Vegetables and Dieting

Types of Vegetables

It is well known that vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other substances important for good health. But did you know that eating veggies can also be a powerful, healthy way to lose or maintain weight?

There are two types of vegetables: starchy and nonstarchy. Both types are part of a proper diet, but whereas nonstarchy varieties can be eaten in abundance, starchy selections contain more sugar, hence portion size need to be kept in check. Starchy vegetables include corn, peas, plantains, potatoes, squash, and yams. Nonstarchy vegetables are all of the rest including artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, leeks, mushrooms, onions, peppers, salad greens, spinach, tomato, and zucchini.

How Much Vegetables should I eat?

As mentioned above, nonstarchy vegetables should be eaten in abundance. If you’re looking for the minimum amount you should eat each day, the USDA recommends at least 2 ½ to 3 cups for men and women, and at least 2 cups for women over age 51. That’s about 21 cups of vegetables each week. Of these, women should eat 3 cups of the starchy form weekly, and men should strive for 6 cups of starchy choices weekly. Women over the age of 51 should have 2 ½ cups of starchy vegetables each week. What is a serving? In general, one cup of raw or cooked vegetables or two cups of raw leafy greens counts as one serving.

Vegetables low in Calories

The following are generally considered 'free foods' in the Diet World as they contain minimal calories, yet most are high in nutritional value:

1. Carrots
2. Cucumbers
3. Radishes
4. Fresh Green Beans
5. Celery
6. Cauliflower
7. Cabbage
8. Cherry Tomatoes
9. Mushrooms
10. Lettuce

We're not suggesting you turn vegetarian, but simply up your intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds. And, by doing this combined with other important diet strategies, you may lose weight naturally. Most plant foods are low-calorie, low-fat and very filling. And since they're fresh and whole, you won't be filling your body with processed ingredients.

It's important to consume a wide variety of colorful plant foods to reap the health benefits. That's because each contains different phytochemicals that work synergistically to combat disease. So the phytochemicals in the pink grapefruit you ate for breakfast, for instance, may fight disease more effectively when combined with the avocado in your salad at lunch.

Super Foods for Super Health

Plant foods are all-stars, because each contains unique phytochemicals that work together to fight disease. What's more, there are thousands of foods that have yet to be analyzed, so there's more good news to come.

Based on the latest research, the following foods contain phytochemicals that are proving to be terrific choices, says David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., director of the University of California, Los Angeles, Center for Human Nutrition and author of What Color Is Your Diet? (HarperCollins, 2001). So eat more of these:

Broccoli, cabbage and kale The isothiocynanates in these cruciferous vegetables stimulate the liver to break down pesticides and other carcinogens. In people susceptible to colon cancer, these phytochemicals seem to reduce risk.

Carrots, mangos and winter squash The alpha and beta carotenes in these orange vegetables and fruits play a role in cancer prevention, particularly of the lung, esophagus and stomach.

Citrus fruits, red apples and yams The large family of compounds known as flavonoids found in these fruits and vegetables (as well as red wine) show promise as cancer fighters.

Garlic and onions The onion family (including leeks, chives and scallions) is rich in allyl sulfides, which can help lower high blood pressure and show promise in protecting against cancers of the stomach and the digestive tract. Also read Benefits of Garlic in Heart Disease.

Pink grapefruit, red bell peppers and tomatoes The phytochemical lycopene is actually more available after cooking, which makes tomato paste and ketchup the best sources of it. Lycopene shows promise in fighting lung and prostate cancers.

Red grapes, blueberries and strawberries The anthocyanins that give these fruits their distinctive colors may help ward off heart disease by preventing clot formation. Anthocyanins also appear to inhibit tumor growth.

Spinach, collard greens and avocado Lutein, which appears to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke as well as guard against age-related macular degeneration (which leads to blindness), is also abundant in pumpkins.

Suggestions for Adding More Vegetables to your Diet

* To incorporate more veggies into your diet, add some to the foods you already eat, such as omelets, lasagna, casseroles, soup, and pasta dishes.
*Frozen and canned varieties can be just as healthy, if not healthier, than fresh because they are packaged at the peak of freshness and retain more of nutrients. Keep in mind, however, that canned vegetables may be loaded with sodium. If you choose to use these, rinse them under some cold water before use to rinse off some of the sodium.
* Invest in a salad spinner. Just wash and dry your lettuce and store it right inside your fridge. It acts as a crisper and keeps the lettuce fresher for a longer period of time. You will always have fresh lettuce on hand for salads and sandwiches. It can also be used to wash and dry almost any fruit or vegetable.
* Vegetables are delicious, convenient, and versatile. Next time you’re shopping for food or looking for a new recipe, try a new veggie you’ve never had before. You just may surprise yourself.

