You're not supposed to wait until you're hungry to eat. If your stomach gets to the point where it's growling, your body feels starved and your metabolism will slow down to accomodate the lack of food. Eating small amounts every few hours will keep your metabolism moving at a more rapid pace.

I like all the readers comments! There is always something new I learn from. It is very simple: you want to be healthy and loose weight, eat small portions, cut the fat and the meat, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, drink a lot of water,and exercise. You can always have a tiny bit of your favorite snack and that is all! A little bit of will power will help too....

I like all the readers comments! There is always something new I learn from. It is very simple: you want to be healthy and loose weight, eat small portions, cut the fat and the meat, eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, drink a lot of water,and exercise. You can always have a tiny bit of your favorite snack and that is all! A little bit of will power will help too....

To cut a bunch of calories in your cooking and eating. Use the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray in recipes and when cooking. Take the top off and pour a teaspoon or so instead of butter or oil. It also tastes a lot like butter - I don't miss real butter at all.

A good way to eat less is to wait 20 minutes after eating a meal to decide if you want seconds. Also, eat slowly, so your body can tell you if it's done before you've even finished your first plate. Your stomach takes 20 minutes to fully register how much food you have put into it, so you might think you are still hungry when you have already had enough, or even more then enough! Overeating can lead to stomachaches and digestive issues, to say nothing of the possible weight gain. Be patient! You will almost certainly see I am right. :)

if you have a sweet tooth, become a fruitaholic. Use unsweetened frozen fruit (cut in smaller pieces); in the summer make "ice-cream"; mix the fruit with yogurt, the yogurt freezes, the fruit thaws a bit; perfect! In the winter, heat it, garnish with yogurt, maybe add a sprinkle of wheat germ for a toasty crunch. You can really make a pig of yourself without doing any damage. Frozen grapes taste extra sweet.

Do not wear long sleeves and pants during exercise to make you sweat more! This simply will dehydrate you more, rather than cause you to burn more fat. Sweating is simply your body regulating it's temperature, and not necessarily representative of calories burned! In fact, when you are in better shape, you may sweat more as your body is becoming more efficient at thermoregulating, but you are using less energy (ie. calories), for a given intensity! Long story short, wearing more clothes during exercise is not good and can be dangerous! Cheers!

lets face it. sometimes we don't want to give up what we like. I've been just trying simple things like when eating fast food getting the junior burger no fries no soda. instead salad and water. I tare off the edges of the bun cause I don't want open faced burger or just a patty. that's not a burger ppl. light on the mayo and if I really want fries I split them with the hubby and only small size. also cut the crust on sandwiches. I endulge in what I want some days then for 5-7 days eat more veggies and cut back on sweets. I will never give up my sweets all together and I like to have a good size cone or entire chocolate bar. I normally had to eat sweets every day but now make sure not to buy anything for a good week or 2 out of every month. this way I don't feel like I'm dieting if I can still eat what I want a week straight at a time. maybe later I will cut back more. I pretty much only drink water and I also do that trick with adding water to my salad dressings and mixing well with salad. I take a very good health product called greens plus multi plus to keep my body in check and buy the best fish oils like Antarctic krill oil. better the salmon oil and has flavonoids..no mercury also. if making tacos I mix mashed beans with hamburger and try my best to by light products such as sour cream.

Allah kare this makes a difference... :p

cant eat less ? dont worry !just "move" a bit more to use up an extra 100 kcals a day-easily done-try it.

cant eat less ? dont worry !just "move" a bit more to use up an extra 100 kcals a day-easily done-try it.

Since January 2, 2008, I've abstained from all sweets of any kind and going out to eat. I've already lost 6 pounds on it. Plus, I drink gallons of water every day and try to include healthy snacks like nuts (walnuts, almonds) and try to eat before 7.

No meat, no fish, no eggs. Works for me!

When ever the wife and I go out to eat, we split a meal. Most restaurants are very accommodating and will even split on separate plates for you... less calories not to mention less $$$.

- Exercise 20 minutes longer than usual

- Stop eating after 7pm or 8pm if you stay up late

- Eat your salad or sandwich dry (with no sauces, dressings, etc.)

