Steven Heymsfield, M.D., deputy director of the Obesity Research Center at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in New York City.
Quick Fix: Track and total your food intake for a week, then cut out 500 to 1,000 calories a day (500 will give you a one-pound-per-week loss). "This is easiest to do with portion-controlled meals, like frozen or liquid ones," says Heymsfield. Avoiding sugar and white flour will encourage fluid loss, which naturally occurs in the first two weeks of any diet. Water weight or not, the extra drop on the scale will get you psyched.
Long-term Goal: To become more aware of the calories you're taking in, so that eating the right amount for weight maintenance is automatic.