Healthy weight

It's not a good idea to be either underweight or overweight. Eating too much can make you overweight, which can lead to ill health, such as heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes. Not eating as much food as your body needs could also affect your health.

If you're concerned about your weight, get in touch with your GP or a dietitian. But if you just need to lose a little weight and you want some help to get you started, have a look at the practical tips and advice in this section.

BMI calculator



If you want to check what sort of shape you're in, the Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator is a useful guide. It will tell you if you're a healthy weight for your height. Just enter your height and weight in the BMI Calculator, click on Imperial or Metric, then click to calculate.

But remember this information is only a guide and it's aimed at healthy adults. It isn't suitable for children, young people or older people.

Also, if you have well-developed muscles, you may find that you will fall into the category of overweight on the Body Mass Index calculator (and the 'Are you the right weight for your height?' chart), when in fact you may have a healthy body shape and very little fat. If you think this is the case, have a look at the Your body shape section to help you find out.

Whatever the results show, the most important thing to remember is that you need to make sure you're eating a healthy balanced diet and keeping physically active.

When you've calculated your BMI, check out the information on your category below.


Your body shape



This section can help you work out if your waist is a healthy size for your height.

If you have too much weight around your middle, often called an 'apple' shape, this increases your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.

If the weight is around your hips, this is often called a 'pear' shape. Someone with an apple shape will face greater health risks than someone who has a pear shape, even if they are both overweight.

To get a clearer picture of your overall health risk, you might find it useful to check out your body shape. You can do this by plotting the size of your waist against your height on the Ashwell® shape chart.

If you have well-developed muscles, you may find that you will fall into the category of overweight on the body mass index calculator (and the height/weight chart), when in fact you may have a healthy body shape and very little fat. This guide will help you to find this out.

Ashwell shape chart



Check where your height/waist measurement falls:

brown 'Take care' area

This means you will probably have a tall thin 'chilli' type of shape. This isn't desirable for good health so you need to take care. You may need to gain weight.

green 'OK' area

This means you will probably have a healthy 'pear' shape, which is a healthy shape. With this type of body shape, any excess fat is stored under the skin around the bottom, hips and thighs, which is less harmful to health than having an apple shape.

amber 'Take care' area

This means you will probably have a 'pear-apple' shape, which means you should take care. Make sure you don't put on any more weight, especially if your measurements fall towards the upper end of the area.

red 'Action' area

This means you will probably have an 'apple' shape. With this body shape excess fat is stored deep below the skin in the stomach area, which will increase your risk of serious conditions such as heart disease, raised blood pressure, Type II diabetes and some types of cancer. Your health is likely to be at risk so speak to your GP about losing weight.


Getting active


Feeling a bit sluggish? Getting more active, alongside a healthy diet, is a great way to burn extra calories, help you lose weight and give you more energy.

When we eat more food than our body uses during the day, it gets stored, usually as fat, and we put on weight. Here are some practical tips to help you get more active, choose a healthier diet and burn that excess energy.


Getting started

Getting going is half the challenge. So, if you're thinking about stepping up your activity levels, here are some simple ideas to get you started:

* Go for a walk – a brisk walk can make you feel good and it’s free. Leave the car at home for those short journeys or get off the bus a stop early.
* If you're already doing lots of walking, try increasing the pace (or perhaps try jogging) – even if it's just to the end of the road or to the shop, but build up gradually and take it at your own pace.
* Take the stairs. If you're only going one or two floors, give the lift a miss. Climbing the stairs will help you get fit and is a great way to tone your legs and bum!
* Get out in the garden or go to the park. Take a football, a frisbee or a bat and ball. You don't need lots of fancy sports equipment to get out and have fun.
* Swimming is great exercise for all ages. Discounts and even free sessions might also be available at certain times for older people, children and families on income support.
* If you want to stay a bit closer to home, a bit of vigorous vacuuming or gardening can be a great way of getting physical and burning some calories.

It's a good idea to do something active every day, but you don't need to join a gym to do this if you don't want to. Try building up slowly and aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity five times a week.

Moderate intensity means you should feel warm and slightly out of breath, but still be able to hold a light conversation during the activity.