- Eat your salad or sandwich without cheese

- Drink nonfat milk instead of lowfat or whole milk

- If you must drink alcohol, have a one ounce shot instead of a beer (they will have the same alcohol content, but the shot is about 100 calories less than the beer)

Try using low sodium soy sauce on vegetables like green beans or broccoli instead of butter or oil. It has far fewer calories and tastes great!

I try to make all my meals, that way I know what I am eating and can control my portions. I also write down what I eat. If I see it all written down, well, it makes me responsible. I weigh myself every week so I can learn from what I am doing right and wrong. I try to eat 11 servings of fruits & veggies/day as well as 35 - 50 grams of fiber per day AND drink lots of purified water.

Since 3/07, I've lost 55 pounds without dieting. First, I eat only nutritous food and drink 2 glasses of 1% milk and 1/2 c. non fat yogart daily. I eat no sugar or diet drinks and only one slice of multi or whole grain bread daily.

When I feel hungry, I eat healthy snacks like home made fruit smoothies, yogurt with berries, nuts. I eat bean & lentil soup, chicken and fish for most of my protein. I pan broil, bake or microwave foods and use olive oil. I eat mixed green salads with 1 Tblsp or no dressing and I usually eat 1 egg or 1/4 cup of oats for breakfast.

Also I drink water and no more than 2 cups of coffee or tea per day. My exercise is walking 30 minutes per day.

I've lost 190 lbs over 5 years...it took longer than that to put it on. The first thing I did was to leave something on my plate. I drank more water and continued to eat whatever I wanted, just in smaller portions. One less piece of fried chicken, don't eat the whole whopper (make sure you order it with less mayo) don't be afraid to leave those french fries till last, they get cold and it's easier to leave them on the plate. I did watch my fat intake and walk further each time. I parked a few spaces away from the store each time I shopped, took the last space in the lot by the time I was in my 2nd year. After a while you will find yourself not ordering the fat meal, and automatically eating smaller portions or substituting salads and baked potatoes instead of fries each time. Realistically, it's a lot easier to lose a few pounds so make that your goal instead of trying to lose 40 or 50 lbs. Go for the 5 and then another 10 maybe. Just remember the sooner you start the sooner you'll lose and if you fall off it doesn't matter because you aren't dieting you're learning to eat smarter, you're not working out you're just adding a few steps. Most of all keep in mind you're not doing it for anyone else, you're doing it for yourself.

When I go to McDonald's I order a side salad w/low fat Italian dressing and a double fish filet sandwich - meat only. I get my fish and veggies without the processed flour bun or fat laden tartar sauce or cheese. With a bottle of water, it's a great meal. Once the employee taking my order realizes I'm not playing a drive-thru gag, they gladly provide a knife and fork - to go. I plan to find out which other fast food restaurants will facilitate serving their sandwiches without the bread and/or cheese. Might be the same price as a regular sandwich, but I'm going to live much longer, and my health is well worth it!

I make a spinach soup with stewed tomatoes, red beans, chicken broth, garlic, paprika, black and red pepper. I eat that for lunch and I eat a small cup before dinner. The fiber from the beans and spinach fills you up so you don't eat so much.

I have found that salsa is a great salad dressing substitute. It's spicy, has no fat like real salad dressings do, and tastes great. You even get the benefit of the tomatoes and peppers added to your salad! I suppose any brand would do but we use just two different ones, so have never checked the labels on the others. Please try this on your salads and you'll see you don't miss the fattening salad dressings at all. Plus you can choose if your salad is hot, medium or mildly spicy.

i really believe that cutting down on those small bits of things that wont really matter to you would do a great difference to your weight.
1- you don't really need sugar on your cappuccino, that way you even get to taste it better.
2- replace fizzy drinks with any other juices or even no sugar ones(they r not that bad)
40% of your excess weight is fizzy drinks.
3- share your chips pack and chocolate bar with your friend :p
4- Drink HALF skimmed milk (its even healthier)
5- try ordering a medium sized meal next time your at McDonald's
6- Order grilled steak with salad instead of macaroni'n cheese and fried chicken.
Good Luck!

