreams become a reality.

Find a diet buddy One way to deal with speed bumps is to get a diet buddy. Find someone who also needs to lose weight, and help each other stay on track.

Or, you can even find somebody who has already lost the weight, and they can give you the benefit of their experience, and talk you off the ledge when you are considering diving back into that pool of junk food.

I am here to help somewhat in this capacity, but I will never be as good as a real live person.

Someone who is close to you, already a part of your life is best. But if there's nobody who fits the bill, all hope is not lost.

There are a number of communities online that can help you out. You can also try meeting someone at an aerobics or yoga class. Maybe there's a friend or relative out of town that would be willing to talk to you over the phone or online. Look hard, chances are there's somebody out there who will be your diet buddy.

A good diet buddy can commiserate with you when you're having a tough time. They can be the voice of reason when you encounter temptation. They can be someone who you don't want to let down when you feel like giving up. They can help you stay true to your goals just by being there and doing it with you.

Hopefully, you already have a candidate in mind. But even if you don't, take the time to find one. It's very important, and it could be the difference on you taking this thing all the way and giving up early.

Take it All the Way Taking it all the way doesn't just mean reaching your target weight. It means permanent changes that will cause you to keep the weight off.

Follow through until you reach your ultimate goal, sure. But don't think of this as a temporary diet. This isn't some program that has a beginning, middle and end. This is your life.

If you're like me, you've done the yo-yo thing already. It's time for that to stop. This isn't something that you will one day be “done� with; this is just your life. You are making a permanent change, and once it's done it's set in stone.

There's not beginning middle and end. Just a choice. Do it, or don't. There is no try. If you take it slow, make small goals and reward yourself for reaching them, you will become a new person. One who makes healthy choices,

and one who can keep the excess weight off forever!

Your target weight Speaking of your ultimate goals, it's important to realize that this target weight is not a discreet number. You might have an ideal body weight (ask your doctor how to figure out what it is), but a person's weight is always in flux.

The average person's weight can fluctuate by up to 5 pounds in any given day. Depending on how well regulated your digestion is, you might find yourself weighing a little more even if you're not feeling like you're gaining weight.

It's a simple fact of the human body; we carry the food we eat inside of us, and sometimes it takes a while to leave. The same is true of water.

So don't set a target weight as a discreet number, make it a range. Tell yourself that you will be within this range by this date, and then maintain that for the rest of your life. A range of 5-10 pounds is reasonable. That way you can fluctuate without feeling like you've gone off the rails.

This fits in with our idea of giving yourself a little leeway in your diet plan. Life is irregular and unpredictable. There are so many factors

at play that it's impossible to expect things to behave rationally.

So give yourself a range that you'll be happy with, and don't get upset if you fluctuate within this range from day to day.

Food – The Bane of Your Life?

It's easy to feel like food is your enemy when you're overweight. But once again, the real problem is that you aren't taking responsibility for what you eat.

Food doesn't have an agenda, it's just food.

And without it, you will most certainly die. So the real question is, how do you make sure you're making solid choices?

There are a lot of different approaches to try.

And there are a lot of factors to consider, both when choosing a diet, and while following that diet.

In this section, there are a few food-specific bits of advice that should help you feel better about food in general, because as we've already discussed, you need to eat!

A Good Diet is a Must

Exercise is great, but it won't do you much good if you aren't watching what you eat.

There are a lot of approaches to dieting, but they all basically boil down to one thing: energy in vs. energy out.

If you're not monitoring your energy in (diet), just your energy out (exercise), you might not lose any weight. Even if you work out a lot, if you're still eating bad, you will at best slow the rate at which you gain weight.

It's important to realize also, that while the word “diet� has a somewhat negative connotation in today's society, all it really means is the sum total of the food you eat, or just the basic approach you take to food. It's a convenient term, so don't let it confuse you.

This book is not about a fad diet, it's just about general advice that will help you change your perspective.

Part of making sure you have the proper energy in vs. energy out ratio is knowing what times of day are most crucial to your diet. Are you a morning person? If so, what kind of food choices do you make first thing in the morning?

Good ones, or bad ones?

Or maybe you're one of those people who starts out the day healthy, but eventually, after a long stressful day, your will power shuts down and you give in to temptation.

You might also be a situational person, who only makes bad choices in certain situations. If this is you, figure out how you can teach yourself to act differently in these situations, or how you can avoid them altogether.

Knowing your weaknesses is the first step to eliminating them. I know you might not have time to map out every minute of a given day and jot down what you're thinking. You don't need to go crazy psychoanalyzing yourself and how your habits change over the day.

That said, keeping a food journal can be a powerful tool in making you more aware of what you eat.

You might not realize how often you go out for fast food, or how many of your meals come straight out of the snack machine. One you put it on paper, it's easier to see where you're going wrong, and how to fix it.

Once you do this, it's fairly easy to turn it into an accounting principle. Even without counting calories, it's possible to see when and where you're taking in more energy than you put out, and adjust accordingly.

The other benefit you will see (especially if you're a person who gives in to situational temptations), is what your weaknesses are,

both with timing and with specific foods. If you notice that a specific candy bar appears in your food journal a lot, it might be a good idea to eliminate that specific item from your diet.

Learn your old, bad habits so that you can shake them up and create new, good ones.

You and Supermarkets Assuming you buy groceries at all, your state of mind when you go to the store can have a huge effect on what you eat and what type of diet you follow.

It's not hard to understand that you buy more food when you go to the supermarket hungry.

It's also fairly simple to see that if you go through the store with no plan whatsoever, just grabbing whatever looks good, that you're bound to make worse food choices.

So if you can possibly help it, only go to the supermarket when you've just finished a good nutritious meal. If that's not possible, at least try to put a piece of sugar-free gum in your mouth before you walk in, to help calm those cravings.

Avoiding temptation is also easier if you have a plan of attack. A simple grocery list can do you a lot of good. If you're looking for a specific

item, you don't have as much time to pay attention to the tempting treats that the grocers have displayed for you.

A simple fact of marketing is that grocery stores a re designed to get you to buy certain things.

