When it comes to weight loss, there are a lot of gimmicks out there. But That's Fit readers know this: Gimmicks never work, and sometimes they can leave you with more weight to lose than when you started. The other day, however, a friend told me about an idea that sounds gimmick-y, but is actually just a new way of looking at solid, time-tested advice.

It's called the 5 and 30 plan. The idea is easy -- eat a minimum of five fruits and vegetables a day and get 30 minutes of moderate exercise. Essentially, the plan reduces calories, increases fiber, improves nutrition and ensures daily physical activity. But at the same time, it sounds pretty simple.

It's not a diet, it's a way of life. And this week, I'm going to try it on for size.

Welcome to the Good, the Fat and the Hungry. I'm Karla and I have been -- or am -- all those things. Here, I will share with you my lifelong struggle with my weight, and I hope you'll follow along on with my determined attempt to lose nearly 40 pounds. I promise to tell you every win and setback along the way every Tuesday and Friday.

Sugar.

Let me try that again. Sugar.

Did you feel it that time? I don't know about anyone else but merely saying the word excites me. I don't think about calories, fat grams or carbs when I crave it. It's just plain old sugary goodness all by itself. It stands alone, and none of its other attributes matter when I want it. At those times, it's just me and my Sweetie.

Last week, I was perusing other posts on That's Fit, as I often do, and I came across Bethany Sanders' attempt to walk the no-sugar walk for seven days. My immediate thought: Who does that and why? As I kept reading, I understood. It makes perfect sense that I can't have everything I want all the time, but that rule has never applied to sugar. Should it? I have justified hundreds of Tootsie Rolls and half-eaten Reese's cups for far too long.

Although I had to break the news to Sugar gently, I feel OK saying I need some space. So, I started on Monday, and I plan to follow Bethany's example. For the next seven days, goodbye to all the sweetness in my life. So far, so good -- but this is only day two. I'll be back on Friday, day five -- come see if my story has changed.

Source