Do your grocery shopping around the perimeter of the store. It reduces the amount of processed foods that you buy and you eat healthier. In turn, you lose weight because you feel more satisfied with the foods you consume so you do not overeat. I also focus on the food pyramid. I try to eat foods from all of the categories for a well balanced diet.

Use unsweetened vanilla almond breeze in your cereal instead of milk. If you usually use 1 cup of 2% milk you will save 100 calories right there. Use it in anything calling for milk. There is one without vanilla also. I use that in cream soups instead of milk. Almonds are great for you too.

Substitute Yoplait Lowfat Yogert (6oz, 180 calories) for Dannon Light & Fit (6oz, 60 calories) to save 110 calories. Although the Dannon is not as flavorful as the Yoplait, I add a half cup of fruit, which adds more flavor and a fruit serving!

When using fruit juice from a cartoon using half juice and half water cuts the sugar.
When banas are very large eat a half.

I've found drinking green tea a few times a day and water helps with weight loss.But you still need to exercise regulary and eat healthy to maintain your weight.

Squeeze FRESH lemon juice &
sprinkle black pepper on baked potato......delicious
& salt-free

Squeeze FRESH lemon juice &
sprinkle black pepper on baked potato......delicious
& salt-free

on NY's eve I started back with a trainer, 2 x a week. Do one hour of cardio, 4 times a week, you must sweat and get heart rate up to burn fat, you should sweat @ 20 min. and wear long sleeves and pants to keep you warm and sweat more. Drink 1/2 of your weight in water a day, i.e. weigh 200 lbs drink 100 oz per day. eat eggs, slice a toast and turkey bacon 1 hour before working out, pref. in the morning. eat salads with protein,yogurt and a fruit for lunch.Eat every 3 hours and incude a snack of fruit or nuts, dinner is veggies, protein and a sweet potato perhaps. Buy chicken, fish and steak. If you plan your meals in advance it is easier. I have lost 7 lbs in 11 days and dont miss sweets or carbs. I am giving up my martinis too. Exericse, portion control and what to eat is the key-a new life can be yours.

I tried to take the test, gave you enough information to receive all the ads. that I don't want, but I never received my score. Please send me my score and stop sending me all this other crap.

I tried to take the test, gave you enough information to receive all the ads. that I don't want, but I never received my score. Please send me my score and stop sending me all this other crap.

Is honey fattening, does it increase your risk of high cholesterol, diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, etc?

Now starbucks has more sugar free options if you love lattes. Just say skinny and they will use sugar free syrup and non fat milk. A tall cinnamon dolce latte is only 90 calories! What a treat without busting at the seams

Now starbucks has more sugar free options if you love lattes. Just say skinny and they will use sugar free syrup and non fat milk. A tall cinnamon dolce latte is only 90 calories! What a treat without busting at the seams

I lost 25lbs. by drinking skim milk not just a little, also exercise is VERY important. When I was done exercising instead of drinking water(which isn't a bad idea) I had skim milk this usually curbed my appetite. Always wait till your hungry, which means your stomach should make some noise. Which is what a lot of us do wrong, eat too much and at the wrong time. Well known fact--don't eat anything after 6:00. The half of a sandwich also helps. Drinking something warm with dinner is another great idea, check this out...warm drinks rush the fat through your body.

Be careful what peanut butter you consider a healthy fat. Natural peanut butter (the kind you have to refrigerate and stir after opening) is healthy. The kind that lists hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oils as an ingredient is a very bad fat, also known as trans fat.

Being healthy and physically fit is a way of life.
To me it's important to have a nutritious breakfast to start the day.
Small meals during the day instead of starving yourself and then eating a large meal filled with calories.
Less, less meat! But more vegies.
They can be in a salad or cooked.
No bread!
Yes you need grain but not white, or wheat breads. There are many other types of grains used for breads, pastas and deserts.
They are much more nutritious and filling.
Remember, small, small, small meals but more than three meals a day.
Exercise every single day. Vary your exercise program, and most of all go dancing! Dance like there is no tomorrow.
Have fun!