They put these things at eye level, and on the ends of aisles so that your eyes naturally land on them and your brain thinks “Ooh, I want that.”

So the best possible approach is to know your grocery store and organize your list so that you know exactly where each item is. Plan your route through the store as specifically as you can, and you will spend much less time just gazing around, letting the merchandise lead you astray. Plan where you will go and what you will get before you even walk in the front door, and you will walk out with a much healthier pantry.

Supersize you…please don’t Supersizing, or even just upgrading your food when you go out is nearly always a bad idea.

Even if you're not at a fast food restaurant, there are tons of opportunities to add this, get extra that, add a side of the other...

The only time you should add extras or supersize anything is if you're sharing. Sharing

can be a good strategy if you're forced to eat somewhere unhealthy.

If life forces you into a situation where you can't choose exactly what you eat, then make sure you control your portions. If it's meal time and the only food is hamburgers, maybe don't eat the biggest one you can buy. If you're with a group and they want to go someplace that serves unhealthy foods, try to share with someone else to force yourself to eat smaller portions.

Don’t Take Seconds (or Thirds!)

Another part of portion control is not taking seconds. Even when eating a nutritious home cooked meal, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.

The best way to handle this is pacing yourself.

Often when eating home cooked meals, you will have some kind of emotional attachment to the food, especially if a loved one is cooking it.

So take your time when you eat. Chew your food, don't just gobble it down. Your stomach takes a while to relay the signal to your brain that tells you you are full. It takes about twenty minutes, on average. So while you're still on that first plate, try to make it take twenty minutes to eat.

You might find that you are satisfied with a lot less food than you think. If you're used to eating two or three helpings of whatever is on the table, you might just think that's what it takes to fill you up. But if you slow things down a bit, you might find that you are satisfied with a lot less, and that you just weren't waiting long enough for your stomach to tell your brain it's time to stop.

So next time you or somebody else is cooking at home, resist the urge to take that second plate by slowing down the first one. Make sure to drink plenty of water while eating too. Then, twenty minutes after you take your first bite, see if you're really still hungry. Chances are you will feel totally satisfied, and that second helping won't be necessary after all.

Five Ways to Fool Your Stomach and Eyes These tips should help you do specific things to fool your body into thinking it's getting more than it really is.

By choosing different plates and glasses, as well as a few other helpful tips, you can trick yourself into eating less, and eventually train yourself to want less.

You might think that knowing in your head that you are tricking yourself will prevent the trick from working, but you might be surprised. Give

it a try before you say it won't work.

If this doesn't work for you, there is always good old-fashioned willpower. You are, after all, in control of your life and your diet, and you can do anything you want. The food does not rule you.

Use smaller plates and tall thin glasses This is one easy trick that will get you to eat less.

Buy small plates and eat off those. That way, a small amount of food looks like a lot, and your brain and body will think that you've just eaten a good sized meal when in fact you've only eaten what you need.

You still get the psychological satisfaction of clearing your plate, but you've managed to clear it of a lot less than you would have before.

Thin glasses are another good trick, especially if you're a soda drinker. Soda, even diet soda, can adversely affect your plans by sending your blood sugar on a wild ride. So drink less of it by filling up a tall, thin glass and draining it.

It's much easier than trying to only drink half of a giant, wide mug.

The simple fact is that you just can't fit as much

food on smaller plates, and you just can't get much soda in a smaller glass. So as long as you can keep from getting seconds of everything, you'll make it impossible to over portion.

Another thing to consider is color. It has been proven that colors have a distinct psychological effect on your eating habits, so make sure to buy the right color of plates and cups.

Overall, lighter colors are best. Darker colors tend to make people hungrier, and they can make it look like there is less food on the plate.

Lighter, brighter colors make you feel lighter and brighter, and make you much less likely to overeat.

Take all of this into account and hit the store.

Stash those old, gigantic plates away, and start serving yourself with small, brightly colored plates.

Portions count – get the correct portion size If you don't feel like buying new plates and cups is an option for you, there are some rules of thumb you can use to control your portions.

These can take a little more willpower, but if you can't spend the money on new tableware, it

can still work for you. Portion control is one of the most important aspects of your weight loss plan, so you need to master it however you can.

And if you can’t do that through tricking your eyes into fooling your stomach, then you will have to do that through normal means, and this will mean that you need to exert some will power.

Carbohydrate dishes (assuming they are low fat) should be about the size of your fist.

Eating more than that is really just extra calories, unless you are a marathon runner.

Vegetable dishes (again, assuming that they are low fat) can be just about as big as you want. You really can't eat too many vegetables or fruits, so long as you aren't smothering them in fatty sauce or dipping them in rich dressing.

Meat portions should be about the size of your palm, no bigger. The lower fat your meat, the more you can fudge this rule, but when it comes to red meat, a palm-sized potion is plenty.

I'm a big coffee drinker myself, and I do take cream and sugar, and there's just something so homey about my big mug. So my way of controlling it was to make half the mug my quota. I never fill it up all the way anymore, so

I end up drinking a lot less of the fatty cream and calorie-laden sugar.

Things like juice should be kept to about eight ounces or so, which again is about the size of your fist. If your juice cups are large enough to stuff your fist into without any difficulty, consider getting smaller ones, or just don't fill yours up all the way.

All of this might be difficult at first, but I know you can do it.

What about going out to restaurants? How are we to maintain portion control then?

It's hard to order smaller portions at restaurants, but it isn't impossible. Many restaurants these days have a smaller portion option, some even have whole different “guiltfree� menus. Many restaurants will make smaller portions at lunchtime, so ask to order from the lunch menu if possible.

If all that fails, it's up to you and your willpower. There's no need to finish every morsel they serve you. Try only eating half your food, then putting you napkin over it so it's not just sitting there taunting you. If you feel bad about wasting food, ask your server to box up half of it before even bringing it to the table. That way you eat much less, and you can keep the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Eat slowly, chew your food properly We've already mentioned this, but it's one of the best ways to trick yourself into eating less.

Just to review, it takes about twenty minutes for your stomach to figure out that it's full, and relay that message to your brain. So try and make that plate take twenty minutes.

