Most nutritionists will tell you that the safest, healthiest way to lose weight is a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and plenty of fiber. But many people aren't ready to give up the foods they love, and they depend on diet foods to have their cake and eat it too. Sugar-free foods, pre-portioned snacks, and diet dinners are all very popular with people who are struggling to lose weight.

But do these heavily processed foods really aide weight loss? The jury seems to still be out, according to this article from MSNBC. Diet soda drinkers, for instance, are usually heavier than people who don't drink soda at all. And those 100-calorie snack packs are great, as long as you can stick to one pack. Frozen diet dinners, such as Lean Cuisine, get a thumbs up for veggie content and perfectly sized portions, but are loaded with sodium.

I think it's a matter of personal preference and also a matter of balance. If you're eating sugar-free Jello all day long, you'll probably lose weight, but you won't be getting the vitamins and antioxidants you need in your diet. On the other hand, if you have a raging sweet tooth and fruit isn't cutting it, a 100-calorie pack of cookies is better than eating a whole box. What do you think? Do processed diet foods have their place in a healthy menu?

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It's February, time to check-in on those New Year's resolutions. If you resolved to lose weight, then chances are you're already seeing some positive benefits of your new routine. Or, maybe, you're not. Did you slip up after those first few determined weeks? Have you lost your way? If so, you're probably not alone and maybe, just maybe, you made one of these common weight loss mistakes:

• setting an unrealistic goal
• depriving yourself of every treat
• trying to look like someone you're not
• viewing your diet as a temporary thing
• focusing only on exercise, not on your diet
• avoiding exercise
• not writing things down

It's ok if you did. The beauty of long-term weight loss is that it's a marathon, not a sprint. You don't need a New Year to make a new plan that will help you reach your goals. Find out where you went wrong, then pick yourself up and begin again, this time being mindful of common pitfalls. Good luck!

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Imagine heading out to dinner with your partner or family, only to be asked to step on a scale and then turned away because you're BMI is over 30. That's what eating out in Mississippi might be like if Representative W.T. Mayhall, Jr. gets his bill passed. The bill would require that people who are obese, as defined by the state, be banned from being served in restaurants. It would also require that restaurant owners keep records of customers BMIs.

According to Junkfood Science, Mayhall authored the bill in all seriousness, although he doesn't believe it will pass. Claiming the "need for government action" in response to the obesity crisis, Mayhall apparently believes that shame and embarrassment will help people take better care of their health.

I think this falls squarely in the "they can't be serious" category. What do you think?

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It may seem like no surprise, but a recent study suggests that a full-service restaurant may be a better choice for dinner than fast food.

In fact, what they found was that people who live in neighborhoods near fast food restaurants tend to carry more extra weight than those who live near full-service restaurants. That's not to say that you can't overeat at a full-service restaurant, because we all know that with super-sized portions, it's not hard to do. But the research suggests that it's how we eat -- sitting down, focusing on our food, taking our time vs. eating on the run, in the car, in a hurry -- is an important factor in maintaining weight, at least when we go out to eat.

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A friend recently sent me an invitation to StickK , and I found it kind of interesting. There are a lot of online support communities for people who are trying to create healthier lifestyle habits, but StickK is the first I've seen that asks you to put your money where your mouth is.

When you join StickK, you create a contract that outlines exactly what you want to do. Then, if you're interested, you commit a dollar amount to help keep you accountable, kind of like making a bet with yourself. If you reach your goal, you get your money back. But if you don't, StickK deducts the money from your account and gives it to the recipient of your choice (a charitable organization, for instance).

I could see where StickK might be highly motivating, especially if you were to put a high dollar amount on your goal. But I'm not sure if it's for me or not. What do you think? Could reinforcement like this keep you on track toward your health or fitness goal?

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Mmmm...Mexican food. We're lucky enough to have two authentic Mexican restaurants in our small city, and we've visited both plenty of times. However, though traditional Mexican fare is actually pretty healthy -- lots of plant-based foods and fiber-rich beans -- Americanized Mexican food can mean diet disaster with its sour cream, fatty refried beans, and hefty servings of red meat.