But remember, any increase in your activity levels is an improvement and means you’re already making a good start.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure you think about your safety. Check with your GP before you get started, they might also be able to give you some tips on what will work best for you.


Sticking with it


Fad exercises are usually hard to keep up, so try to pick an activity you enjoy and make it part of your daily or weekly routine, that way you're much more likely to stick with it.

If you think you need a hand to help you stick to your new active lifestyle, try asking yourself the following questions (write down your answers to help you to think about them):

1. What sort of activity do I enjoy doing?

2. What good will it do me?

3. When and how often will I do it?

4. What might stop me from doing it?

5. How will I keep going towards my goal?
6. What help do I need from other people to do this?

It's also a good idea to plan to do an activity with a friend or relative, having that extra support might just help you stick to your plan.

Why don't you use our activity diary to record your progress? Seeing the improvements you're making is an important part of any lifestyle change and will help you keep on track.


Eating for healthy weight

Taking up gentle exercise alongside a healthy diet will help you lose weight. Eat fewer calories than you burn off, through normal activities such as walking, plus the extra calories you use during your activity, and you'll start to lose weight!

We can all benefit from a bit of extra thought on what we're eating but it doesn't need to be complicated. Unless you’re planning a lot of competitive sport, all you need is a varied balanced diet.

Include plenty of starchy foods such as rice, pasta and bread – these should make up a third of the food we eat. We should also be eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, and some dairy and protein-rich foods every day. And don't forget to cut back on those snacks high in sugar, fat or salt.

We should all be aiming to:

* eat plenty of fruit and vegetables

* eat more starchy foods such as rice, pasta and bread – choose wholegrain when you can

* cut down on fat – especially saturates

* cut down on salt and sugar

If you're thinking of doing a lot of sport, or if you're already active, thinking more carefully about your diet might help you improve your performance. You can find out more about food for sport below.


Tips to improve your diet


It's not a good idea to go on a crash diet, because it might mean you miss out on some important nutrients. Diets are hard to keep up and will only leave you feeling guilty when you have something you're 'not allowed' to have. Try to make some simple lifestyle changes that will make your diet healthier and help you lose weight.

Here are some tips to help you think more about what you're eating:

1. Think before you reach. Do you really need that extra helping or that snack? Try a glass of water instead. Often we think we're hungry when we're actually thirsty.

2. Put your cutlery down between mouthfuls. Chat more and chew more.

3. Avoid eating in front of the TV. TV distracts you from your meal and you're likely to overeat without realising it.

4. Try eating more veg with your meal and having some fruit for dessert or for a snack. Not only will this help fill you up, but it will set you on your way to 5-a-day.

5. Don't miss meals. It might sound strange, but missing meals might make you eat more calories in the long run.


Drinking enough


We should all be drinking 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day, plus extra when we're getting active. Water is the best choice of drink. How much you need will depend on how hot or humid it is, how long and hard you exercise for.

It's not usually necessary to drink special sports drinks when you're exercising, unless you're doing competitive sport. They often contain lots of sugar, so will have extra calories and could lead to tooth decay.

What are you waiting for? Grab your trainers, some water and head out to enjoy the countryside, your local park or just get dancing with your duster!

100 Smartest Diet Tips Ever

By Top Dietitians of the American Dietetic Association for Prevention
Got a diet dilemma? Ask a true diet pro: an RD, or registered dietitian. Her job is turning complex nutrition research into doable plans for real people.

Courtesy of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), we took our readers' eleven toughest diet problems and ran them by some of the top dietitians in the US: RDs who, in addition to their private careers, serve as media spokespersons or heads of specialty practice groups for the ADA.

Here's what they told us, in their own words. These tips are solid gold, learned from successful experience with thousands of clients. Some tips are new. Some you've heard before, but they're repeated because they work. This treasure trove of RD wisdom could change your life-starting today.

I Can Only Handle One Diet Change Right Now. What Should I Do?
1. Add just one fruit or veggie serving daily. Get comfortable with that, then add an extra serving until you reach 8 to 10 a day.

2. Eat at least two servings of a fruit or veggie at every meal.

3. Resolve never to supersize your food portions—unless you want to supersize your clothes.

4. Make eating purposeful, not mindless. Whenever you put food in your mouth, peel it, unwrap it, plate it, and sit. Engage all of the senses in the pleasure of nourishing your body.

