7 ways to lose BIG in 2005!

From eDiets.com:

You will succeed by resolving to make these small changes in your day-to-day life. Listen, it's not going to happen automatically... it happens a day at a time, a pound at a time. Just try it my way this year. Small changes pay off big time. I challenge you to make the following resolutions. These resolutions can be made without pain, without you having to make any announcement to anyone. They're small changes, but if you resolve to make them, you'll be healthier and slimmer by next year, January 1, 2006.

1. MOVE! Make time for activity every day. You don't have to join a gym, or be a body builder, but you do have to move. Start your engine at least once a day, and take it out on the road for a minimum of 25 minutes. It can be as simple as getting out of your home and walking down the street; you can put on a radio and dance around your kitchen! However, the best predictor of permanent weight loss is exercise. I do it… you can too. Get a pedometer -- I highly recommend it as a motivational tool. It shows you how many steps you've taken that day,and it's a constant but gentle and personal reminder to you to stay active. You may want to begin some light weight training -- as you lose weight you'll have more energy. Lean muscle mass helps master weight managers to maintain their weight.

2. CHOOSE! Choose fiber, the "secret" ingredient that master weight managers use. Choose a piece of whole fruit over juice; choose whole grain bread instead of white; choose high-fiber cereal instead of refined, sugared cereal. High-fiber foods make you fuller, take longer to digest, and cause a slow, gradual rise in blood sugar.

3. LOWER FAT! See… I didn't say "No Fat." Fat tastes good, and you need a certain amount of fat in your diet daily. However, not all fat is equal! Fat is quickly stored in your fat cells, and contains more than double the calories of protein and carbohydrates, so choose wisely. Diets higher in saturated fat and trans fat (hydrogenated oils found especially in margarine, crackers, cookies and fried fast food) are associated with an increase in heart disease and stroke. Resolve to avoid fried foods, especially restaurant-fried foods, usually made with trans fat. Bake, broil, grill, steam, sauté in a non-stick pan, poach or stir-fry.

4. BALANCE! Balance your diet; never exclude any one nutrient in favor of another. All foods fit into a healthy diet -- it's the portion size and preparation method that counts. Don't eat the same foods day after day, resolve to try different fruits and vegetables. Make each week a new opportunity to taste a fruit that you have never tried before, or one you've not had in a long time. Try a kiwi, a persimmon, a mango; some of these fruits and vegetables are powerful packages of nutrition, much more nutritious than the typical apple, pear or orange.

5. PLAN! Change isn't easy, but when you have the foods and ingredients right at hand, then you're going to more likely eat those healthy foods. Especially in the beginning, resolve to print out your weekly menu and shopping list so you can shop for your ingredients. Shopping with a list is a great strategy to stick to your program, and saves you time, too.

6. RELAX! This is SO important. Resolve to take merely 5-10 minutes each morning, and again before you go to bed: breathe deeply, roll your shoulders and tense all your muscles, starting in your fingers, then arms, then shoulders, then abdomen, then thighs, then calves, and finish with your toes. This will relax your entire body, and give you more energy.

7. ATTITUDE! Weight control is not an all-or-nothing proposition. Instead of saying, "I ate that piece of cake, so I might as well have the cookies and candy too," resolve to make your attitude reflect your new philosophy of control. All foods can fit into your diet… but some you can eat every day, and some you can eat only occasionally. Make food your friend, and you'll not abuse it.

Learn more about healthy weight loss at eDiets.com...