Ediets wants you to enjoy Mexican food, but they want you to stick to your appropriate daily calorie intake too. So they recently created a list of five things to enjoy at a Mexican restaurant and five things to avoid. I'm going to have to keep this list in mind the next time we go out, since a handful of those freshly made nacho chips are usually the first thing I reach for!

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Like many of you, I'm trying to trim a little fat this January. That means that every day for lunch, I make myself a large salad with greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a little chopped egg or avocado. I look forward to it, because the sweet poppyseed dressing is the only sugar I allow myself to eat all day. I stick to the same recipe because it's easy for me, but I'll admit that I'm getting a little bored with it.

According to this article from WebMD, if I just change my thinking a little bit, I can work my way around that boredom. Instead of thinking, "Lunch. Time for another salad." I should be thinking, "Time to eat my favorite salad with creamy avocado and sweet dressing on top!" That's because, according to a recent study, the more detail people used when describing a food, the less likely they were to get bored with it.

It's a neat parlor trick, but I'm not sure if it would work for me long term. Better, I think, would be to come up with two or three salad recipes and rotate them. But if you find yourself getting bored with your diet regimen, it might be worth a shot!

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Mary J. Blige recently released a new album, one that at least partially chronicles her path to wellness. Blige not only fought off depression and addiction, she committed herself to a healthy lifestyle as well, one that includes vigorous exercise 5 days a week and a healthy diet. While she acknowledges that it isn't easy, she also recognizes the importance of clean living. You can read her interview with WebMD here as well as her six strategies for a healthier lifestyle.

My favorite quote is this one:

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Have you ever noticed that after eating certain foods -- especially those that are low in fiber and high in sugar -- you tend to get hungry rather quickly, while other foods keep you full for a longer period of time? Australian researcher Dr. Susanne Holt noticed, and her research led her to develop the satiety index. You can read more about the study here, but what it boils down to is that some foods keep you fuller longer than others.

Foods that are high in volume, fiber, and protein tend to stick with you and reduce your appetite, even hours later. Foods that have the same number of calories, may be lower on the satiety index because they lack one of those three characteristics. It's interesting research, and I'm looking forward to her adding additional foods to the list. Until then, you can see some of the foods she tested and their satiety ranking in the gallery below.

White bread is the reference point, with a satiety of 100. Foods are either less filling than white bread (under 100) or more filling (over 100).

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My otherwise fit and healthy brother-in-law was recently diagnosed with a hereditary condition that makes his body produce excessive amounts of cholesterol. The cure? Quit eating fat. ALL fat. It was a big change for this guy who was used to hearty meals and an unrestricted diet. I recently asked him how it was going, and he said, "It was really hard in the beginning, because I love to eat. But now I pick up an apple or a banana and it just tastes soooo good." He said he battled cravings for about 6 weeks, but that now they were virtually gone.

In this article from Women's Health, they discuss that same idea as a suggestion for battling cravings. In the long run, you just have to reteach your body what sweet means. Natural sugars from fruits can quiet a craving, and if you're consistent, you'll learn to crave those instead. They have some other great ideas for nipping those cravings in the bud, including:

• Accept and acknowledge the craving (but don't act on it!) to diffuse its power over you.
• Allow yourself a small portion of your favorite treat on occasion, if you can practice portion control.
• Fantasize about something else. Your short-term memory can only hold so much information, so if you start dreaming about that last piece of pumpkin pie, conjure up a different pleasing (and non-food) image to take its place.
• Use smart substitutes. Like I said above, you really can train your brain to crave fruit instead.

How do you handle serious cravings?

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I've heard people joke that they need to have their jaw wired shut or their lips permanently glued together to stop themselves from overeating -- but having your ear stapled? That's a new one.

Ear stapling is procedure based (loosely or not, I can't quite tell) on acupuncture. A stainless steel staple is attached to the earlobe (ow) and left in place. Supposedly, it cuts down on hunger and sugar cravings, allowing people to eat less and feel satisfied.