5. Start eating a big breakfast. It helps you eat fewer total calories throughout the day.

6. Make sure your plate is half veggies and/or fruit at both lunch and dinner.

Are there Any Easy Tricks to Help Me Cut Calories?
7. Eating out? Halve it, and bag the rest. A typical restaurant entree has 1,000 to 2,000 calories, not even counting the bread, appetizer, beverage, and dessert.

8. When dining out, make it automatic: Order one dessert to share.

9. Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate.

10. See what you eat. Plate your food instead of eating out of the jar or bag.

11. Eat the low-cal items on your plate first, then graduate. Start with salads, veggies, and broth soups, and eat meats and starches last. By the time you get to them, you'll be full enough to be content with smaller portions of the high-calorie choices.

12. Instead of whole milk, switch to 1 percent. If you drink one 8-oz glass a day, you'll lose 5 lb in a year.

13. Juice has as many calories, ounce for ounce, as soda. Set a limit of one 8-oz glass of fruit juice a day.

14. Get calories from foods you chew, not beverages. Have fresh fruit instead of fruit juice.

15. Keep a food journal. It really works wonders.

16. Follow the Chinese saying: "Eat until you are eight-tenths full."

17. Use mustard instead of mayo.

18. Eat more soup. The noncreamy ones are filling but low-cal.

19. Cut back on or cut out caloric drinks such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, etc. People have lost weight by making just this one change. If you have a 20-oz bottle of Coca-Cola every day, switch to Diet Coke. You should lose 25 lb in a year.

20. Take your lunch to work.

21. Sit when you eat.

22. Dilute juice with water.

23. Have mostly veggies for lunch.

24. Eat at home.

25. Limit alcohol to weekends.

How Can I Eat More Veggies?
26. Have a V8 or tomato juice instead of a Diet Coke at 3 pm.

27. Doctor your veggies to make them delicious: Dribble maple syrup over carrots, and sprinkle chopped nuts on green beans.

28. Mix three different cans of beans and some diet Italian dressing. Eat this three-bean salad all week.

29. Don't forget that vegetable soup counts as a vegetable.

30. Rediscover the sweet potato.

31. Use prebagged baby spinach everywhere: as "lettuce" in sandwiches, heated in soups, wilted in hot pasta, and added to salads.

32. Spend the extra few dollars to buy vegetables that are already washed and cut up.

33. Really hate veggies? Relax. If you love fruits, eat plenty of them; they are just as healthy (especially colorful ones such as oranges, mangoes, and melons).

34. Keep seven bags of your favorite frozen vegetables on hand. Mix any combination, microwave, and top with your favorite low-fat dressing. Enjoy 3 to 4 cups a day. Makes a great quick dinner.

Can You Give Me a Mantra that will Help Me Stick to My Diet?
35. "The best portion of high-calorie foods is the smallest one. The best portion of vegetables is the largest one. Period."

36. "I'll ride the wave. My cravings will disappear after 10 minutes if I turn my attention elsewhere."

37. "I want to be around to see my grandchildren, so I can forgo a cookie now."

38. "I am a work in progress."

39. "It's more stressful to continue being fat than to stop overeating."

I Eat Healthy, but I'm Overweight. What Mistakes Could I Be Making without Realizing It?
40. Skipping meals. Many healthy eaters "diet by day and binge by night."

41. Don't "graze" yourself fat. You can easily munch 600 calories of pretzels or cereal without realizing it.

42. Eating pasta like crazy. A serving of pasta is 1 cup, but some people routinely eat 4 cups.43. Eating supersize bagels of 400 to 500 calories for snacks.

44. Ignoring "Serving Size" on the Nutrition Facts panel.

45. Snacking on bowls of nuts. Nuts are healthy but dense with calories. Put those bowls away, and use nuts as a garnish instead of a snack.

46. Thinking all energy bars and fruit smoothies are low-cal.

What Can I Eat for a Healthy Low-Cal Dinner if I Don't Want to Cook?
47. A smoothie made with fat-free milk, frozen fruit, and wheat germ.

48. The smallest fast-food burger (with mustard and ketchup, not mayo) and a no-cal beverage. Then at home, have an apple or baby carrots.

49. A peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread with a glass of 1 percent milk and an apple.

50. Precooked chicken strips and microwaved frozen broccoli topped with Parmesan cheese.

51. A healthy frozen entree with a salad and a glass of 1 percent milk.

52. Scramble eggs in a nonstick skillet. Pop some asparagus in the microwave, and add whole wheat toast. If your cholesterol levels are normal, you can have seven eggs a week!

