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If you're like me, you feel overwhelmed when you even think of the word "diet." Counting calories, eating meals from the mail, or figuring out a complicated point system seem like daunting tasks. However, there ARE simple, easy solutions for losing weight. Five things that have given me results are:

1. Drink More Water

When you drink enough water, you don't feel nearly as hungry. Many Americans have ignored their bodies signals for so long, that they don't understand what their body is trying to tell them. Many people think they are hungry, when really their body is begging for more WATER! Drinking enough water can increase your metabolism.

How much water you actually need can vary from person to person. Most people need only eight 8 oz. glasses per day, while others may need more (especially if you are overweight or live in a hot climate). You should spread your water intake out over the course of a day.

Drinking more water not only helps you lose more weight, it can improve your appearance and health in other ways too. Drinking an adequate amount of water can give your skin a healthy glow. It also aids in other body functions.

2. Eat Smaller Portion Sizes

Over the years, portion sizes in America have grown dramatically. Approximately 20 years ago, a bagel measured 3 inches in diameter and contained 140 calories. Today, a bagel measures 6 inches in diameter and contains 350 calories. An order of French fries (2.4 ounces) contained 210 calories. Today, a common serving size of fries is 6.9 ounces and contains over 600 calories!

Cutting back on portion sizes means cutting back on calories, without any complicated math or label reading. An easy way to reduce your portion size is to use a smaller plate. Most people tend to fill up their whole plate, or a predetermined portion of the plate, no matter what size it is.

3. Don't eat after 6:00 p.m.

Most people are less active at night and therefore burn fewer calories. Eating a meal or snack and then heading straight for bed increases the chances that some of the calories you consumed will be stored as fat.

Generally, any eating that I do after 6 p.m. isn't healthy! Usually I have eaten breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a few snacks and then move on to night time snacking. I have already reached my limit for daily caloric intake and I am just satisfying my boredom.

A study in 2004 of more than 800 men and women noted that people who eat more at night tend to eat more overall.

4. Eat Breakfast

Your mother was right. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day! Research shows that people who eat breakfast tend to eat less calories throughout the day and are more likely to exercise. Eating earlier in the day keeps us from being starving later in the day. If you sleep for 8 hours a night, wake up at 7 a.m., skip breakfast, and eat lunch at 1:00 p.m., you are fasting for a total of 14 hours! Now that has got to make you hungry and I know when I am very hungry, I tend to overdo it.

Be careful to make wise food choices at breakfast time, however. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are excellent choices. These foods can fill you up with less fat than other breakfast foods. Those who eat breakfast regularly have fewer weight problems than those who don't. It's a fact!

5. Think About WHAT You Are Eating and WHY You Are Eating It

When you feel the urge to snack, stop and wait a few minutes to decide if you are really hungry. Often times we associate things like watching TV or a movie, surfing the internet, or just plain relaxing with eating. If you can change some of your habits, like eating only a few chips in a bowl rather than eating straight from the bag, you'll find that you have to really think about what you are doing. If you often eat on the couch, try only eating in the kitchen or dining room at the table. By doing this, you will disassociate food with other activities and be less likely to allow those activities to prompt you to eat.

If you find this list to be overwhelming rather than encouraging, choose one item to work on over the next week or more and then add another when you are ready. You might be thinking that you've heard this all before and these things are very simple, common-sense solutions. They are! Try them out and you will see and feel results!