You Can Keep Your Weight Loss Resolution By Doing This

Let's talk about losing weight. It happens to be the number one resolution made for the new year. it is also the most frequently broken.

We need to lose weight, so how can we be successful ?

Thanks to Good Housekeeping magazine, NYP Holdings, and my personal experience we have a fairly realistic list of things to do to help you take off weight and live healthier. As with everything, this will take a little effort.

1. Make the effort. You don't have to diet, just make some changes and take the time to focus on keeping them.

2. Don't diet. That's right! Don't diet. Simply change a few things in the way you eat.

3. Take 3 less bites of everything. Doing this will help you take in 100 less calories on average.

4. Write everything down in a food journal. And I mean everything. This is one of the toughest things on the list because it requires 100 percent honesty. I have a hard time keeping 'appointments' to write in my journal.

5. Eat pizza. Just remember to cut out the extras. You can add extra sauce or vegetables.

6. Reduce your oil and butter intake. That means using nonstick sprays and pans and being very mindful of exactly how much butter you need. This goes for margarine too.

7. Get moving. Moving an extra 10 minutes a day, whether parking your car farther away or taking a stroll around the block, will surprise you with the results.

8. Turn off the TV more. Do something else. On this tack, if you are able to stand instead of sitting, do it as often as possible.

9. When you are hungry, grab fruit instead of candy. You will save 100 or more calories!

10. Eat those homemade cookies. It's ok. Just cut the sugar in the recipe by one third first. You'll cut calories without even noticing.

11. Get and use your support system. If you have people rooting for you, lean on them often.

12. And this is one I learned from my doctor: use artificial sweeteners sparingly. They  can contribute to weight issues by confusing the body.