53. A bag of frozen vegetables heated in the microwave, topped with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts.

54. Prebagged salad topped with canned tuna, grape tomatoes, shredded reduced-fat cheese, and low-cal Italian dressing.

55. Keep lean sandwich fixings on hand: whole wheat bread, sliced turkey, reduced-fat cheese, tomatoes, mustard with horseradish.

56. Heat up a can of good soup.

57. Cereal, fruit, and fat-free milk makes a good meal anytime.

58. Try a veggie sandwich from Subway.

59. Precut fruit for a salad and add yogurt.

What's Your Best Advice for Avoiding those Extra Holiday Pounds?
60. Don't tell yourself, "It's okay, it's the holidays." That opens the door to 6 weeks of splurging.

61. Remember, EAT before you meet. Have this small meal before you go to any parties: a hardboiled Egg, Apple, and a Thirst quencher (water, seltzer, diet soda, tea).

62. As obvious as it sounds, don't stand near the food at parties. Make the effort, and you'll find you eat less.

63. At a buffet? Eating a little of everything guarantees high calories. Decide on three or four things, only one of which is high in calories. Save that for last so there's less chance of overeating.

64. For the duration of the holidays, wear your snuggest clothes that don't allow much room for expansion. Wearing sweats is out until January.

65. Give it away! After company leaves, give away leftover food to neighbors, doormen, or delivery people, or take it to work the next day.

66. Walk around the mall three times before you start shopping.

67. Make exercise a nonnegotiable priority.

68. Dance to music with your family in your home. One dietitian reported that when she asks her patients to do this, initially they just smile, but once they've done it, they say it is one of the easiest ways to involve the whole family in exercise.

How Can I Control a Raging Sweet Tooth?
69. Once in a while, have a lean, mean salad for lunch or dinner, and save the meal's calories for a full dessert.

70. Are you the kind of person who does better if you make up your mind to do without sweets and just not have them around? Or are you going to do better if you have a limited amount of sweets every day? One RD reported that most of her clients pick the latter and find they can avoid bingeing after a few days.

71. If your family thinks they need a very sweet treat every night, try to strike a balance between offering healthy choices but allowing them some "free will." Compromise with low-fat ice cream and fruit, or sometimes just fruit with a dollop of whipped cream.

72. Try 2 weeks without sweets. It's amazing how your cravings vanish.

73. Eat more fruit. A person who gets enough fruit in his diet doesn't have a raging sweet tooth.

74. Eat your sweets, just eat them smart! Carve out about 150 calories per day for your favorite sweet. That amounts to about an ounce of chocolate, half a modest slice of cake, or 1/2 cup of regular ice cream.

75. Try these smart little sweets: sugar-free hot cocoa, frozen red grapes, fudgsicles, sugar-free gum, Nutri-Grain chocolate fudge twists, Tootsie Rolls, and hard candy.

How Can I Conquer My Downfall: Bingeing at Night?
76. Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The large majority of people who struggle with night eating are those who skip meals or don't eat balanced meals during the day. This is a major setup for overeating at night.

77. Eat your evening meal in the kitchen or dining room, sitting down at the table.

78. Drink cold unsweetened raspberry tea. It tastes great and keeps your mouth busy.

79. Change your nighttime schedule. It will take effort, but it will pay off. You need something that will occupy your mind and hands.

80. If you're eating at night due to emotions, you need to focus on getting in touch with what's going on and taking care of yourself in a way that really works. Find a nonfood method of coping with your stress.

81. Put a sign on the kitchen and refrigerator doors: "Closed after Dinner."

82. Brush your teeth right after dinner to remind you: No more food.

83. Eat without engaging in any other simultaneous activity. No reading, watching TV, or sitting at the computer.

84. Eating late at night won't itself cause weight gain. It's how many calories—not when you eat them—that counts.

How Can I Reap Added Health Benefits from My Dieting?
85. Fat-free isn't always your best bet. Research has found that none of the lycopene or alpha- or beta-carotene that fight cancer and heart disease is absorbed from salads with fat-free dressing. Only slightly more is absorbed with reduced-fat dressing; the most is absorbed with full-fat dressing. But remember, use your dressing in moderate amounts.

