No Changes, No Weight Loss

Don't skip breakfast

A lot of overweight women follow a pattern of overeating at night, waking up full, then going hungry as the day wears on to make up for their dietary transgressions the night before. By the time evening rolls around again, they're starving, and the whole pattern repeats itself.

Every day, eat a 300- to 400-calorie breakfast: a serving of whole-grain cereal with a cup of skim milk and some fruit thrown in; an egg, a piece of whole wheat toast and an orange; a slice of whole wheat toast with an ounce of cheese plus a small fruit salad— all of these make nutritious starts to the day that will help end the cycle of hungry days and overfed nights.