First establish realistic goals. Start with a target you can hitsay OK, Id like to lose five pounds in one month. Make it easy on yourself. Then once you hit that goal, set another one. Achievable goals will help you get the confidence you need to keep on going. Another tip: reward yourself (not with food) for hitting your goals.

Second Get support. If you have a spouse or friend to act as a buddy while youre doing this, youll get much needed help. Groups like Weight Watchers are also an option.

ThirdChange the way you eat. Frequent small meals are better than three large ones. Eat most of your calories early in the day so theyll be burned off as the day progresses. Start your meal with a big salad- one that is a lot of bulk but few calories. Thatll prevent you from eating a larger main meal.

Fourth Change what you eat. Replace refined carbohydrates with carbohydrates that have a heavy fiber content. Definitely lower the amount of carbs you have in your diet.

FifthReduce your portion size. Something simple like this can markedly reduce your caloric intake but youll eat less.

Sixth Eat with your non-dominant hand. It sounds crazy but it works.

SeventhIncrease your exercise. Try cross-training. Consider both weight-training as well as cardio exercises to boost your metabolism. By doing a variety of exercises, you wont get stuck on a plateau or stop because youre bored.

EighthWatch less television as a completely passive activity. Not only is this the prototypical sedentary activity but its much better for you if you can get your TV fix while exercising. Set up a TV in front of your treadmill.

So there you have it... Now let's lose some weight!