Chew your food thoroughly. This isn't just a good way to control portions, it also has its own benefits. For one, you actually get to taste your food instead of having it just pour right down your throat. By taking your time to chew properly, you might even find out that there are foods you thought you liked that you actually don't!

Another benefit is that when you chew your food thoroughly, you make it easier to digest, which can make you more comfortable, and help your body absorb the nutrition it needs form the things you eat.

One other benefit from chewing properly is that it can make meal times more relaxing, which can be a great way to relieve the stress of your busy schedule. You can kill two birds with one stone!

If you can do this in spite of how busy you may be, you will find you are much happier with the food you eat.

Trim the excess fat If you're a big red meat person, this is an essential tip. That excess fat and gristle light have been part of your diet before, but the truth is you just don't need it.

The fat and marbling that are naturally found in foods like steak can be part of why they taste so good. The fat flavors everything around it, but once it's cooked, you don't need it anymore. It's job is done, and if you decide you must eat it, all it really does it make you more fat.

With chicken, skin is the issue. Cooking chicken with the skin is fine, because the skin will flavor the meat. But once you've coked it, trim the skin. You just don't need it anymore.

In some cases, the fat that comes with a food isn't natural to that food, and it is often easy to swap these foods out for something better.

One classic example is tuna packed in oil. You don't need the oil at all, go for tuna packed in water instead.

Lower fat substitutions are possible too. If you

love bacon, try turkey bacon instead, and see if that doesn't calm the craving. Even ham can be a better choice because it isn't made of pure fat.

When cooking, only use the amount of oils you absolutely need to cook the dish. An average pot of vegetables doesn't need more than a tablespoon or two of oil to make them flavorful.

When it comes to breads, use less of the spreads you would normally put on them. You don't need four pats of butter on a small roll, one should be plenty. You can also switch to a healthier fat like olive oil, just make sure to exercise moderation there as well.

There are so many ways to cut a little here and a little there that I could spend the rest of the book listing them. No matter where you look, there's room to trim a little out, and small changes like this can make a big difference.

Drink plenty of water Drinking water is one of the most essential things you can do to increase your odds of losing that weight. Not only do you need it to live, but it keeps everything in your system on the move, which is essential for getting your body to start moving out that fat.

Water can help you feel full. Besides just physically filling your stomach, it can help you control cravings too. Often times when you feel a craving, it is your body mistaking thirst for hunger. Next time you get a craving, try drinking one eight ounce glass of water and see if the craving doesn't go away.

For some reason, a lot of people struggle with getting enough water, and perhaps it's because they just don't like drinks with little or no flavor.

You need 64 ounces of liquid a day. Some will come with the food you eat, but there's nothing better than pure water.

If you just can't make it happen, there are quite a few beverages that can help you stay hydrated. Herbal tea, natural juices and black coffee are all decent substitutes, so long as you exercise moderation.

Try keeping a bottle of water with you at all times. Figure out how many ounces it is, and figure out how many times you will need to fill it and drain it to get your daily quota. I'm betting it isn't as hard as you think to stay hydrated.

Fight Those Food Cravings Everyone has those cravings. Sometimes it based on what you see, sometimes there's just

a food you can't live without, sometimes it's just a pang that hits you at a certain time of day. However, these food-specific craving seem to be more common in women than in men.

Even if this isn't scientifically accurate, it sure seems true, right? Maybe it's just because women are more vocal about their cravings, or maybe we really do act on them more often than men.

Regardless, if you're serious about losing weight, then cravings need to be controlled, no matter what it takes!

Giving in to cravings can undo a lot of good work. Like we've said before, there will be times when you slip up, but you need to make a battle plan as to how you will control these cravings when they do happen.

In the next few sections, we'll do a little strategizing, but it's ultimately up to you to combat cravings based on what, when any why you crave certain foods.

Why you have food cravings The first thing to do is figure out the what, when, where and why of your food cravings.

Anyone can get cravings at virtually any time of day. I always crave sweets right before bed,

and I almost always crave salty snacks in the afternoon. Figuring out your craving's plan of attack can help you defend against them.

What Is it a certain specific food, like potato chips?

Or is it something more general, like salty snacks? Are there any ways you can make sure you don't encounter this food? Can you at least avoid keeping it in your home?

When When do you get the cravings? Is it a certain time of day, like the afternoon; or in a certain situation, like break-time at work? If you know when you are likely to get cravings, can you plan ahead to make sure you have a healthy alternative ready to go when the craving strikes? Is there anything else you can do to satisfy the craving besides giving in?

Where Are there certain places you are more likely to get a craving? Can you avoid these places?

What is it about these places that makes you crave something? Is it something you can change or avoid? Does simply knowing what's going through your mind help?

Why If you know all or any of the above, ask yourself why it is this way. Are you actually

hungry at certain times? Are you reacting to smells you encounter? Is there an emotional, or stress-related reason that you crave certain things? Does knowing why it happens help you to exert your willpower?

A Few Reasons You Get Food Cravings Every woman is different. We all have unique bodies and minds, not to mention strengths and weaknesses.

Unfortunately that means there isn't much I can tell you about why you crave what you crave, when you crave it. We're all different.

There are a few things many women have in common, however, and going through them can be helpful. You might see something that rings true for you, and it might also help you to know that you aren't alone in this.

Take this as a general bit of advice, and adapt it to your unique situation.

Reasons we crave:  Stress  Inadequate amount of sleep  Pregnancy

 Menstruation cycles  Insufficient nutriton  Medical conditions  Medications  Skipping meals  Poorly regulated blood sugar There are many more reasons you might crave something, but these are some of the most common.

An interesting example Here's another thing we need to be honest about: When Mother Nature pays her monthly visit, our bodies cry out for our favorite craveable foods.

Hormones affect your body in a million ways, and sometimes that means “food swings” along with mood swings. Some days you may have an insatiable appetite for one kind of food, and some days the very same food might sound totally gross!

Not to mention the stress and discomfort we experience can just make us want our favorite

treat as a way of feeling better when we feel so bad!

This is another instance where keeping a food journal can be helpful. If you know what you crave during your menstrual cycle, you can take steps to keep it out of reach at those times.

