Here are some hints to help you achieve your goal. Nobody wants to hear that they're going to have to change their eating habits for life, but this is a diet you can live with, and success will definitely make it easier to eat in a healthy manner over a long period of time. Some hints may work for you, others may not, but the important thing is not to give up!

Watch The Salt

Let's face it, salt makes a lot of things taste better. But it also causes water retention in a lot of people, which makes it harder to lose weight. Doctors advise you not consume more than 6 grams of salt a day, about 1 teaspoon. But that doesn't mean you can sprinkle that much salt on your food during a 24-hour period, because many of the foods and drinks you consume already contain salt. So the actual amount of salt you can add in a day probably amounts to a quarter of a teaspoon. My personal experience has been that as the diet goes on I tend to crave more spicy things than sweets. Use herbs and spices to make your food tasty and you'll be consuming less salt.

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Eat Something in the Morning and Keep Moving

Once upon a time I went to consult a very well-known diet doctor in Lausanne, Switzerland. He gave me a very important piece of advice, which I have a hard time following because I am NEVER hungry in the morning when I wake up. (But I try) He said: "Always eat something when you get up in the morning, even if it has to be a piece of chocolate, and get moving as soon as you can, for at least 10 minutes. Take the dogs for a walk, go get the newspaper, but MOVE." Both of these things give a jump-start to your metabolism which gives you energy and helps your body burn its fuel (food) more efficiently. Some studies have shown that taking a ten-minute walk four times a day is more effective than one 40-minute walk during the day. If you can't get away from the office go walk up and down the stairway for ten minutes once during the morning and once during the afternoon.

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Calories from Fat Make you Fatter

I'm not going to bore you by going into the gory details but take my word for it, studies have shown that 100 calories from fat count for a lot more than 100 calories from carbohydrates or protein. The diet allows for 3 teaspoons of oil a day which is important to help absorb certain vitamins and keep your skin from drying out, but that's the limit. The problem is that fat makes lots of things taste better. As the Italians say, "pazienza!"

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Keep a Diary

Keeping a diary really does help. It doesn't have to be detailed or take a lot of time. Just write down, in your Filofax or diary or wherever you like what you consume each day. Yes, even when you cheat. You know you're going to weigh yourself every day even if it's better to do it once a week. But after a few weeks a pattern will emerge and you'll be encouraged by seeing the direct results that are produced by sticking to the right eating habits.

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Eat Less in the Evening

Not all doctors agree on this but it seems to make sense - it's better to eat more at mid-day and less in the evening unless you work the night shift you'll burn the calories better. Eating your larger meal in the evening when you are more sedentary and then go to bed is not as effective as eating more during the day when you'll burn it off.

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Be Good to Yourself

Some times you get depressed. You can't help but feel like a big fat slob. Now's the time to be good to yourself. A massage is a luxury and it's not lgoing to remove any fat but it stimulates circulation and sure makes you feel better! A trip to the hairdresser for a trim and set, and perhaps even a pedicure with foot and leg massage can do wonders for the morale. Not to mention a facial. Sometimes a new lipstick and nail polish can give you a lift, even if they come from the drug store. Or indulge yourself with a big fat novel - a dear friend gave me "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood" which I loved.

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Backsliding is No Excuse to Give Up

OK, so you can't believe that you ate a whole pint, or a quart, of ice cream. Or you succumbed to a Big Mac with double fries. It's a big temptation to say, oh, the hell with it. DON'T DO IT! DON'T GIVE UP!!! And don't indulge in self-loathing. Nobody's perfect, and everybody slips up now and then. The important thing is to keep the big picture in mind, and just pick up and forge ahead. Don't dwell on it. Nuff said.

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