A quick and calorie free way to flavor water is to throw your favorite tea bag in. I find a used tea bag works great too. There are endless tea flavors and tea is touted as being great for you. 2 birds one stone.

I have a sweet tooth, and sometimes after dinner I want a dessert. I find that a cup of hot tea, especially Bigelow Vanilla Caramel, with a little warm skim milk, has a rich taste that makes me feel like I just had a treat for very few calories.

Hmm...a lot of good advice here. I myself love plain water, but it can get boring. I have found that a 12oz. serving of the reduced sodium V-8 is very satisfying and a great pick-me-up that is soo good for you! Only 70 calories, and I've found that if I drink it as a mid-morning snack I eat less for lunch.

Many of these tips are good and many of them very bad. I found the best results of my life, was when I changed to whole foods. Just from changing to whole grains and brown rice and high fibre, I lost 10 pounds in 3 months. With the added changes of eating when hungry, not over eating and trying to have a proper breakfast, high in protein, I lost an additional 10 pounds. In addition, I cut out sugars and carbs and reintroduced unrefined sweetners and sprouted grains. Sprouted grains become protein, instead of carbs.

My advise is not to eat anything unnatural, refined, processed, low fat or shot up with hormones and antibiotics. Fast food should only be eaten if travelling or when no other option is available. Meals should be prepared from scratch, with fresh ingredients. Learning how to cook good, wholesome meals is best. Cooking doesn't have to be a chore or time consuming.

A note about low fat...fat is required for calcium absorption, so low fat diets can lead to really bad bone health. Another problem is that we actually require fat for weight loss, but it is all about the kind of fat you eat. Not all saturated fats are bad, butter and coconut oil are both saturated fats, but both healthy. Butter contains CLA, which helps to break down fats and prevent deposits and is higher content in organic butter. Coconut oil, if unrefined and especially found in extra virgin, contains medium chain fatty acids, which actually help in weightloss.
It is all about balance of wholesome foods and proper rest and exercise, so the body can become healthy.

Don't rely totally on the scales to let you know when your weight is going up or down. Look in the mirror at how your clothes are hanging. They are a better indicator than the scales because they certainly haven't gotten tighter by themselves. Convinced that you have gained a pound or two, now weigh. Daily, look at yourself, everyone else does!

Salads Are Fattening? Nope, but what we load them down with certainly is. I use one tablespoon of olive oil at home and when I eat a salad at a restaurant, i order the dressing on the side and dip the tines of my fork into the dressing then load the salad on it. I still get the taste of the dressing and very few calories. Sure it looks wierd, but we are trying to keep the weight off, remember? This works!

For the chocoholics out there
trying to cut back.

I bought a large pill box. I
then broke my chocolate up
into small pieces and distributed amongst the days of the week. I only eat
the day that is relevant and
don't cheat. By doing it this
way I only eat half a bar of choclate a week instead of a whole bar.

I love my chocolate (dark 72% or mint (62%) and I am not
giving it up for anything.

Think of the calories you would save by doing this.

I keep the container in the
freezer so the chocolate is
harder to eat.

Switch out that regular soda for a diet soda or even better, a bottle of water.

When inquiring at Starbucks, they said with the exception of one drink on the menu (Carmel Macchiato), the most fattening think is the whipped cream. Order that drink without and save many calories!!!

We put olive oil in a pressurized spray bottle. This can be used for spraying your pans when sauteing. It cuts down on the amount of oil needed to keep your food from sticking. I also use it to spray my salad instead of dressing, then add your favorite vinegar, (I like balsamic) and some herbs and spices like dill, dulse, and garlic powder.

I have had great results with cleansing using Isagenix and have not only noticed weight loss, but also decrease in cravings, increased energy, and an improved mood. My friends have taken notice and are trying Isagenix too. You can learn more about Isagenix at www.sharibrink.isagenix.com

In order to drink lots of water, I like to add 1/3 cup of cranberry juice or lemonade to my bottle of water. This adds a touch of flavour without the artificial flavours/sweeteners of pre-flavoured water.