A good friend of mine did it, and she was surprised at what she found. She kindly allowed me to use her findings – but only if I mentioned her name! In any case, thanks for the inf, Sara.

Sara tracked what she ate for about six months.

She found out that before and after menstruation, she went through a period (pardon the pun) of craving extremely salty foods.

After that, she would have a week where everything sounded awful to her, and she would just eat the bare minimum to keep herself going.

After that, Sara went through a ridiculously hungry phase where she would eat every speck of food in her house! This was the first danger zone.

The second danger zone came the week after the first, when she would have the most aggressive sweet tooth ever!

Once she saw all this she was able to target her weak spots and deal with them. For her, just knowing, just being aware of what her body was throwing at her helped. Maybe you'll need to be more aggressive; like getting your husband or boyfriend to hide the chocolate from you, but if you take the time to map it out, like Sara did, I'm betting you can learn how to break that unhappy cycle.

Foods That Fight Cravings Since you can't erase cravings altogether, there are some food choices you can make that will not only satisfy them, but prevent them from coming back.

Everyone is different in what they like to eat and what they don't. Some of these might not work for you, but that's okay. If you're not sure, try some of them out and keep track of how you feel. You might be surprised what works!  Apples – The fiber keeps you full, and natural sugars help reduce sweets cravings.  Nuts – Protein, healthy fats and healthy carbs make an excellent combination to

keep you full while providing needed nutrition.  Oatmeal – A great hunger buster, oatmeal is high in fiber, and it also has the power to cure an aching sweet tooth.  Chew gum – Sometimes just keeping your mouth active is enough. This worked for me. Just make sure you're chewing sugar free so you're not adding empty calories into your diet.  Cheese – Again, protein and healthy fats are the key here. Cheese, in moderation, is good for you, and it helps calm cravings for salty food.  Air-Popped Popcorn – Popcorn, so long as it isn't slathered in butter, is a delicious, fun, and low-calorie snack. Just remember to go light on the salt, and keep the butter out of it.  Pretzels – In moderation, pretzels are a great low-fat snack. Just watch your serving sizes.  Toast and Jam – an excellent substitute for that jelly doughnut, a piece of toast with no butter and a light spread of jam can be surprisingly satisfying.

 Green Tea – besides packing a punch of antioxidants, green tea with a little honey and lemon can fill you up, ease digestion and calm your sweet tooth.

Fifteen Quick Recipes This isn't a recipe book, so forgive me if these aren't the most elaborate recipes.

However, I wanted to provide just a few starter recipes so you could see just how easy it is to start cooking healthier.

Most of these are very flexible. When you're starting out on a weight loss plan, it's good to look for recipes that can be easily adapted to include different ingredients. That way you don't wind up eating the same thing over and over.

Maybe you aren't a chef, maybe you don't even know how to cook! Either way, you should at least give some of these a try. With a little practice you can master it. It's always best to be in control of what goes into your food, that way you know nobody is trying to sneak any extra, unneeded fat or sugar into your diet.

Breakfast

Once again, breakfast is the most important meal of the day! It gives your metabolism a much-needed morning boost; keeps you full until lunch, which helps you make wiser decisions there; and gives you the energy to start your day right! Hopefully these recipes are easy enough for you to master, then you can move on to more intricate things.

Fritatta Fritatta is a traditional Italian egg dish.

It's a great way to re-purpose leftovers, and a fast and easy breakfast that you could make every morning.

Ingredients: 6 eggs 2 tbsp coconut or almond milk Any meats, cheeses, herbs, vegetables or leftovers you desire. The sky is truly the limit here, things as diverse as potatoes, jalapenos, steak, sausage, mushrooms, squash, Parmesan cheese, pepperoni and olives go surprisingly great in fritatta.

Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Preheat an oven-safe pan with a few tablespoons of oil or ghee. Add your fillings and sautee until they reach the desired level of doneness. For leftovers, you'll just want to warm them up a bit.

For fresh vegetables you'll want to cook

them until they're soft, or even until they're caramelized. For fresh meats like chicken or pork you'll want to cook them all the way through.

3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and coconut/almond milk.

Season with salt and pepper.

4. Pour your eggs over the toppings. If you are using any cheese, add it now.

Stir lightly to ensure everything is evenly distributed.

5. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until eggs are firm in the middle.

6. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Invert the pan over a cutting board or serving dish. The fritatta should fall right out.

7. Slice and serve! This dish is also great leftover, cold or hot.

Yield: 2-4 servings.

The Best Fruit Salad Fruit salad isn't complicated. It almost seems silly to have a recipe for it. But this recipe is all about showing you just how far you can take it.

Ingredients: 1 small apple, peeled and diced

1 banana, sliced 1/2 cup pineapple chunks 1/2 cup grapes 1 kiwi, peeled and sliced 1 orange, cut into mandarins (peel it then slice out the sections, discarding the interior skins) 1/2 cup sliced strawberries 1/4 cup blueberries 1/4 cup raspberries 1/2 cup melon cubes (use whatever is the ripest; cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon) 1 avocado, diced 2 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp salt 1/4 cup raw honey diluted with a few tbsp of warm water (optional) Directions: 1. Dice all of your ingredients to a similar size. 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces are ideal for eating with a spoon.

2. Add all fruits to a large mixing bowl.

Drizzle with lime juice and sprinkle with salt. If using, add diluted honey.

3. Mix well. Serve by itself, or on top of tapioca crepes.

Yield: 5-6 cups, 2-3 servings

Avocado Berry Smoothie Avocados are a great way to start any day.

They are most often used in savory dishes, but they can be just as good paired with other fruits for a hearty breakfast filled with healthy fats that's sure to keep you going in the morning.

Ingredients: 1 avocado, peeled, seed removed 1/4 cup blueberries 1/4 cup blackberries 1/4 cup raspberries 1/4 cup strawberries 2 tbsp raw, organic honey (optional) 1 cup fat-free yogurt 1 cup ice Directions: 1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Yield: 1 serving Main Dishes These dishes are great to make for yourself as a lunch or dinner. They all travel well, and make a great lunch that you can microwave at work.

