The first rule is to eliminate snacks and concentrate on three nutritious meals a day - nutritious but necessarily high in calories. Potato chips, candy, and sweet drinks like pop and juices add up quickly to excess weight-gaining calories. Don't feel that replacing them with diet pop and sugarless candy will necessarily eliminate the problem. At least for some people these items increase the craving for real calories. If you must snack between meals, let it be on raw vegetables and a drink of water or V-8.

The second rule is to eat three meals every day, preparing foods from a low-calorie cookbook (there are many) and sticking to these recipes. By avoiding gravies, fried foods and sweet desserts (and most pizza!) you will eliminate many calories. Cut the amount of butter or margarine in half, then in half again. Switch to 2%, then 1%, then non-fat milk. Drink water at other times. Don't buy sugared cereals. Have waffles or hot cakes only rarely, and put fruit on them in place of syrup. Learn to make good salads with low calorie dressings. Buy lean meat. Avoid fatty ground meat. Use fish, turkey and chicken often. And steam your vegetables. Your goal should be sensible eating habits for the entire family, not a crash diet for one.

The third rule is to always eat a little less than you think you need. Eat a little of everything, but rarely with seconds, and always push away from the table a little bit hungry.

The fourth rule is to exercise regularly. Get some exercise every day, and ensure that you get thirty minutes of strenuous exercise at least four days a week. Many people report that not only do they feel better when they exercise regularly, but when they keep in condition they are less hungry than when they are couch potatoes.

Consult your doctor to learn whether you should lose weight and what should be your proper weight goal. Determine the weight you should lose and the proper rate of loss. For a person over 12 to 14 years old this may be one to two pounds per week. Try these diet suggestions for 6 to 8 weeks. If you think you need more help, we will be glad to schedule an appointment with our dietician.