Most of us know the good foods vs the bad and even the quantities we should consume, yet, we are still **snip**
My best advice and tactics: If I don't buy it, I can't eat it! Shop after eating,never when hungry. Eat out as little as possible.

Appreciate what you do eat. It is more than most of the world gets.

Enjoy your new healthy body.

I used to drink juice with lunch and sometimes dinner - now I drink water or green tea and cut more than 200 calories a day. I also switched to no-cal Ginger Ale which I drink occasionally, light mayo, cottage cheese, sour cream etc. I notice no difference in flavour. I've lost about 7 pounds by doing this in about 9 months.

I ussed to drink juice with lunch and sometimes dinner - now I drink water or green tea and cut more than 200 calories a day. I also switched to no-cal Ginger Ale which I drink occasionally, light mayo, cotttage cheese, sour cream etc. I notice no differnece in flavour. I've lost about 7 pounds by doing this in about 9 months.

if i am hungry for something sweet-i can eat fat free cottage cheese w/ lite can friut and it really helps

if i am hungry for something sweet-i can eat fat free cottage cheese w/ lite can friut and it really helps

oops, i mean the size of your whole meal at one sitting:
if you can't hold it in your cupped hands, it's too much.

smaller meals 4-5 times a day are better than three huge ones

portion size at one sitting:
if you can't hold it in your two cupped hands, it's too much!

One thing I'm finding easy to do is listing everything I eat in a day. After a week review what has been eaten and eliminate the stuff not good for you like soda or those cookies after dinner. If you keep track of your eating habits you find yourself eating alittle healthier as time goes on.

IMO, it is far more healthy to exercise away 100 cal's than it is to take it off your plate. Unless, of course, you are overeating in which case I would suggest you see a dietitian or talk to your regular doctor. Good luck on your goals!

Stop Drinking soda! Even diet soda is bad for you with the chemical sweetners. Use bottled water instead.
Fresh vegetables fill you faster than canned are have more nutrients.

When eating out, order a child meal when you can, it save calories & helps your budget.

Lemonade: half water, half lemonade is just as yummy, but less sugar and calories and tastes better too.

and one more thing about the below post...i have recently learned (from the book AND from the health food store) that soy is NOT good for women unless it is the fermented kind (soy cheese, tempe, etc.) i had been drinking soymilk and eating soy "meats" for years and i was totally shocked to find this out. but it makes sense. soy depresses the thyroid function, and can interfere with free testosterone. soy has a lot of protein, but not the kinds we really need. please take a look at "the orgasmic diet". even men. it helps with weight loss and general health and happiness.

If you must have your morning muffin, ditch the lard-laiden Otis Spunkmeyer monsters for the more "angelic" Weight Watchers version. One chocolate WW muffin has half the calories and a fraction of the fat of the Spunkmeyer equivelent, and is loaded with 5 grams of satisfying fiber!

sorry but a lot of you have it wrong. in an age where we all eat grain fed meats, we are losing out on our best sources of omega 3's. we can't eat enough fish to get what we need because most fish is too toxic. omega 3's have DHA and EPA which help raise dopamine levels, make us happier, and the nutrients are essential for good health. all of this "low fat" craziness is NOT good! we NEED good fats in our diets to be healthy. so just watch out for TRANS fat. it's those, and cholesterol, that causes heart disease and weight gain. choose healthy good fats like lean meats, dairy (DON'T get the fat free!), and olive oil and nuts. eat lots of fruits and veggies. get your omegas by taking fish oil, and eating those good fats. eat a bit of dark chocolate (1/2 ounce) everyday too! cut out the starchy carbs. trust me, you will be healthier, happier, and even your sex life will improve. google "the orgasmic diet" and find out more. i have been reading the book and it all makes perfect sense. don't harm yourselves anymore by eating a low fat diet. just watch the kinds of fats. and eat grass fed meats if you can. cut out sugar and caffeine too. get plent of calcium, magnesium, and zinc. it really works.