If you're cooking for guests, you will find that these dishes are tasty enough to go along with some good conversation and a glass of wine.

Simple Spaghetti Marinara This classic dish is great on it's own, or with a little grilled chicken on top. And once

you taste a pasta sauce you made from scratch, you'll never go back to the sugar-filled canned stuff.

Ingredients: 4 tomatoes, quartered 1/2 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup basil, packed splash red wine 1/2 cup vegetable stock salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp olive oil 4 oz dry spaghetti Directions: 1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.

2. Add the onions and garlic, sautee for 5 min.

3. Add the tomatoes, a splash of red wine, the vegetable stock, and season with salt and pepper. Allow it to cook 30 minutes, until tomatoes are broken down.

4. Add the tomato sauce to the blender, then add the basil. Blend until smooth, then return the sauce to the pot and reduce the heat to low.

5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water.

6. Cook your pasta for 7 minutes, or according to package directions.

7. Drain the pasta, then add it to the sauce.

Put a splash of pasta water in with the sauce and stir to coat. Serve with a light salad.

Yield: 2 servings.

Caesar Caesar salad is a dish that's loved the world over. Making it at home is surprisingly easy! Whether served on its own or with some grilled chicken, this is one dish everyone can appreciate.

Ingredients: 3 oil-packed anchovie filets 1 small clove garlic pinch salt 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup grapeseed oil 2 tbsp grated Parmesan 1/4 tsp black pepper, more to taste 3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped 1/2 slice bread, cut into cubes Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Arrange the bread on an ungreased cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake

at 350 until golden brown and crunchy, about 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

3. In a small blender or food processor, combine anchovies, garlic and a pinch of salt. Blend until a paste forms.

4. Add egg yolks, lemon juice and mustard.

Pulse to combine.

5. With the blender or food processor running, add the olive oil drop by drop.

When mixture is beginning to come together, begin slowly adding the grapeseed oil. Take your time, or the emulsion will break.

6. When all oil is added, pulse in the grated Parmesan, black pepper, and more salt and/or lemon juice to taste.

7. Toss dressing with chopped romaine and croutons. Season with additional black pepper, if desired.

Yield: 2 servings.

Hearty Veggie Stew This assortment of garden-fresh delights is at its very best when the vegetables are sourced from responsible, pesticide-free farms.

Organic vegetables deliver a burst of nutrition and flavor that will keep you coming back for bowl after bowl, guilt free!

Ingredients: 12-14 plum tomatoes, quartered 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock 3 large carrots, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped 1 medium onion, diced 1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2� pieces 2 large zucchini, diced 2-3 large parsnips, peeled and chopped 2-3 medium fresh beets (NOT canned), diced 1 medium fennel bulb, chopped 2 cloves garlic 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 sprig fresh oregano 2-3 leaves fresh sage 2 bay leaves salt and pepper to taste water, as needed for consistency Directions: 1. In a large pot, boil the tomatoes with a just enough water to cover them. When the tomatoes start to break down, take the mixture and put it in a blender. Blend on high until mixture is smooth. This is your tomato base.

2. Preheat slow cooker to high.

3. Chop all vegetables. If you have a metal tea strainer, out all the garlic and herbs in it. If not, tie herbs together with twine, leaving enough length to hang out of the side of the crock pot.

4. Add stock and tomato base to crock pot,

then add herbs. Make sure the twine or tea strainer has enough length to hang over the lip of the pot.

5. Add vegetables.

6. Cook on high for 30 min, stirring frequently until all ingredients are well incorporated. Make sure not to lose the twine/tea strainer.

7. Reduce heat to low and allow to cook 3 hours, until all vegetables are soft. Stir 12 times during cooking. If desired, reduce heat to warm and leave soup in crock pot all day. Seal any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Soup is always better on the 2nd day!

Yield: 8 servings.

Veggies Maybe you aren't a veggie person, but if you're serious about losing weight you've got to find a way to make veggies work for you. Not only are they low in fat and calories, but they're the ideal source of vitamins and minerals for your body.

There is a growing trend – and I'm part of it – of having more veggie-oriented meals and only having meat a couple times a week. The fact is that if you choose your veggies wisely, you just don't need meat with every meal. It might be tough at first, but if you work on learning some

good recipes, you might find that there is a lot more out there that you like than you once thought!

Cucumber and Tomato Salad This salad is pretty basic, but it packs a freshness that makes it an ideal accompaniment to anything. Especially great on hot summer nights!

Ingredients: 2 cups diced tomato 2 cups sliced cucumber 1 shallot, thinly sliced 1/4 cup feta cheese (optional) 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp red wine vinegar salt and pepper to taste Directions: 1. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss to coat.

Yield: 4 servings.

Baked Cajun Butternut Fries Frying is definitely not good for anyone trying to lose weight, but that doesn't mean you can't have french fries! The butternut squash in this recipe has a creamy sweet flavor that is perfectly complimented by a dash of spice!

Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into fries cooking spray 1 tsp salt 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/4 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp dried thyme 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (optional) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 large sheet pans with cooking spray.

2. Mix all spices in a small mixing bowl.

3. In a large mixing bowl, spray the fries with a little cooking spray and toss until well coated. Add a little of the seasoning mix at a time and toss until evenly distributed. Don't use too much, just enough to give the fries a light coat.

4. Arrange the fries on the sheet pans and bake at 375 for 15-20 min, turning the fries once during cooking. Serve with your choice of dipping sauces.

Yield: 3-4 servings.

Grilled Salad As odd as this might sound, grilled salad is one of the most unique dishes you will ever make, and it is also one of the easiest. You will wow your guests with this one.

Ingredients: 2-4 heads of sturdy lettuce (romaine is the best, but iceberg, green leaf and red leaf also work) olive oil, to coat salt and pepper, to taste 4-6 tbsp salad dressing of choice Directions: 1. Peel the wilted outer leaves off the lettuce. Cut each head in half, leaving the stem in. You need the stem to keep the lettuce together while it's on the grill.

2. Season to taste with oil, salt and pepper, making sure to coat all sides and as many of the inner leaves as you can get to without ripping the heads apart.

