lose weight

1. Substituting 4 oz of ground beef (305 calories) for 4 oz ground turkey/chicken breast (130  calories) saves 175 calories. Doing this twice a week for a year saves 18,200 calories or more than 5 pounds of weight.

2. Switch from whole milk to 1% milk and cut out 6 grams of fat per glass.

3. Lose 6 pounds a year by replacing one cup of whole milk (150 calories) with skim milk (90 calories) and consume 60 calories less per serving. Doing this once a day for a year will result in 21,900 fewer calories, which equals 6.25 pounds of weight!

4. Easily cut calories by replacing sauce and gravy with fine herbs and spices.

5. Chew your gum! Not only does it lower food cravings but it also burns calories and speeds up the body's metabolism. Chewing sugar-free gum all day increases your metabolic rate by about 20 percent.

6. An 8-inch stalk of celery contains approximately 6 calories. Digesting this stalk burns more than 6 calories, resulting in a negative caloric intake.

7. Spicy foods raise your body temperature, increasing your metabolism by as much as 25% for several hours after eating them.

8. Having soup is a great way to lose weight. Soups are very light, low in calories and they fill up the stomach easily. Add some protein by throwing in some lentils or lima beans.

9. Soft drinks are linked to obesity and an increased risk of diabetes. Break this habit by replacing the soda with water and a slice of lemon. If you miss the flavor and fizz, try mixing 100% fruit juice with sparkling water. You will cut the calories and add vitamins from the fruit juice.

10. Omit the butter on the sandwich and cut out 4g of fat (1 tsp. of butter/margarine). Use light mayonnaise, instead or regular mayonnaise and cut out an additional 6g of fat.

11. If you drink 2 cups of coffee a day but use double cream, switching to 2% milk will cut out 6 grams of fat.

12. Replacing your croissant sandwich with almost any other bun will cut out at least 9g of fat!