Approximately one billion people in the world are overweight and Americans are right on top of that list. According the CDC/ National Center for Health Statistics, in 2003-2004, sixty-percent of adults over age twenty were overweight with another thirty-two percent in that same category considered obese. Believe me, those numbers have significantly increased.

Why? It's because we live a very fast paced society where it's just too easy to grab that double meat double cheeseburger with fries and a soft drink rather than consume a healthy meal. We simply don't have the time.

Most of us consume far too many foods and drinks that are high in fat, cholesterol, sugar, and sodium, consequently exposing ourselves to the risks of cardio-vascular disease, Type Two Diabetes, hypertension, stroke, and even some types of cancer.

For those of us who do have the time to eat properly, face it, we simply like to cheat. Generally speaking, most of us don't have the willpower to constantly avoid all the ?goodies? that are so detrimental to our health. We've all heard that old saying? If it tastes good-spit it out!? Well, unfortunately, that's probably accurate advice, however, there are a few less dramatic methods we can employ to sort of ?have our cake and eat it too.?

1. Try to get in the mindset that you really are what you eat and slowly begin to pay closer attention to what you consume. Simply changing the way you think is one of the most powerful ways to improve any area of your life. Take five minutes each day and visualize yourself as being thinner. Sound silly? Have you seen the movie? The Secret?? If not, I strongly suggest you do so. I think you will be surprised at how much difference this technique will make.

2. Take a sack lunch to work. A turkey sandwich with some fruit, a protein bar and some diet white tea will be much better for you than that darned cheeseburger and fries. If that won't hold you until the whistle blows, have a protein drink in between instead of raiding the candy machine.

3. Avoid eating foods high in carbohydrates especially three hours before bedtime. The simple version is the carbs will be converted into sugars which will more than likely be stored as fat.

4. Any form of exercise is better than none at all. A fast paced walk for fifteen to twenty minutes three times per week is one of the most effective methods to lose weight and does not pound the body like running or jogging. Being a personal trainer, I cannot say enough about the benefits of exercise.

5. Drink a glass of water about thirty minutes prior to meals. This will make you feel full and you may not eat quite so much. Also, eating smaller portions will, in time, make it more difficult for you to over eat.

Remember, being overweight is not only undesirable and unattractive, it is most certainly detrimental to your health.