3. Preheat the grill to high heat.

4. Grill the heads for 1-2 minutes on each side. You want some light charring of the outer leaves. Err on the side of undercooking, otherwise you will have a completely wilted salad. Some wilting is

to be expected, but too much makes this dish greasy and unsatisfying.

5. Remove your lettuce heads from the grill and chop them as you would for a fresh salad.

6. Toss with the dressing of your choice, but don't use too much, as the lettuce is already seasoned.

7. Serve with grilled steaks or pork chops.

Yield: 2-4 servings.

Meats, Fish, Poultry We're not going vegetarian here (well, maybe some of you are), so we might as well have a few meat dishes. When it comes to meat dishes like these it's all about portion control and pairing them with lighter vegetable sides that won't weigh you down.

Pork Chops with Stone Fruit Slaw Pork is best friends with the humble apple, but a good mix of peaches, plums and apricots can be even better when stone fruit is at its best and apples are still on the trees.

Ingredients: 4 bone-in pork chops 1 tbsp grapeseed oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp turmeric 1 plum 2 apricots 1 white peach 1 yellow peach 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder zest of 1 lime zest of 1 lemon salt and pepper to taste Directions: 1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the salt, garlic, cumin, paprika and turmeric. Rub onto pork chops and allow to rest at room temperature.

2. Preheat a cast iron or oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the grapeseed oil. Sear pork chops for 5 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and check temperature. Pork should be at an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

Return to pan if necessary. Allow pork to rest 10 minutes when fully cooked.

3. While the chops rest, julienne the fruit and toss it with the chipotle powder, zest, and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Top the chops with the fruit slaw and serve!

Yield: 4 servings.

Tuna Tartare Tuna Tartare is an incredible way to eat fresh fish. If the idea of raw fish turns you off, this dish might just change your mind.

Raw meats are not considered safe to eat largely because of the processing that goes into getting them ready for sale. This is especially true of fish, as it is most often frozen and shipped long distances. The truth is, however, that as long as they've never been frozen, most fish and some meats are quite safe (and delicious!) raw. Tuna is perhaps the best recognized of these.

If you don't like fishy flavor, then raw tuna is the fish for you. The fishy flavor is a result of overcooking and over processing. When served raw, tuna has a light, delicious flavor that you are guaranteed to enjoy.

Ingredients: 1 pound fresh (never frozen) tuna steak 1 tbsp olive oil Juice and zest of 1 lime 1 tsp fresh grated horseradish 1 tsp mustard 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp crushed red pepper 2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 2 green onions, minced 1/2 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, diced

1 avocado, diced 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds Directions: 1. Dice the tuna steak into 1/4� cubes and place in a medium mixing bowl.

2. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together oil, lime juice, lime zest, horseradish, mustard, soy sauce, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper.

3. Pour sauce over tuna. Add green onions, jalapeno and sesame seeds. Mix well.

4. Add the avocado and gently fold it in, making sure not to crush it into guacamole.

5. Allow the tartare to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving. Serve with sliced fresh vegetables for dipping.

Yield: 5-6 servings.

Blackened Salmon This one is a no-brainer. Blackened salmon is one of the best pieces of fish you can eat, that's why you see it everywhere. And it's seriously easy to make. Almost too easy to write a recipe for it. But we've included one any way, just to we can go over the proper technique of cooking fish filets. No more shredded fish in your house!

Ingredients: 4 filets salmon (6-8 oz each) 1 recipe Cajun seasoning mix 1 tbsp olive oil Directions: 1. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Gently rub the outside of your salmon with olive oil. Season generously with seasoning mix.

3. Place your salmon in the skillet. If you have skin on your salmon, start skin side down.

4. Cook 3-4 min. The fish will tell you when it's ready to flip. If you stick a spatula under it and it doesn't want to release, wait. Try again in 30-45 seconds. When it is ready to flip, it should come off without shredding apart. You may also preheat the oven to 350 degrees and transfer the skillet to the oven for 5-8 minutes after flipping the fish. This is a great, gentle way to cook it.

5. Either way, cook the second side about as long as you cooked the first side and your fish will be perfectly done. Trust the process and don't mess with it too much!

Yield: 4 servings.

Garlic and Lemon Chicken Sometimes the best things are the simplest, and this little recipe is about as simple as it gets. The savory flavor of garlic and the bright acidity of lemon are a classic combination that needs no embellishment.

Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, cut into quarters 4 cups chicken stock 6 cloves garlic 1 lemon, sliced salt and pepper to taste More lemon juice, for topping Directions: 1. Preheat slow cooker to low heat.

2. Arrange chicken quarters in the slow cooker, then add remaining ingredients.

3. Allow to cook on low for 6-7 hours, until chicken is fall-apart tender. Remove skin before serving. Top with a spritz of lemon juice, a spread of cooked garlic, and serve alongside cauliflower puree or sauteed zucchini.

About 4-6 servings.

Snacks Snacks are actually an important part of dieting. The key is to choose snacks that are

healthy, and are designed to just get you to your next proper meal. You don't want each snack turning into a meal itself!

Choose fiber filled snacks, or something with a little protein. Both help you stay full and make wiser decisions at meal times. Don't snack all day! That's bad no matter how healthy your snacks are. Remember – there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. These recipes are for things you can prepare ahead of time and just grab when you need s little something!

Herbed Almond Crackers Here's a light, guilt-free cracker that is great on its own but also great with dips or a little cheese on top. Make a big batch and grab a handful when you get the muchies!

Ingredients: 1 pound raw almonds 2 large eggs 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp sea salt 1 tbsp black pepper 2 tsp dill weed 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a food processor, grind the almonds until they form a coarse powder.

3. Add all remaining ingredients and pulse to

combine. Remove from food processor and form into a large dough ball.

4. Take half the dough and place it between two sheets of parchment.

5. Flatten with your hands, then roll thin with a rolling pin. Remove top layer of parchment, then carefully and quickly invert onto a well-greased sheet pan. Cut into squares using a knife or pizza cutter.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.

Serve with your favorite dip, condiment or as a side for lunch.

Yield: about 12 servings.

