Weight has been an issue for me for the last 25 years. Only in the last five I’ve started to understand how to deal with the problem. For most people, losing weight is not a medical condition (although there are exceptions to this). The keys to losing weight are simple.

1. Chew less. When I first read this statement, I was thinking about the “chew your bite 40 times” that I had heard in grammar school. The truth is that when I sit down to eat, I simply eat too much. Chew less means don’t eat so much.

2. Eat off smaller plates (or bowls). This will force you to eat smaller portions and will also trick your brain into thinking it’s getting more food.

3. Take your time. Eat smaller bites and take time in between each bite. It usually takes the “full” message from your stomach about twenty minutes to reach your brain. (I wonder if this is because all the blood and energy is being used to digest).

4. Make meal time an experience. Put out the nice linen. Light a candle. Play some mood music. Enjoy each and every meal instead of shoving anything into your mouth and calling it done.

5. Stop before you are full. I call it “first date” eating. Only consume as much as you would on a first date – or an amount about the size of your palm.

6. Get moving. You have to burn more calories than you take in, and movement is the way to do that. Make it your goal to walk just 10,000 steps per day.

7. Build muscle. Muscle will burn more energy than fat. The stronger you get, the more weight you can burn off with less effort.

8. Don’t ever give up. If you slip, start again.

9. Start now. If you wait until tomorrow then you will continue to wait until tomorrow.

10. Treat yourself. If you complete deprive yourself of chocolate then you won’t be able to think of anything BUT chocolate. When you are hungry, enjoy a small amount of your favorite food, but don’t go overboard.

Losing weight doesn’t have to require lots of charts and graphs. With just a little common sense, some self control and some get up and go you can work and live your way to a thin and healthy life without diets. The steps to losing weight are simple – now if they were only easy, too.

Well, you had a great time last night, that’s for sure. You partied. You danced. You mingled. You drank waaaay too much. And now you hurt.

You need a cure for your hangover, which includes any or all of the following: headache, nausea, aching body, exhaustion, dizziness and overall lack of well-being.

Here are some full-proof remedies to get you back on your feet in no time and ready for round two tonight. They won’t cure your guilty conscience or the “Oh my gosh, I did WHAT last night?” fears, but at least your physical pain will be gone.

Hydrate. Your body is hurting so much because the all the booze you consumed last night sucked the moisture out of your body. That’s also the reason you have dry mouth. You’ll want to re-hydrate your body with electrolyte-rich liquids, like a sports drink or water. And drink a lot of it. At least two big glasses as soon as you wake up and then another glass at least once an hour. Skip coffee or soda; They will only make your headache/cotton mouth worse.

Take some medicine. There’s nothing wrong with resorting to the medicine cabinet for a cure. Take your favorite headache pill. Aspirin is the best choice; Advil can upset your stomach and mixing Tylenol with alcohol can have severe consequences on your liver. DO NOT do it. Dramamine or PMS medications like Midol will help with symptoms like bloating and nausea. Multivitamins are also a great way to get the much-needed nutrients back in your system. , Dramamine and PMS medication

Get your grease intake. Eat the biggest, greasiest burger, burrito and/or pizza possible. Don’t worry about ruining your diet. The worst thing you can put in your stomach after a night of drinking is anything “healthy.” It seems contradictory—after all, you’d want to make up for the poor nutrition decisions the previous night with some healthy choices today—but grease and fat will help more than salad. And eat as soon as possible and then fall back asleep from the food coma. You’ll wake up feeling refreshed later.

Nothing but mindless activity. What’s the plan for the day? A whole lot of nothing. Some people love exercising after a night of drinking. I don’t understand people like that. Your mind is tired; let it rest. Only engage in mindless activities so your brain and body have time to recover to a functional state. Some good ideas include: watching T.V. reruns like I Love Lucy, America’s Next Top Model or cartoons. Having sex. Taking a long, hot shower or relaxing in a hot tub.