Small changes that take off BIG pounds!

1. Pick up a pen after every meal: Keeping a food journal helps control extra calories in two ways: the combination of plain old reality check and awareness of what you're putting in your mouth will soon be recorded for posterity.

2. Skip through commercials: Get off your duff and move during your evening TV watching. Make yourself committed that you will get your heart rate up- walk around the house, jog in place, do the stairs, get your kids involved for a good time for all.

3. Limit high-fat food (to one per week): This includes cookies, candy, ice cream, potato chips, and fries....try to do this goal gradually if you find that once a week is to sparse try every other day- and work up to one per week.

4. Sign up for e-newsletters: (prevention suggested this on thier page- but the link is no longer there :-()

5. Walk 5 minutes MORE everyday! Increasing daily activity levels by just a few minutes at a time help people lose weight.

6. Strength train (in mini bursts)Basic body weight exercises like squats and push up are simple way to build more metabolism-revving muscle in minutes! Add cardio in between for an extra kick!

7. Climb 3 extra flights of stairs daily 2-3 minutes of climbing per day covering five floors can burn enough calories to eliminate average Americans annual weight gain of 1-2 pounds per year.

8. Take a pedometer- EVERYWHERE! Research shows that pedometer users step 2,500 more steps per ay (over 1 mile or about 100 calories). How many steps should the average adult walk in one day???

9. Brown bag it! Plan ahead, save calories & money. This could end up to be a 28 pound weight loss after a year "when you make and eat your own food, you not only control the quality and portion sizes but also reduce the amount of sugar, salt, and fat that you're consuming from a restaurant.

10. Doing errands? Obey the one mile rule! (Well, in Ohio, right now- I don't think this will work right now) BUT...when we get bursts of nice weather burn calories instead of gas by following this rule: If your errands are one mile or less vow to walk them at a brisk pace instead of driving....or park where you can run several errands within a mile instead of moving your car.

11. Take 10 minutes to eat a treat: Portion out one serving of your favorite treat, taking a minute to smell it, look at it, and think about it. Take one small bite; chew slowly- really move it around in your mouth; then ask yourself if you really want another bite? If you want more- do this chewing it 20 times then swallow. If you want all of the dessert- consume it within 10 minutes. "Many participants said they didn't really enjoy the treat after doing this"

Facts: Prevention magazine, page 68, January 2010