Trail Mix Trail mix has to be one of the oldest snacks out there. It's so simple to make, and so obviously great. We hope this little recipe keeps you full and energized on your next outdoor adventure.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup roasted cashews 1/2 cup roasted almonds 1/2 cup roasted pecans 1/4 cup sunflower kernels 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds 1/2 cup dried strawberries, diced

1/2 cup dried blueberries 1/2 cup dried apples, diced salt, to taste Directions: 1. If you prefer buying raw nuts, roast your own nuts in the oven at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking.

2. Dry the blueberries and apples in a oven set to its lowest setting. Watch the fruit and remove it when it looks dry.

Blueberries won't take as long, about 30 min. Apples will take a little longer, up to an hour. Watch both carefully.

3. Once your ingredients are prepared to your liking, all you have to do is toss them all in a zip-top bag and shake them up.

Grab a handful of the way out the door, or pack little baggies up for the kid's lunch.

Yield: 4 cups.

Peaks, Dips and Plateaus No matter how committed you are, no matter how strong your willpower is, there are bound to be peaks, dips and plateaus in your weight loss journey.

Once again, simply being aware of and accepting this fact is the best way to prevent it

from throwing oyu off course.

Contrary to the sound of it, The dips are the good times. That's when you're losing weight.

You're heading down, and feeling good.

Peaks are when you might fluctuate up a little bit. This happens, and it's normal, even if you are working hard towards your goals. If you are following a plan that includes plenty of exercise, chances are the peaks won't last long.

The real trouble is when you hit a plateau; that point when you're working hard, keeping up a good routine, but just not losing weight. We all go through them, and it's part of the weight loss journey.

A plateau might not sound that bad – after all, at least you're not gaining – but once you've been seeing results steadily for a few weeks, and then you hit a 2 week plateau... it can be very frustrating.

This is the point where your willpower makes the biggest difference. Yes it's important to will yourself away from temptation. But it's more important for you to will yourself to get through the plateaus.

If life has already become better after losing some weight, it might be easy to settle once you hit that first plateau. Don't settle. Instead,

break right on through.

Take a Running Leap off Your Plateau A plateau is a sign that what you've been doing isn't good enough any more. It's a signal to step your game up and get back out there with a fresh perspective and a new source of motivation,.

You've gotten yourself this far, and you can go further still. Just like when you were starting out! You got yourself overweight. You can get yourself thin. You got yourself to that plateau, you can get yourself off!

Your body has reached a stasis. You are now accustomed to the amount you are eating, and the amount of exercise you are doing. While eating less can help you break through, it's not the best way to approach it.

The best thing at this point is to take up some more strenuous exercise. Challenge yourself!

This Plateau is your body's way of telling you it's ready to take on more challenging tasks!

If you think of it that way, a plateau is actually kind of exciting! Your body is saying, “Alright, I'm used to this. I can do this exercise easy now. Let's see what else I can do!�

You might find it very motivating, with the right mentality. You might find that you are now capable of something you simply couldn't do before.

If you've been walking, try running. If you've been hitting the elliptical, try hopping on a bike and taking a ride! If you've been doing a variety of aerobic exercises, try taking up a sport like basketball or tennis. Could you have done that before?

If your really would prefer to go the food route, then be prepared to make some sacrifices. If you don't feel up to increasing your exercise regimen, you might have to get used to the idea of eliminating some foods from your diet, at least temporarily. If you've been eating a lot of one thing, maybe try something else. If you've still been eating out, just making smarter decision, then try cooking in more.

Sometimes a small change is all that's needed.

Do not give up on your plans, whatever you do.

Do not get down on yourself at this point. Do not go back to the old fast food ways. Your body is telling you it's ready for something different, something more; give your body what it wants.

Exercise – For the Birds?

I'm not going to lie, some days I still feel like

this. Working out can be a chore, but if you're serious about losing weight, you're going to have to face it sooner or later.

The thing that worked for me was getting myself involved in activities that are exercise, but don't seem like exercise. One of my favorites is dancing. I go dancing a lot more often than I used to, and when I'm there, I occasionally work up a sweat! The great thing is, I don't think about the fact that it's exercise; I'm just out having a great time!

But how do you incorporate this type of thing into a busy schedule? Well, for me, I found that I always made time to do things that were bad for me, so it was just a matter of replacing couch time with exercise time.

I always found time to sit on the couch and watch talk shows. I always found time to get a snack at the local convenience store. Those moments are there, ladies, it's just a question of recognizing them.

Anyone can find a way to get at least some exercise. You might not be a bodybuilder if you do it this way, but the good news is that you don't have to overlook anything in your hectic schedule, and you don't have to replace anything that's actually important. Just shake things up a bit. Start slow, and it will seem easy.

Eventually this will start to seem natural, and before you know it, just sitting around doing nothing will start to seem unnatural.

Exercise‌Without Joining a Gym If you're like me, you probably don't even have time to go join a gym, let alone make a habit of going. Even if the gym you want to join is only five minutes from your home, it'll take you ten minutes to gather all your things into a gym bag; five to get there; and ten, maybe fifteen minutes to put your things in a locker and find a machine. Then even if you only work out thirty minutes, you'll be sweaty and you'll want to take at least 15 minutes to shower and/or freshen up before you leave (or after you get home); another five minutes travel time back, and at the very least a thirty minute workout has cost an hour or more of your precious time.

So what does a busy woman do in order to start a fitness regime? How can we possibly squeeze this into our hectic lives?

Start by doing little things. Next time you've got a moment alone, do three to five crunches.

While you're doing laundry or cleaning up, you can be doing stretches, or maybe just one or two wall pushups. Maybe do a yoga pose or two.

In your office, maybe get up and do some stretches every time you hang up the phone.

Or better yet, get yourself a bluetooth and walk the stairs while you talk to clients and coworkers.

Move Around while Watching TV I know before I lost weight I used to find lots of time in my busy schedule for watching TV. The good news is, you really don't have to give it up, you just need to change it around.

Next time you're sitting watching TV, get up and walk around the coffee table while you watch. You can go ahead and keep watching your show, just something with your body while you do.