sorry but a lot of you have it wrong. in an age where we all eat grain fed meats, we are losing out on our best sources of omega 3's. we can't eat enough fish to get what we need because most fish is too toxic. omega 3's have DHA and EPA which help raise dopamine levels, make us happier, and the nutrients are essential for good health. all of this "low fat" craziness is NOT good! we NEED good fats in our diets to be healthy. so just watch out for TRANS fat. it's those, and cholesterol, that causes heart disease and weight gain. choose healthy good fats like lean meats, dairy (DON'T get the fat free!), and olive oil and nuts. eat lots of fruits and veggies. get your omegas by taking fish oil, and eating those good fats. eat a bit of dark chocolate (1/2 ounce) everyday too! cut out the starchy carbs. trust me, you will be healthier, happier, and even your sex life will improve. google "the orgasmic diet" and find out more. i have been reading the book and it all makes perfect sense. don't harm yourselves anymore by eating a low fat diet. just watch the kinds of fats. and eat grass fed meats if you can.

When making your sandwichs. Cut the crust of of both slices of bread. If you lay out the crust you removed from 2 slices you will see you have just eliminated a whole slice of bread by throwing that crust portion away.

I have to force myself to drink plain wate all day long. I found a trick while I was waitressing a few years ago and wanted to stop drinking the free soda. I use half Polar Lime seltzer and half water. It makes it more interesting without a flavor overload and no sodium or anything else!

Substitute puffed brown rice cereal for rice crispies.

Use salsa instead of sour cream on a baked potato.

A complete nutritional base is ESSENTIAL [only found in scientifically proven supplements like Cambridge, Reliv, etc.]
Overeating is caused by a LACK of complete nutrients...NOT lack of willpower...on a 300-calorie diet, the body will store the 300 calories in FAT if it isn't getting 100% of the amino acids required to replenish the body's protein stores [muscles including heart, etc.]. 100 calories of fat can only be burned IF and WHEN the body has enough of the 21 amino acids required per day...otherwise the body is burning muscle NOT fat and the weight will return as soon as the diet ends.

I have IBS and read that I should not use artificial sweeteners. Is this correct?

about the veggies being an all you can eat thing, whatch the carrots. they are my fave but they actully have quite a few callories. so moderation on the carrots is good.

The best way I have found to kick-start weight loss is to loose the cravings for sugar/high glycemic *snip*

Please do not use this forum to sell your products - RealAge Admin

Burn up more calories by keeping your house cooler in the winter. It also helps keep your heating bill down and is good for the environment! We keep ours at 60 now. You have to get used to it and learn how to dress with more layers, but it forces you to stay more active because if you sit still too long you start to feel chilly. Your body really can adjust if you give it a chance!

Cut out the fake sugar too. Omit any soda entirely--the diet stuff''s nothing but chemicals anyway. If you need your fizz drink La Croix or Perrier. If you must have caffeine, drink plain tea. You can get flavored tea (both loose and in bags) that don't add any calories. Real tea is naturally calorie-free!

Become a label reader. If HIGH FUCTOSE CORN SYRUP is an ingredient, don't buy it.

Another very easy thing to do is to cut out salt--just don't add any extra to your meals.

And yes, portion control. Like the earlier suggestion, using smaller plates give you the image that you're eating more with less actual food.

when cooking don't taste as you go, stopping a spoonful of this and that will add up in a day.

To cut more than 100 calories a day without changing much do this:
1. substitue 40 calorie per slice bread for regular bread (saves about 120 calories on a sandwich)
2. switch to sugar free jellies sweetened with Splenda
3. Use Splenda instead of sugar
4. switch to diet sodas if you drink soda. The new ones are a lot better tasting than the old ones.
5. Use hot spices that have capsaicin in them. Keep upping the ante. Hot spicy foods leave you more satisfied with smaller portions.
6. If you drink milk, switch to skim milk.
7. Don't drink fruit juice: eat a piece of fruit instead. It takes three oranges to make a decent serving of oj. Eat an orange instead.

Cut out fruit juice (it has tons of calories), and go for an actual piece of fruit! Grapefruit, cherries, apples, pears, plums, peaches, berries, grapes, and melons are all good choices.