86. Skipping breakfast will leave you tired and craving naughty foods by midmorning. To fill up healthfully and tastefully, try this sweet, fruity breakfast full of antioxidants. In a blender, process 1 c nonfat plain or vanilla yogurt, 1 1/3 c frozen strawberries (no added sugar), 1 peeled kiwi, and 1 peeled banana. Pulse until mixture is milkshake consistency. Makes one 2-cup serving; 348 calories and 1.5 fat grams.

87. If you're famished by 4 p.m. and have no alternative but an office vending machine, reach for the nuts—. The same goes if your only choices are what's available in the hotel minibar.

88. Next time you're feeling wiped out in late afternoon, forgo that cup of coffee and reach for a cup of yogurt instead. The combination of protein, carbohydrate, and fat in an 8-ounce serving of low-fat yogurt will give you a sense of fullness and well-being that coffee can't match, as well as some vital nutrients. If you haven't eaten in 3 to 4 hours, your blood glucose levels are probably dropping, so eating a small amount of nutrient-rich food will give your brain and your body a boost.

89. Making just a few changes to your pantry shelves can get you a lot closer to your weight loss goals. Here's what to do: If you use corn and peanut oil, replace it with olive oil. Same goes for breads—go for whole wheat. Trade in those fatty cold cuts like salami and bologna and replace them canned tuna, sliced turkey breast, and lean roast beef. Change from drinking whole milk to fat-free milk or low-fat soy milk. This is hard for a lot of people so try transitioning down to 2 percent and then 1 percent before you go fat-free.

90. Nothing's less appetizing than a crisper drawer full of mushy vegetables. Frozen vegetables store much better, plus they may have greater nutritional value than fresh. Food suppliers typically freeze veggies just a few hours after harvest, locking in the nutrients. Fresh veggies, on the other hand, often spend days in the back of a truck before they reach your supermarket.

91. Worried about the trans-fat content in your peanut butter? Good news: In a test done on Skippy, JIF, Peter Pan, and a supermarket brand, the levels of trans fats per 2-tablespoon serving were far lower than 0.5 gram—low enough that under proposed laws, the brands can legally claim zero trans fats on the label. They also contained only 1 gram more sugar than natural brands—not a significant difference.

Eating Less Isn't Enough—What Exercising Tips Will Help Me Shed Pounds?
92. Overeating is not the result of exercise. Vigorous exercise won't stimulate you to overeat. It's just the opposite. Exercise at any level helps curb your appetite immediately following the workout.

93. When you're exercising, you shouldn't wait for thirst to strike before you take a drink. By the time you feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Try this: Drink at least 16 ounces of water, sports drinks, or juices two hours before you exercise. Then drink 8 ounces an hour before and another 4 to 8 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during your workout. Finish with at least 16 ounces after you're done exercising.

94. Tune in to an audio book while you walk. It'll keep you going longer and looking forward to the next walk—and the next chapter! Check your local library for a great selection. Look for a whodunit; you might walk so far you'll need to take a cab home!

95. Think yoga's too serene to burn calories? Think again. You can burn 250 to 350 calories during an hour-long class (that's as much as you'd burn from an hour of walking)! Plus, you'll improve muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance.

96. Drinking too few can hamper your weight loss efforts. That's because dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3 percent, or about 45 fewer calories burned a day, which in a year could mean weighing 5 pounds more. The key to water isn't how much you drink, it's how frequently you drink it. Small amounts sipped often work better than 8 ounces gulped down at once.

How Can I Manage My Emotional Eating and Get the Support I Need?
97. A registered dietitian (RD) can help you find healthy ways to manage your weight with food. To find one in your area who consults with private clients call (800) 366-1655.

98. The best place to drop pounds may be your own house of worship. Researchers set up healthy eating and exercise programs in 16 Baltimore churches. More than 500 women participated and after a year the most successful lost an average of 20 lb. Weight loss programs based on faith are so successful because there's a built-in community component that people can feel comfortable with.

99. Here's another reason to keep level-headed all the time: Pennsylvania State University research has found that women less able to cope with stress—shown by blood pressure and heart rate elevations—ate twice as many fatty snacks as stress-resistant women did, even after the stress stopped (in this case, 25 minutes of periodic jackhammer-level noise and an unsolvable maze).

100. Sitting at a computer may help you slim down. When researchers at Brown University School of Medicine put 92 people on online weight loss programs for a year, those who received weekly e-mail counseling shed 5 1/2 more pounds than those who got none. Counselors provided weekly feedback on diet and exercise logs, answered questions, and cheered them on. Most major online diet programs offer many of these features.