Sound too good to be true? It probably is. Ear stapling infection rates are high -- 20% -- and finding an certified person to perform the procedure can be tricky. Why not just listen to your body instead? Eat lots of fruits and veggies and lean proteins, and get out and move a little each day. Sounds a whole lot easier than putting staples in your ears. What do you think?

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Wild horses couldn't drag me away from certain foods if they're placed right in front of me -- chocolate covered peanuts, for one. Chocolate ice cream, for another. So I understand what it feels like to have willpower fail you, to eat something even though you aren't hungry. I'm guessing that was the thought behind the inventor of the anti-eating face mask, patented, but not yet in production. The mask literally prevents you from putting food in your mouth, and therefore helps you lose weight. There's no mention about what wearing the mask will do to your social life.

Luckily, there are lots of ways to prevent overeating without looking like you've walked out of a horror movie. For instance, don't keep your trigger foods in sight. Better yet, don't keep them in your home (or car, or grocery cart). Do keep healthy foods at hand -- a bowl of washed fruit on the table, chopped veggies in the fridge, for example. Save your money for something far more useful -- like workout clothes -- instead.

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Did you know that brushing your teeth right after dinner can help you stick to your diet? That's just one of the many sneaky little tips to help you lose weight in this article. You might think twice about reaching for that bag of chips if it means messing up those smooth, freshly brushed teeth!

You can also try eating a little bit of healthy fat right before dinner to activate ghrelin, a hormone that helps you feel full. Or pack most of your calories in at breakfast and lunch to help prevent late afternoon hunger (and snacking.) And don't forget the old stand-by: eat every three hours to keep blood sugar stabilized and hunger pangs at bay.

Losing weight can be hard work, but these sneaky little tricks can help ease the way by helping you feel full and satisfied. Does anyone else have a "sneaky little trick" to share?

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I love the first sentence of this article: "Anyone can lose weight." Even if you've tried and failed, even if it seems hard, even if you have a long way to go -- anyone can do it. Of course, as individuals we all have our own set of circumstances, but I still love that message. But last week, Brian posted about a study that found that diets don't work. So what gives?

Here's a list of 10 habits to take off the weight and keep it off -- for life. Stop looking at weight loss as a "diet" and start looking at it as a lifestyle change, adopting only those habits you're willing to take on for good. There's nothing brand new on this list, but it's good solid advice for changing your eating and activity habits for the long haul. Click the link to read more, but the list includes:

• eating breakfast every day
• eating 5 small meals
• limit processed sugars
• exercise most days of the week
• bounce back quickly when you over-indulge
• stay away from gimmicks
• keep a food diary

Lose your weight, keep it off for two years, and experts say you're then likely to have beaten the battle of the bulge for good.

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When you start a new exercise routine, do you start looking for results right away? I know I do -- Is my stomach a little flatter? Do my legs look a little more shapely? It seems that you should see results right away. After all, you're putting a tremendous amount of time and effort into it each day.

The fact is, though, that seeing real and lasting results from exercise takes time -- sometimes a lot of it. This article explains why setting realistic goals is important and reminds us that when we start an exercise program, we should be in it for the long haul.

Exercising is certainly a great way to speed weight loss, but can exercise alone do the trick? Yes, but by combining exercise with a nutritious, lower-calorie diet, you'll see faster results for all your hard work. A body must burn 3500 calories to lose one pound, and most people only burn about 100 calories for every 10 minutes of exercise. But combining exercise with a healthy diet and cutting calories from the food you eat will make the process much more efficient.

I read once that 70% of people abandon their exercise routines in the first six months after starting them, but it often takes 6 months of consistent exercise to see serious results. If you're feeling frustrated with your progress, remember that your daily workout is doing far more than helping you lose those love handles. It's decreasing your risk of heart disease, improving your cholesterol, lowering your blood pressure, and even improving your body's ability to control blood sugar. All good reasons to stick it out, don't you think?

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