EAT EVERY THING BUT GET UP AND GO AWAY WHILE STILL SLIGHTLY HUNGARY.IN A MINUTE OR TWO YOUR APETITE FOR MORE DISAPPEARS AND YOU ARE COMFORTABLE.
I LOST 15 KG IN ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AND NOW I CANT EAT MORE THAN 75% OF MY ORIGINAL APETITE. IN OTHERWORDS I AM CONTENT AND SINCE EATING LESS THAN EARLIER MY WEIGHT IS WELL MAINTAINED

try using a smaller plate, that way it looks like more food & you'll be less likely to eat too much. i use whole wheat pasta it has more fiber.use i tsp. of creamer instead of two in your coffee.

As for the previous comment - I would stay away from the flavored water. It has a bunch of unnatural ingrediants in it.

When you want fried seafood have it broiled or if it must be fried eat it and not the french fries or potato salad and if dessert is involved only eat 3/4 of it. At the end of this fish fry have distilled or flavored zero calorie spring water, the finest.

when having eggs just use one egg yoke and the rest egg whites, also plain yogart for sour cream,plain yogart with pineapple which has bromilain good for the joints instead of regular with the fruit

It really comes down to personal choices and self discipline, but...

Unfortunately, the society treats obesity/overeating in a very wrong way - first and foremost it is a PSYCHOLOGICAL problem, then everything else. That's why most diets very seldom work. See psychologist first, then dietitian.

Flavored, no sodium, seltzer water has allowed me to drop the sodas and still enjoy the bubbles.
My favorite is Raspberry or add 1/2 a serving of 100% orange juice with calcium.

Drink really REALLY ice cold water, your body works hard to make your body regain it's internal warmth thus using more calories.

To Donna who wanted to know what HEALTHY FATS are. Nuts, olive/canola, peanut butter are examples of healthy fats. Watch portions... Nuts only about 1 tablespoon. Protein and fat takes up to 4 hours to digest compared to carbs (1 hour) so you will go into your meal not feeling as hungary. Proteins like 1% milk and low fat yogurt are great options as well. Good Luck. My favourite is 1% chocolate milk when I crave sweets.

Liquid Stevia comes in flavors now which curbs my desire for sweets without the added calories.

Liquid Stevia comes in flavors which adds variety to water. I drink lots of water and at times when craving sweets the flavors give me what I need without the calories.

-Substitute hummus for peanut butter on a sandwich
-put 2 tsp of A1 steaksauce on a baked potatoe instead of butter or sour cream

Put your fork in your salad dressing, THEN on your salad, you'll get much less dressing, and NEVER notice a taste difference.
If you MUST have fast food, opt for the children's menu (and take the apples over the french fries!) or the dollar menu. It's amazing how a Whooper Jr can fill you up JUST as well as a Whopper for less calories. And, you'll save money, big plus there.
Eat out less. You'll eat healthier at home, plus I find I eat less too, without even measuring (except for the Burger King scenario) Eat with your family and talk about your day. It's hard to eat and talk at the same time, plus you'll have family time.
Remember, exercise raises your metabolism, and some studies show that exercising in the morning can have ALL DAY metabolism benefits, plus, it's okay to exercise for 10 minutes at a time 3x a day as opposed to one 30 minute session, especially when beginning, this is a MUCH easier goal to achieve, and then you have those all day metabolism benefits again... because just when your metabolism starts to fall, you boost it up again with another round of exercise. Eating will also boost your metabolism, which is one reason why eating 5 SMALL meals a day is usually preferable to eating 3 large ones.

If you are used to having 4 slices of bread, reduce it to 3 and have a glass of skimmed milk instead of that 4th slice. In between 3 slices, keep plenty of cucumber and tomato slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper, this will make the sandwich healthy and filling.

I drink a glass of warm water with honey and lemon first thing in the morning. It acts like a fat cutter!

I use smaller sized plates when eating meals, that way you don't fill your bigger plates with more & I don't go back for seconds. I also read that if you are craving something to drink a glass of water & the craving will be gone in 15 min. So far has worked well for me.

Use mustard on your mashed/baked potatoes/vegetables/sandwiches instead of butter.

Add a pinch or two of crystal light to your water bottle to improve or change the flavor of the water. You'll drink more water.