One great exercise I used to see my dad doing was something so simple you don't even have to get up.

Sit upright in your chair, so that your legs make a right angle. Raise your calves so that your legs are sticking straight out. Hold that position for ten seconds, then release. Repeat until you feel the burn.

Another similar exercise can be done with your arms. Sit in your armchair with your arms out

over the sides. Grab a pillow or a magazine in each hand, and raise your arms until they stick straight out. Hold for ten seconds, and release.

If you do small things like this, you can still enjoy your TV time, but it will be benefiting you without taxing you too much.

Walk!

Walking is about the easiest thing you can do.

You do it without thinking, and it's always free of charge!

For someone who is serious about losing weight, this is a habit you should really develop.

If you're only going a few blocks, walk instead of driving. If you're in too much of a rush, at least park further away than you normally would, just to squeeze a tiny amount of exercise in there.

If you work from home, or are a home maker, an occasional jaunt around the block can be a great way to clear your head and give yourself a break from whatever you're doing.

Another thing I like to do is go for a quick walk right after dinner. I find that this is a relaxing reprieve from my busy day, not to mention some quality time with the family. It doesn't have to be much. Five or ten minutes can

make a difference. Another added benefit of this is that it seems to help my food settle and I don't have as many food cravings later that night. I'm not sure why this is, again I'm not a doctor, but that after-dinner walk makes even a small meal more satisfying!

Like I said, you may not get yourself into supermodel shape doing simple things like this, but it's okay to be slightly overweight so long as you're reasonably fit and healthy. This isn't a book about becoming a supermodel, after all, it's about how to cram a weight loss plan into your busy schedule.

Take the Stairs Chances are there's at least one place you go that has a few stairs. Whether you work in a skyscraper, or you just go to the occasional department store, there are stairs to be found everywhere.

You probably have stairs in your house as well.

Maybe you avoid taking them because you're too lethargic, and you try to make as few trips as possible, but you need to realize that you have a great free workout waiting for you right there in your home.

Besides just taking the stairs instead of an elevator or an escalator, walking up and down stairs continuously for a period of time is

actually an excellent aerobic workout.

Again, I'm not a medical professional, but I read an article about a study that showed that ten minutes of walking up and down stairs is equivalent to a brisk thirty-minute walk! That's a great tool for the busy woman, right?

If you just take some time on the stairs, you can compress your workout time by sixty percent. That's an incredible time savings, and those minutes count for women like us.

Cycle Cycling is one of my favorite ways to get some exercise that doesn't feel too much like working out. When you're on the bike machine in a gym, half the time you're just sitting there, staring at the wall, letting your legs go round and round. It's a good workout, but it's terribly dull.

Getting on a real cycle, however, is a totally different experience. Even if you live in the city, just riding up and down the block can be very entertaining. When I lived in a large city, I used to enjoy cycling down busy streets and watching all the interesting people go by.

If you live in the suburbs or a rural neighborhood, biking can be a great way to get

in touch with nature; and this can be an awesome way to relax and ditch the stress of your busy schedule. Imagine that, exercise as a way to relax!

My advice is to just get out and try it. Like every bit of advice I give, you have to decide for yourself whether to take it or not. But you might find that with cycling, you can kill two birds with one stone: getting some light exercise, and finding that much-needed time to de-strees.

What You Can Do to Begin With Well, that about wraps up the advice I have for you. I hope you've enjoyed reading a little about my thoughts and experiences, and I hope you've found at least something you can use to jump start your own weight loss journey.

We've covered a lot in this short book, and I know not all of it will work for you. The important part is to take stock of your unique situation, and your unique body and personality, and decide to do something to make yourself happier. We don't all have to be supermodels, but we should all be happy with our bodies. Making small changes, a few at a time, setting small goals and rewarding ourselves for reaching them, these are strategies that can work.

Below I've given you a short list of things you can do to start your weight loss program right away. These are small goals, like I've been saying. And if you do these things for a while and eventually hit that plateau, remember that that is just your body telling you that it is strong, and it is ready for more! When you hit a slow point in your weight loss plan, it means that you are more powerful than you were before, and you are ready for new challenges.

So go out there and get it done!

The Short List For easy reference, here are a few of the small changes you can make that can make a big difference in your weight loss journey. We've gone through all these in some detail, but now let's take a step back and look at the big picture. If you do the things on this list, results are not out of reach. You can do this! 

Walk whenever you can. Park farther from wherever you're going, and if you aren't going far, consider going on foot.



Take the stairs. Elevators and escalators are for the old, lazy you. A good staircase is a free gym!



Fill the little cracks in your schedule with

exercise! If you have 2-3 minutes, do 2-3 minutes worth of exercise! 

If you hit a plateau, that's just your body telling you it's read for new challenges!



Cook at home as much as possible. At home you control what goes into your food. Eat out as little as possible.



Drink water. It's the most important thing you put into your body on a daily basis.

Stay away from sugary, caffeinated beverages at all cost!



Keep your portions under control!

Remember a fistful of carbs, a palm's worth of meat, and all the light fruits and veggies you want!



Sugar is the enemy! Use natural sweeteners like honey, in moderation instead.



Snack, but snack wisely. Don't overdo it!

If you can, make your own healthy snacks!



Be aware of and control your emotional eating. Track the what, when, where and why, and do whatever you can to combat emotional impulse eating.



Don't beat yourself up if you slip up. Just

make sure that every slip is not a slide. 

If you crave sweets, make them healthy sweets, or at least keep the portion to a minimum.



Cut out excess fat wherever you can.

Don't butter that biscuit. Trim the gristle off that steak.



Take your coffee black and your tea straight! Don't sneak extra calories into your body without thinking about it!



Consider using smaller plates and cups.

This is an easy way to control your portions without having to think too hard about it!



Eat breakfast every day! No matter what, get your breakfast. If you're going to skip a meal, skipping lunch or dinner would be much better.



Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

They're full of nutrients your body needs!



Take your time when you eat. This is another easy way to control your portions without doing anything radical.



Always use a glass, bowl or plate. Don't eat straight from the box or drink right out

of the carton; that makes it too easy to go overboard without realizing it!